Leading Yorkshire estate agent, Dacre, Son & Hartley, has been appointed by the largest charity care provider for older people in England, Scotland and Wales to market homes within the organisation’s retirement communities, across a vast geographical area from Scotland to Dorset.
Methodist Homes (MHA) was founded by members of the Methodist Church in 1943 and today the organisation operates 70 purpose-built retirement living communities, that are home to more than 3,000 older people living independently.
All the organisation’s developments are centred around enabling people to live independently in community focussed environments as well as most schemes providing social and leisure facilities, such as bistros and salons, along with a full programme of activities. In addition, each development retains Methodist roots and values and is home to a chaplain paid for by the charity.
Dacre, Son & Hartley has been appointed to market a wide range of homes, for both sale and rent, and is also responsible for sourcing and appointing estate agents to handle sales in all other parts of the country that fall outside the company’s Northern heartland.
Janice Walker, head of retirement property sales and lettings at MHA, said: “After initially working with Dacre, Son & Hartley to sell several properties in Ilkley, it quickly became apparent that the company had the expertise, knowledge and capability to support MHA. This comes at a defining time for the market, as demand soars for high quality retirement homes driven in part by the Covid-19 pandemic and people deciding they no longer want to feel alone.
“Crucially, Dacre, Son & Hartley’s team immediately understood how we differ from other retirement developments, with an ethos on selling a genuine lifestyle, building strong communities and giving people the opportunity to make the most of later life. We pride ourselves on promoting independent living and offering a full range of facilities, as well as care and domestic services, if required.
“This formula has proved very successful and we have expanded our retirement living communities significantly in recent years.
Paul Wilson, a director at Dacre, Son & Hartley, said: “MHA has a vast portfolio of high quality retirement homes and we’re delighted to be working with them, marketing properties at a wide range of developments, including sites in Pickering, Harrogate, Market Harborough and Headingley.
“There’s a lot of demand in the market for purpose-built retirement property. Covid-19 and the resulting lockdowns have encouraged many to consider their future and in particular, where they want to live, which has resulted in a surge of interest from people who don’t want to feel so isolated.”
In addition to its retirement communities, MHA runs more than 90 care homes, with approximately 4,400 residents, including many who receive specialist dementia or nursing care. The organisation also provides community services to 11,100 older people living independently, in their own homes. MHA has a team 7,500 employees and supported by over 4,000 volunteers to deliver its services.
