From One Bedroom To Four For Michelle And Daniel
Michelle Phoenix (36) and her partner Daniel Costa (35) have relocated to Leighton Buzzard, swapping a small one-bedroom house in Bushey for a spacious four-bedroom home at David Wilson Homes’ Clipstone Park development.
When Michelle and Daniel decided to upsize, they were futureproofing their move so there would be space for them to start a family – although they had no idea how soon this would happen. The couple found out they were expecting their first baby just one day after reserving their new home, with their baby daughter Mia arriving days after Michelle and Daniel moved in.
Michelle, head of online trading & CRM for a jeweller, commented: “We were always looking for a house similar to the ones we grew up in, and knew that we wanted lots of space, a big garden and a sense of community where we would picture our children one day living. We were house hunting with a view that one day we would have children, but we had no idea quite how soon that would happen!
“We found out that we were expecting Mia literally one day after we viewed the house. Lucky for us, the sale went through quickly and everything went according to plan. We reserved the house straight after the initial viewing, and we moved into our new home in September 2021. It was such a relief to know that the house would be ready in time for Mia’s arrival, and that there was one less thing for us to worry about.”
The couple had a strict list of criteria when searching for their new home – they wanted an easy commute to both Luton and London, had a certain budget, and crucially the house had to be a new build. Michelle said: “We always liked that with new homes there are less things to do, it’s like a blank canvas with fresh paint and tiles. It also helps a lot to know that the homes are more energy efficient. Especially now as energy bills rise, there is some peace of mind that our new home will mitigate some of the impact of these and we won’t be stuck paying extortionate energy bills.”
Whilst the couple were not eligible for any homebuying schemes, Daniel and Michelle had been carefully saving for a deposit the whole time they were living in Bushey. “Living in Bushey was a means to an end, and we managed to save a decent amount. Pooling our savings together put us in a secure position to pay a 15% deposit, and the rest of our savings went towards customising our new home,” added Michelle.
Clipstone Park also stood out to both Michelle and Daniel thanks to the sheer enormity of green space, with 75% of the development dedicated to green open spaces in the form of parks, play areas and allotments. “As soon as we saw the plans for the whole development, and how much green space was incorporated, we were sold,” said Michelle. “The development has plenty of walks for us to explore, and I have met a lot of my neighbours when walking around with my daughter. I always wanted this sense of community, where you know the people that live next to you. It’s worlds apart from our home in Bushey and we couldn’t be happier.”
Clipstone Park
Marc Woolfe, head of sales at Barratt David Wilson North Thames, commented: “As a sustainable housebuilder we try to create homes where nature and people can thrive together, but we also think sustainable in terms of energy efficiency for our clients. The electricity price cap rose drastically this April, which means a lot of families will struggle to keep their homes warm. All of our homes have high thermally efficient insulation, which makes our homes up to 57% cheaper to run – this not only helps the environment but our homebuyers too.”
“Clipstone Park is proving to be an incredibly popular development; we have recently received our phase three planning permission and already have people expressing their interest. One of the reasons why it is so popular is because the area offers a good mix of town and country living, with a range of amenities, and no need to go far for the countryside escape. Young families are also drawn to the fact that the area has a few Ofsted “Outstanding” rated schools such as Pulford CofE VA Lower School, which is less than a mile away.”
Clipstone Park is only a 15-minute cycle from Leighton Buzzard railway station, from which London Euston can be reached in around 30 minutes. The A4146, A5 and M1 connect residents to locations across the country.
Michelle added: “I work in London sometimes, and Daniel is based in Luton, so it was important for us that we both had an easy commute. London is only a train ride away, Luton is a 30-minute drive, if we want to go somewhere more local, Leighton Buzzard centre is just a mile away, it is really a perfect location for our family.”
The development will also offer a range of facilities onsite once the latest phase is complete, which will include a neighbourhood centre with local shops, new schools, and a doctor’s surgery.
Currently available at Clipstone Park is a collection of three- and four-bedroom homes, with prices starting from £425,000 for a three-bedroom detached house. Find out more from David Wilson Homes.
Find retirement homes in Bedfordshire
Find Help to Buy homes in Bedfordshire
Find new homes in Bedfordshire