Member Article

RAF Serviceman Takes Flight With Dunelm Homes

An RAF senior aircraft technician has made a County Durham development from Dunelm Homes his base and purchased his first ever home thanks to financial support from the RAF.

Andrew Gilhespy (25) purchased the three bedroom Ripon property at Glebe Court in the village of Murton after deciding the time was right to put down roots between his tours of service. Now, after two tours of Iraq and two of Afghanistan, Andrew is set to join the 79thsquadron in Afghanistan as the proud owner of a Ripon property from Dunelm Homes.

Andrew said: “Life in the RAF can involve a lot of travel so I wanted to find somewhere I could call home on a more permanent basis when I’m back in the UK. Glebe Court is a very accessible development and thanks to the lovely stonework on the exterior of the properties, each house has the character and charm you would expect of a County Durham village property. As soon as I looked around the Ripon I knew it was the property I wanted as I could just move straight in so I looked into the financing options available.

“The RAF has a great scheme called the LSAP (Long Service Advancement of Pay) to help service personnel own their own home. You can receive up to £8,500 towards a housing deposit and with a further 5% deposit from Dunelm Homes, I was able to secure my home. The sales advisor at Glebe Court offered me all the help I needed to guide me through the purchasing process and it was seemingly no time at all before I was getting ready to receive the keys to my new home.”

Thanks to the financial assistance from the RAF and Dunelm Homes, Andrew now has his own home to return to when he completes his current tour of duty in three months time. Whilst away, his new home will be looked after by his mother to ensure the property will offer the best in home comforts in time for his return.

“As I’m about to start my third tour of Afghanistan, it’s comforting to know I not only have my own home but as a modern property built using the latest housing design and technology, it will be a low maintenance home which fits with my work commitments perfectly.”

Colin Willetts, sales and marketing manager at Dunelm Homes said: “Glebe Court is a development which has much to offer first time buyers looking for the right kind of modern, affordable home which fits with their lifestyle. Thanks to the financial support of the RAF and Dunelm Homes in ensuring Andrew not only had a housing deposit but also our Designer Choice Package, we have been able to welcome Andrew to the Glebe Court community and wish him well on his current tour of duty.”

The three bedroom Ripon housetype is available from £109,995. For further information about properties available for sale at Glebe Court please visit www.dunelmhomes.co.uk or contact the Dunelm Homes sales team direct on 0191 517 3896 and sales@dunelmhomes.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Colin Willetts .