Life unfolds in chapters and, throughout your life, what makes your home work will shift and change. Messy bedrooms turn into extra space to do more of the things you love, from picking up a new hobby to having friends over for the weekend. And the traditional family home, with all its extra upkeep and maintenance, starts to become more than you need.
In the UK Government’s English Housing Survey 24/25, 58% of over 65s reported living in a home with more bedrooms than they needed and 28% of movers said they were downsizing. Many of us are looking for a lower maintenance, more relaxed way to live and, for many, that means a bungalow.
But while bringing everything down to one level makes day-to-day maintenance significantly less time consuming, there’s a mismatch between the number of downsizers and what’s available on the property market.
Why bungalows aren’t always the best homes for downsizers
Bungalows are an attractive choice for the UK’s downsizers, typically offering a smaller footprint and removing the need to trundle up and down the stairs ten times a day. However, bungalows are a small part of the UK housing stock.
Government data estimates that bungalows account for just 8% of housing stock, reflecting around 2.5 million bungalows across England and Wales. With the innate appeal of a compact, easy to manage living space, competition for these properties is incredibly high – and that means they often come at a significant price premium.
This is a challenge that’s intensifying over time. According to the HomeOwners Alliance, a consumer group that champions the interests of Britain’s homeowners, only 1% of new homes registered in 2024 were bungalows, versus 11% in 1990.
Homebuilders are generally producing fewer bungalows than ever before, making the plan to downsize to a cute bungalow somewhere beautiful harder to achieve.
Rethinking the future: Downsizing to a new build
A bungalow is the obvious choice for downsizers, but it’s important to think about the reasons why. Most of us don’t feel an especially strong drive to live in a bungalow, but we’re looking to solve several problems beyond having fewer rooms.
In one survey from the National House Building Council, downsizers identified easier maintenance and reduced running costs as the two leading factors in their move, above age-related suitability and reducing mortgage costs. New build homes have the potential to address these factors in precisely the same way as a bungalow would, often to a higher standard of quality, convenience and long-term value.
Convenient, semi-rural locations
While many bungalows are in rural locations, mixed new build developments tend to prioritise areas that offer the best of both worlds: access to the countryside with convenient links to nearby amenities. For example, our Gallica development in Sissinghurst is less than 10 minutes from useful shops in Cranbrook, or 30 minutes from Ashford for designer shopping.
Spacious, flexible rooms to suit multiple purposes
The way we all live has changed over the past decade and, today, people expect more agility from their homes. A peaceful place to cook might need to become a busy hub for your dinner party guests a week later. New build homes are designed with this flexibility in mind, giving you more choice in how you use your space.
Impeccable condition with less maintenance
When you’re working with a reputable developer with clear quality assurance processes, a new build home offers the condition and longevity that few pre-loved bungalows can match. A modern new build is appointed with all the essentials for modern life, from smart home features to security, reducing the need for costly updates or changes in the near future.
Energy efficiency and lower running costs
Lower running costs are a primary reason for downsizers to move and new build homes are built to reduce costs through unbeatable energy efficiency. From air source heat pumps that replace outdated gas boilers to heat-retaining insulation, a luxury new build is future proofed for energy efficiency from day one.
The added advantages of a chalet bungalow new build
The right new build home can address several downsizer priorities at once, but we’ve also seen increased interest in stylish chalet bungalows, a practical addition to several of our developments.
For many, a chalet bungalow is the perfect blend: compact floor plans, downstairs bedrooms and roof space that can be used for additional bedrooms, hobbies and office space.
At our Braeburns development in Welford on Avon, Warwickshire, we’ve crafted two elegant chalet bungalows, Ellington Lodge and Rosalind Place, offering an effortless way of living with thoughtful touches to suit downsizers.
On the ground floor, you’ll find everything you’d expect from a modern Brookworth home, with the added advantage of a spacious family bedroom with its own ensuite. Meanwhile, the first floor offers further bedrooms which are equally as effective as guest rooms or hobby space.
It’s our premium level of design, usability and quality, paired with the added convenience that discerning downsizers deserve.
Brookworth Homes: designed around you
Whether you’re downsizing, relocating or simply looking for a more premium place to call home, everything we do at Brookworth Homes is anchored in the most important thing of all: you.
We recognise that every homeowner is different and everyone has their own idea of the perfect home. That’s why we spend so much time planning our developments to encompass all of those needs by offering more choice, from spacious family homes to elegant chalet bungalows.
It’s a mindset that impacts more than your home. It’s how we create true communities: vibrant, varied places where people from all walks of life come together around a shared desire for quality.
Explore our developments or get in touch with our experienced sales teams to find out more.
