A couple from Milton Keynes made a spur of the moment decision to move from their home of 22 years and begin a new life in the country.
But within days, Jonathan and Nicola Whitmore were on the verge of giving up the search for their dream property, after all the developments they visited in the area failed to inspire.
Until, that is, they arrived at the last one on their list: The Wheatfields, a collection of three, four and five-bedroom houses being built by Davidsons Homes in Hanslope.
Jonathan, a self-employed web designer, said: “It was a spur of the moment decision, and to be honest, if we hadn’t found this house and development, I don’t think we would be moving at all. When we arrived at The Wheatfields, it all felt right. Straightaway, we could see that the homes are an excellent quality product.”
Nicola, a finance officer for a Milton Keynes charity, said: “Something that stood out to us, in addition to the beautiful views of the surrounding countryside, was the layout of the development. You can tell a lot of thought has gone into the design of the homes.
“Unlike with a lot of new-build developments, these homes are spaced out and there are so many different designs and styles of homes. There is so much character and space at The Wheatfields.”
The couple, along with their two teenage sons, will be moving into a new four-bedroom detached home this November. The spacious, open-plan house will be very different to the 70-year-old three-bedroom period property they have lived in for the past two decades.
Nicola said: “This was the first time we have purchased a new-build home, and we were surprised by how much you can personalise them to make them your own.
“The home is so spacious, light and airy. We love the open-plan design and the fact that the lounge is still separate, which gives us more space to enjoy the home, relax and entertain.
“It’s going to be great for our youngest son who is currently in the box-room and will have so much more space in our new house. We are also looking forward to hosting friends and family in the spare room when they come to visit. We like to have our family round for Christmas each year, and they have already commented on how the kitchen/family/dining room will be the perfect space for Christmas dinner.”
Jonathan said: “The study was another important feature for us. As I’m self-employed, I often work from home, so having that separate study space is going to be excellent.”
To secure their new home, the couple used Davidsons Homes’ Part Exchange scheme, through which the housebuilder purchased their existing property at a fair price based on an independent valuation. The scheme allows home-movers to sell their current home quickly and removes the added pressures of having to find a buyer themselves.
Jonathan said: “If we had decided to sell the house ourselves, it would have been an extremely stressful process, but with Part Exchange, there were no problems at all. During the lockdown, while others were worried about purchases falling through, we could relax knowing that our sale was safe with Davidsons Homes.”
Jonathan and Nicola also received an additional gift of £10,000 to spend on extras for their new home. They had taken advantage of Davidsons Homes’ offer to pay £10,000 of their £15,000 Stamp Duty bill. But when the dovernment announced a Stamp Duty holiday which reduced this charge to zero, the housebuilder decided to pass on the saving to the couple as a goodwill gesture.
The move enabled Jonathan and Nicola to splash out on extra features such as heated towel rails, quartz worktops, upgraded wardrobes, units in the utility room, an expanded garden patio and security lights.
Jonathan said: “It was a nice surprise when we got the phone call, and it just reconfirmed that we have made the right decision to purchase with Davidsons Homes.”
The couple are counting down the days until they can move and begin their new life in Hanslope.
Nicola said: “Hanslope is really well-equipped. There are two pubs, a butchers, newsagents and local store, along with a doctor’s surgery, a Chinese takeaway and a chip van which comes round the village.”
Jonathan said: “There are so many great walks through the village and the surrounding countryside, and we are not far from the Grand Union Canal, which will be a great place to walk to with our dog Rufus.”
Davidsons Homes is currently building a selection of three-, four- and five-bedroom homes at The Wheatfields, off Long Street Road in Hanslope.
Find out more about some of Davidsons Homes current developments.
Find retirement homes developments in the South East
Find affordable homes developments in the South East
Find luxury homes developments in the South East