From Brazil to London, couple find their ideal new home in Kennington

The engaged couple are seasoned travellers who have moved around a lot due to work, and at first, they had plans to move to Manhattan in New York, but they quickly realised that they could get a lot more space for their money in London.

Thierry says: “The city is more sprawling, so we can be slightly further away from the centre but still get there in 15 minutes. We both get the Northern Line to work which takes just over 20 minutes, although we are planning to buy bikes and start using the cycle superhighway to commute too.”

Friends in London recommended areas to them, and after browsing online, the couple discovered the St Agnes Place development, and made arrangements to visit the new build, Georgian-style townhouses.

Ken says: “We very quickly found there was nothing comparable for the price in the same area – traditional buildings we viewed were generally around 300 sq ft less space for the same money. As space was our top priority, it seemed sensible to go for a new build home, and we liked how we had very little to do to the house.”

The three-bedroom townhouse features a courtyard garden and balconies, but the area, Kennington, has a lot of lovely local parks, which really caught the attention of the couple.

Ken continues: “While other places we looked at were close by to parks, St Agnes is virtually on top of one. It takes just two minutes to get to Kennington Park where we can let the dogs off their leashes, and, as the park closes at sunset - which in winter is before we get home from work - it’s very useful to have the green facing, so we can always take our three dogs out for exercise.”

Ken and Thierry have been so impressed with the area and their new home that they have even introduced a friend to the development – who has now put an offer on the house next door!  

Thierry says: “We’ve already begun to see a change in the area since we moved in, with new restaurants and cafes cropping up, including a new tapas and wine bar in Kennington. The White Bear is our favourite pub, and there’s lots of great breakfast places. We go to Cable Bakery a lot, where everything is organic – the coffee, bread, etc.”

“The market at St Mark’s church is one of our top things to do on a Saturday. There’s a great variety of stalls – we just wish it was there on a Sunday too!”

The couple had to organise the sale remotely, but were extremely impressed with the process with L&Q.

Ken concludes: “We’d never heard of L&Q before, but as we got to know the sales team we really liked that they aren’t what you might call ‘cut throat’ developers. The sales process was very friendly and pressure free, and everything was completed in just over two months.”

Before they moved in, the couple redid their garden, wanting to put their own stamp on the place and make sure everything was ready for when their three dogs arrived. They have also fitted a wall unit into the loving room and have used one of the houses’ alcoves to create a library.