Member Article

NEW BUILD HOMES FAVOURED BY ONE IN FOUR BRITS

One in four Brits prefer a ready-made home with new integrated appliances and open-plan layouts when buying a property, according to research* by Countryside. For first time buyers Samantha Sarsfield (28) and Tim (30) Ashburn, it was these features that sealed the deal on their new home at the home builder’s Hamilton Square development.

Samantha and Tim, who met at university in 2011 whilst studying for their degrees in food technology, secured their first home at Countryside’s new Hamilton Square development in Atherton, where prices start at £186,995.

Samantha, who works as a Design Technology teacher, commented: “We’ve spent years renting and we hated it because to us it seemed like a waste of money as you’re paying for a property that isn’t entirely yours. When we found out about the Help to Buy scheme we knew we could start saving towards becoming homeowners - it motivated us!”

The couple moved in with their parents for two years so they could save and were able to secure their home with just a 5% deposit through the Help to Buy scheme, which also provides homebuyers with a 20% interest-free loan for five years, meaning only a 75% mortgage is required.

Samantha added: “When we started house hunting, we viewed a lot of properties including both older houses and new-builds. After spending a lot of time looking, it become very clear that a new-build home was what we wanted. We actually looked at Countryside’s Heyfields development in Walkden first and fell in love with the New Stamford house design.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough for a deposit at the time but, after seeing the New Stamford, we knew that this was the home for us - it was just a matter of where Countryside would build that specific home design next!”

Following this, the couple secured their three-bedroom New Stamford home at the Gloucester Street development, which boasts an open-plan layout with skylight windows and French doors. The home is spread over three floors, with the top floor offering a generously- sized master bedroom, complete with a private ensuite.

Samantha added: “Our lifestyle fits perfectly with the New Stamford. The floor plans are well thought out, making the home feel really big - they were the best that we saw when we were house hunting! The open-plan kitchen is our favourite feature as we both love cooking. Plus, Tim works as a food developer so it’s great to test out new recipes! The inclusion of the five ring gas hob was a dream come true and the kitchen was a huge deal breaker for us.

“We’re glad that we chose a Countryside home, you get so much more for your money and the designs are timeless. We can’t wait to have our first family BBQ, I can picture it now - the French doors open and our pet pug Fergie playing in the garden!”

James Clark, Regional Sales Director at Countryside, commented: “Samantha and Tim’s story further demonstrates how the Help to Buy scheme is benefitting young couples who are keen to make an investment into their future. Our enhanced specification is designed for families like this in mind - from the fully fitted kitchens to the carefully planned layouts - saving buyers £1000’s on essential fittings.

“We’ve been building homes for 60 years and customer feedback has played a key role in the evolution of our house designs, therefore ensuring that quality and sustainability are at the very core of all our Hamilton Square homes - that’s the Countryside Distinction.”

All homes at the Atherton development come with Countryside’s enhanced specification as standard, including integrated appliances, chrome LED downlights, upstands to worktops and single lever taps in the kitchen, plus vanity units and Porcelanosa tiles in the bathrooms.

*Countryside first time buyers survey, Sept 2017

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