Homes for downsizers for sale in England – in pictures
Rachel Reeves’s ‘mansion tax’ may encourage people who were considering downsizing to do so. Here are some options
Fri 28 Nov 2025 02.00 EST
St John’s Wood, London
Spencer Court sits serenely on the corner of Marlborough Place and Hamilton Terrace in this prime location. It is a short stroll to amenities or Regent’s Park. The purpose-built period building is accessed through impressive gates, then a communal hallway with polished, monochrome tiled floor. Grand wooden stairs, or a lift, lead up to the second floor where there is a three-bedroom, three-bathrom apartment with room for the grandchildren to stay. A reception room is lit from a large sash window and there’s a separate kitchen-diner. £1.475m.Aston Chase, 020 7724 4724Photograph: Aston Chase
Deal, Kent
Moments from the pebbled beach is a Grade II-listed terrace cottage with a stucco facade and dark green Victorian front door. Do not let the listing be a deterrent – this three-bedroom home has been fully renovated to be light and airy but with character. It has oak flooring underfoot, and timber panelling in the sitting-dining-kitchen, up the stairs, and in the bathroom. In the main bedroom a sliding door reveals an en suite. The decor is all about details: handmade tiles in the bathrooms and a deep cast-iron roll-top bath. £550,000. Inigo, 020 3687 3071Photograph: Inigo
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
In the sought-after medieval quarter in the centre of town is a Grade II-listed, four-bedroom house. It is compact and manageable with a tiered garden featuring a terrace and lawn. The characterful property was a shop in the 19th century – with large bay and shuttered windows – but the oldest parts date to the 1700s. The ground floor is dominated by the open-plan dining and sitting room, with a separate kitchen at the back. Steps lead to a two-room cellar with in-built wine bins. The four bedrooms are on the first and second floors. £575,000. Bedfords, 01284 769999Photograph: Bedfords
Bath, Somerset
In the suburb of Lansdown, brimming with Georgian and Victorian properties, is this new-build community for those aged 55+. Faced with locally quarried stone, the homes are designed to be low-energy. Within the communal grounds is a cafe, a hair and beauty salon and a bookable guest suite for families. Properties can be bought using the government-backed older persons shared ownership scheme. There are two-bedroom apartments available on the first floor. The full market value is £477,500. From £119,375 for a 25% share. Pemberley Place, 01225 591 097Photograph: Lindsay Fowke/Pemberley Place
Hucknall, Nottinghamshire
Whyburn Court, in this north Nottingham suburb, is exclusively for those aged 60 and over with plenty of areas designed to foster community. The main entrance leads into a lounge, which in turn leads out to communal gardens. There is a lift to the first floor where there is a two-bedroom apartment for sale with no onward chain. French doors in the seven-metre (23ft) living room open on to a Juliet balcony and there’s a separate kitchen. Hucknall is the first stop on the tram service running into Nottingham city centre. £215,000. HomeMove, 01158 321 321Photograph: HomeMoveExplore more on these topics