Gloucester Rugby Player Tackles First-Time Buyer Challenge

A sporty young couple who met at Hartpury University have used the government-backed Help to Buy scheme to secure their first permanent home together.

Toby Venner, a professional rugby player with Gloucester, and Libby Gascoigne, who’s doing a master’s degree in sport and exercise nutrition at Oxford Brookes University, began looking for their first home together in January this year, after spending three years living together in student accommodation.

The couple, both 22, had been looking for a three-bedroom home in Gloucester, until they came across the perfect place at Bellway’s Springfields at Hunts Grove in Hardwicke – where they moved into their new home in October.

Libby said: “I’d been saving for a home ever since I was very young, and Toby has saved ever since he’s been in a job, which enabled us to quickly build up a nice deposit together. We wanted to look for a home close to Toby’s work as a rugby player at Gloucester Rugby, where he started this summer.

“We decided to look for a new-build home together because they are easy to personalise and it’s easier to get a bigger home using the Help to Buy scheme. Toby and I saw the three-bedroom ‘Shaldon’ at Springfields online, the day it went on the market. We went to visit in person that day and everything about it ticked all the boxes for us.”

Libby, Toby and their cocker spaniel Isla moved into their new three-bedroom ‘Shaldon’ at Springfields having secured the property using Help to Buy.

Libby continued: “The Help to Buy scheme completely changed everything for us. We wouldn’t have been able to afford a property of that size without it.

“It’s an absolutely amazing feeling to be on the property ladder now. Michelle, the Bellway sales advisor, was phenomenal and went the extra mile to push things through at a time where things have been particularly difficult for everyone.”

The couple love the location of their new home, which is ideal for their work. Toby, who has been playing rugby at Hartpury University before landing his dream job with Gloucester Rugby Club, just six miles from home. Libby, who is studying for her master’s degree from home at the moment, is also doing full-time placements for Cheltenham Football Club and Worcester Warriors.

She said: “Hardwicke is such a great location. It’s close to everything you need yet out of the way of the busy areas, with convenience shops like Tesco and Lidl within just four miles.

“The development has a particularly homely and safe feeling compared to others we checked out. Springfields is a very quiet estate and most of the residents living here are families. It’s also a very dog-friendly development as there are lots of nice walks which surround the homes.”

Location however wasn’t the only thing on the couple’s checklist of features for a perfect home.

“Toby and I love the house itself,” said Libby. “It comes with so much space, especially in the open-plan living room and kitchen. It’s the small things that make it a nice home, such as having white doors now which make the place look exceptionally clean.

“We have some good plans coming up for the house, with the lounge for example. We are soon to receive a luxury corner unit from Gascoigne Designs, along with wall lights which we have installed and many other luxuries within that room alone. The house is coming along really nicely and it’s great to be able to personalise our own place as we weren’t able to do that living as students.

“We’ve had some help from my parents as they have a lot of experience with interior design. We’ve even installed a large canvas with an action shot of Toby playing rugby at a Premiership Sevens weekend on the wall next to the dining table.

“I’ve been working from home in different rooms for university, and it has been a lovely environment to spend lockdown in so far.

“The garden is the biggest we’ve seen out of all the new builds we visited too, which is a lovely bonus, and we would absolutely recommend buying with Bellway. We’ve had such a great experience.”

Find out more about current Bellway developments.

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