Posted 19 November 2020 by
Keith OsborneA couple from Newport Pagnell in search of a fresh start have found a place to call home just seven miles away in the quaint village of Hanslope.
Jon and Jackie Larrett downsized from a large five-bedroom home in the town to a smaller, but still spacious, four-bedroom home at Davidsons Homes’ The Wheatfields development in the village.
The couple had previously lived with their two children and Jon’s mother, who lived in an annexe to their old home; however after Jon’s mother sadly passed away and the couple’s children left home too, Jon and Jackie felt it was time for a fresh start.
“It was a great home, but we had to find somewhere new. It was too big for just Jackie and me,” said Jon, 58, who is self-employed.
“We initially started looking about 18 months ago, and only at new-build developments. Because of our age we didn’t want anything that would require lots of maintenance. New homes are much more energy-efficient, green and cost-effective, so we knew we wanted to buy new.
“We looked at around 30 developments overall and about a dozen seriously. We drove past The Wheatfields, and while work had only started on the first few homes, from what we could see, they looked very high-end.
“We continued looking at different developments, and one day returned to Hanslope to see how The Wheatfields was progressing. At this point, there was a show home and marketing suite, and we had a chance to see the style and quality of the homes for the first time.”
The couple sold their old home in March and immediately reserved the ‘Evesham’ at The Wheatfields for £499,995, significantly less than the price they received for their previous place. They moved in at the beginning of September.
Jackie, 60, who works as a civil servant, said: “This house stood out to us right away. The plot, in general, offers us plenty of space and privacy and is the perfect size for both Jon and me.
“We were keen to purchase a home with a dining room, which we know is unusual in a lot of new-build homes. There were a lot of properties that we visited that had small studies, but that is not what we wanted. The dining room suits our lifestyle. We like to entertain a lot and having a separate dining space gives us somewhere to host our guests away from the busy kitchen.”
The L-shaped ‘Evesham’ offers a large dining room at the front of the property with a feature bay window. To the rear of the house, there is a large sitting room as well as a spacious kitchen/family room and a utility space. The first floor of the home offers four well-appointed double bedrooms, one with an en suite shower room, as well as a family bathroom.
Jackie said: “Everyone loves the kitchen. It’s almost more of a living area – the lounge is more formal, and the kitchen is very relaxed.
“Several of our visitors have been impressed with the home, and we have at least two or three friends and family members considering moving to The Wheatfields themselves.
“The quality of the home is excellent. It is such a high standard throughout. The sales managers have been great. We have been very impressed with Davidsons Homes throughout the entire process. It has not been a normal time, and they have handled everything extremely well.
“While I’m working from home, I have turned one of the bedrooms into a home office. The office set-up is coming along well and I have ordered a desk and monitor that will be arriving soon. Eventually, I will be working back in London, and the development is perfectly located for my commute.
“It is a 10-minute drive to Wolverton train station where it’s a 45-minute train to London Euston and then a Tube to Westminster, or it’s a 15-minute drive to Milton Keynes train station and only a half-hour train to Euston.
“In the village itself there is a butcher, pubs, and a restaurant. Someone who lives in the village also makes pizzas. On a Wednesday he sends out the menu, and you can place your order for that Friday. I think he started doing it over lockdown, but it has just kept going. It’s a lovely community. There are Pilates classes and a fish and chip van that comes around the village. It’s all really very nice.”
Davidsons Homes is building a selection of three-, four- and five-bedroom homes at The Wheatfields in Hanslope.
Find out more about some of Davidsons Homes' current developments.
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