Pensioner becomes one of UK’s oldest first-time buyers

Edward Simon Jones is pictured outside his first home (Image: Newsquest/SWNS)A pensioner has become one of the oldest first-time buyers in the UK – at the age of 86.Edward Simon Jones has collected the keys for his first pad – a £147,000 bungalow in Flintshire, Wales, after spending his whole life living on his family’s farm.The man had spent the last year at assisted care facility Marleyfield House in Buckley but wants to spend the rest of his life in his own surroundings.Now, Edward, better known as Simon, is “absolutely delighted” to secure his first home, a modest bungalow with solar panels on its roof.He said: “I’m so excited to finally have a place of my own, I loved it at Marleyfield but I want to spend the remaining years I have in my own home. “It’s been a long time coming but it’s certainly worth the wait.”Simon’s niece, Lynne Palin, said he is delighted to finally have the keys to his own home – and thought having solar panels on the bungalow would give him free electricity.Ms Palin added: “His solicitor joked that he must be the oldest person in Wales to buy their first home.”He lived on the Bychton Hall family farm in Mostyn for all his life, before moving in to Marleyfield.”At Marleyfield he was known as being a real character, and a bit of a lady’s man – so no doubt he’ll be missed there.”The home’s cat, Mikey, even slept on his bed every night.”But Simon’s always maintained that he wants to spend the last years of his life in his own place, and he’s absolutely delighted to have the keys to his new bungalow.”He has solar panels on the roof of the bungalow, and he thought that means he’ll be getting free electricity.”Research by Halifax conducted in January showed the average age of first-time buyers varies between regions, but is above 30 in each.Unsurprisingly, the average age was highest in London, at 33 years old.