Multi-Career Homebuyer Halves Commute For Hybrid Working

Alison Shepperd, 60, originally from London, is an engineer by trade and now works in the Central Laser Facility at Harwell Campus, whilst also training in kinesiology and as a part-time ski instructor, having spent six seasons in Switzerland.

In her search for a new home, she longed for a shorter commute to her day job but the property also had to accommodate her kinesiology. She’s since been able to find exactly that at the David Wilson Homes development in Stanford in the Vale.

Alison says: “I’ve loved working from home recently but I’ve just started going back in and it’s great to have a commute that’s 20 minutes shorter.

“A new build home appealed to me because there was flexibility right from the start. I’ve had freedom to personalise the house and before moving in, I upgraded the kitchen and flooring to choose a sparkly worktop and a different carpet. I owned a two-bedroom property previously but this home is bigger. Both double bedrooms have an en-suite and I use the spare as a holistic treatment room for my clients.”

Alison had an experience like many others when reserving her Ashdown style home, in which she made the decision to move without visiting the property in person. The whole process was completed over WhatsApp - all thanks to messages, photos and video calls with Trish, one of David Wilson Homes’ sales advisers.

Alison adds: “Sometimes you have to trust your intuition and I knew it was the right thing to do. It’s important to do your research beforehand but when Trish showed me the location of the property, I thought it was gorgeous.

“My view at the front is the balancing pond, whereas my garden backs onto the development’s preservation area so I can see the mature trees.

“There’s an energetic feel about the home, but at the same time the amount of light that comes through makes it quite calm and tranquil.”

She has also made the most of a longer driveway at her new home, which frees up space for her everyday car as well as her pride and joy; a 30-year-old Nissan Figaro, leaving the garage free for storage space.

Alison often jogs around the nearby football pitch and has made use of the local amenities including a Co-op and a Post Office, plus the access to Swindon and Oxford via the A420.

Rob Allen, sales director at David Wilson Homes Southern, says: “We pride ourselves on building versatile homes for our customers and we’re very glad to hear Alison has found exactly what she needed at River Meadow.

“Hybrid working has now become the norm and, in addition to flexible layouts to accommodate home working, we also handpick the locations of our developments to ensure our residents can make the most of strong commuter access.”

River Meadow currently has one-, three-, four- and five-bedroom homes available with prices starting from £249,000.

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