A Haven Of Happiness In Hampstead For First-Time Buyer

The popular outer-London suburb of Hampstead has become a popular location for young professionals to move to. This sought-after north-west London postcode offers a combination of suburban living alongside a cosmopolitan community, and benefits from being only half an hour away from the City.

Having enjoyed living in Hampstead for the last seven years, first-time buyer Bernhard Dachs knows how much Hampstead has to offer, and decided to make his move onto the property ladder by purchasing a stylish new one-bedroom apartment at The Artisan by WhatHouse? Award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group.

33-year-old property development manager Bernhard explains more about why he chose to make Hampstead the place he purchased his first home: “I moved to the UK from Germany in 2015 and lived in a flat-share with two friends just off Hampstead high street for a few years and loved it, so deciding to buy in this location was a no-brainer for me. The most difficult decision was in fact breaking the news to my friends that I would be moving out, but I knew it was the right time for me to buy a home of my own. My initial thoughts were to buy an older Victorian property, so I did some searching online but soon realised that it would be quite costly for me to make the property how I would want it to be, so switched to looking at new build apartments and that’s when I found The Artisan.”

Bernhard continues: “I love living here, it has a different feel about it that not many other London locations have – it’s almost magical. I can stroll down to Hampstead Village in about 15 minutes where there are some lovely shops, cafés and bars, and then there is The Heath –an awesome green space located just a few minutes walk away. I also have to travel into the City for work and the choice of travel connections here makes it very easy. There is a regular bus service to Finchley Road Station which takes about 10 minutes. From here I can hop on the Jubilee or Metropolitan lines and reach Bond Street or Oxford Circus, door to door in 28 minutes. I can also take the Northern line from Golders Green Station, change at Euston and then take the Victoria line to Oxford Circus, and there is a direct bus connection from The Artisan to Oxford Street which stops at Selfridges. You really do have the best of both worlds here.”

Having previously used the Help to Buy scheme to secure his property at The Artisan, Bernhard explains a little more about how he financed his purchase: “Over the last few years I have managed to save towards a deposit. The pandemic certainly helped accelerate that process, as it rapidly changed people’s spending habits and working from home meant spending considerably less money on travel. Renting a property, especially in London has never been particularly cheap and is now more expensive than ever so I’m very glad I managed to secure the opportunity to get on the property ladder when I did and have settled in really well.”

Having moved into his one-bedroom apartment in November last year, Bernhard is enjoying the high-quality specification his new home offers: “Having viewed The Artisan online, I was very keen on a specific plot which was a key factor when deciding to proceed with the purchase. It’s a top-floor apartment which has lovely sunny south-west facing views. I also have a private roof terrace which is really generous in size and will be a great space in the summer months. I like to keep active and fit and have worked out on the terrace but ultimately I use Hampstead Heath for running and exercising - it’s great to have somewhere to do your own thing and not be tied to going to the gym. Being on the top floor, the design and layout is slightly different to other apartments, and the internal spec is much nicer than other housebuilders. The kitchen has energy-efficient integrated appliances, Amtico underfloor heating throughout and a thermostat in each room which means I can control the temperature of whichever room I am in rather than the whole apartment. Comparing this property to the older flat share I was living in, I’m confident that my energy bills will be lower too as new build properties are built to a much higher standard.”

Concluding his buying journey with The Hill Group, Bernhard comments: “The whole team have been really supportive and helpful. The aftercare service has been excellent too, overall it has been a great experience, everyone I have had contact with has been lovely.”

Prices at The Artisan start from £699,950 for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment. 

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