Posted 21 February 2024 by
Keith OsborneRetirees Marian and Tony wanted to downsize but still have access to the great outdoors in Essex, and have relocated to Kelvedon at Cala Homes’ Aylett’s Green development, making the most of the housebuilder’s Assisted Move initiative.
Both Marian and Tony are very active, and Marian said Kelvedon is the perfect location to suit their hobbies and lifestyle: “We both love walking and cycling on our electric bikes and Kelvedon has plenty of paths for us to explore. I regularly attend Zumba classes which are very close to Aylett’s Green. Tony is an avid green bowls player and is keen to join the local club in the summer.
“The open space in Kelvedon was a big selling point for us when we were choosing a home. Aylett’s Green has an abundance of green spaces for socialising, playing or just enjoying the outdoors. Neighbours meet regularly in the open space which is a great way of introducing yourselves and getting to know other residents.”
Marian and Tony wanted to downsize and sell their previous four-bedroom property, where they had lived for 35 years, but they were having trouble finding a suitable buyer. When they were let down by a potential buyer at the last minute, they turned to Cala Homes Assisted Move service.
Marian commented: “After losing our original buyer for our previous home, the Cala sales team suggested we visit the Cala Aylett’s Green office to discuss using its Assisted Move service. This service allowed us to select our choice of home, which was then reserved by Cala for several weeks while its sales team helped secure another purchaser on our existing property.
“Once we signed up for assisted move in May 2023 we agreed on the plot, accepted an offer on our previous property, exchanged contracts with Cala in nine weeks and moved into our new Kelvedon home three weeks later. Which took just 12 weeks overall. We couldn’t recommend this service more; Cala handled all the stress that comes with selling a property and made the entire process very smooth.”
When asked what made them move from their previous home and why they chose Aylett’s Green, Marian said: “We didn’t want to compromise on comfort. Our previous home had become problematic with constant maintenance as it was so large for just the two of us, and it was always a dream of mine to have a new build, so moving just made sense. Especially now we’re at the age where we don’t want to waste more time with housework, we just wanted our free time back.
“We chose this development as it offered our ideal home, which is a red brick finish with conventional-style windows. Aylett’s Green has a range of beautiful house styles available which makes it feel like a real community.
“Kelvedon has fantastic transport links via train, bus, and car and you can choose from Chelmsford, Colchester, and Braintree for large shops and retail parks, an option we didn’t have in Writtle. However, Kelvedon still has local shops, doctors, dentists, restaurants, cafes, pubs, and great countryside walks.
“Overall, the connectedness of the development’s location, the look of the houses and having everything we needed made Kelvedon an easy decision for us. We wanted a home we could stay in for the rest of our lives, and we have found it.”
When asked about their favourite part of their new home, Marian said: “Our favourite part of the house must be the large, dual-aspect living room. It's got great natural light, which is great for saving on electricity and offers plenty of space for friends and family visiting. The kitchen and dining room are also extremely spacious and great for entertaining.
“We love the high ceilings in the house which makes it feel very roomy. The guest room has an en suite, as does our bedroom which makes visitors feel more comfortable. The large garage is also very spacious and lets us store one of our cars and electric bikes while using the driveway for our second vehicle.
“Another great feature is the fantastic storage spaces around the house such as wardrobes in three bedrooms, the understairs cupboard and an additional cupboard in the hall.”
Marian and Tony couldn’t speak highly enough of the service Cala Homes provided throughout the entire process, saying: “The Aylett’s Green sales team were hugely supportive throughout the entire moving process especially, Daisy, Jack, and Krisztian, who were always encouraging and kept in touch regularly.
“Without the Cala sales team showing us how easy and successful an assisted move would be, we would not be sitting in our new dream home today.”
Prices at Aylett’s Green currently range from £199,950 to £659,950 covering variety of one-bedroom apartments and two-, three-, four-, and five-bedroom house types. Located on Doughton Road, the development is open daily from 10.30am t0 5.00pm. Find out more at www.cala.co.uk.
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