Posted 18 November 2020 by
Keith OsborneAt the beginning of the UK nationwide lockdown in March 2020, young couple Sylvain and Sandra Floriant were served notice on their rental apartment forcing them to speed up plans to buy their first home together.
Working quickly and utilising the Help to Buy scheme they secured their perfect property, deciding on a two-bedroom apartment at a development launched on the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, at the height of the strictest lockdown period.
Welcomes Road is a boutique collection of eight units in Kenley, developed by Property Experts. The Greater London developer opened the Welcomes Road show apartment to hold socially distanced viewings and conducted follow-up calls with prospective purchasers. One of the first couples through the doors were Sylvain and Sandra and after a call with the sales team were quick to put down a deposit to secure one of the fast-selling apartments.
Sandra said: “We had been saving for over two years whilst renting and were always keeping an eye on homes we would like, but still biding our time. Then our landlord served us with three months’ notice to vacate the property, which was an incredibly stressful time, however, now we look back it was the best thing that could have happened. It forced us to speed up our search and eventually we found Welcomes Road which just ticked so many boxes for us.
“We were renting in Southgate, north London, but before that had spent all of our time in south London, so dreamed of returning to the area when buying our first home. When we spotted Welcomes Road we were already familiar with Kenley, so it was a no-brainer to arrange a viewing and see what we could do
“From there it was just meant to be, the quality and finish was fantastic and you get a lot of space and privacy for your money. We did have one or two additional requirements, such as more storage, but Property Experts couldn’t have been more responsive and accommodating, so for us we just knew we had to make this our home.”
Welcomes Road is a converted Edwardian property, dating back to 1906, set on secluded grounds that now provide private garden space for residents. The collection of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments comprise open-plan living spaces, with luxury kitchens each fitted with in-built speaker systems. Bathrooms have been designed using luxury tiling, large baths and Crittal-style shower units. All apartments come with off-street parking, whilst the ground floor apartments benefit from private gardens.
Sylvain said: “The garden was one of the big selling points for us. It is a huge natural green space and filled with beautiful 200-year old trees. It is so impressive when you see the wide variety of foliage surrounding the garden, it gives you the feeling of being in the middle of nowhere, but really you’re in easy reach of London.”
Purchasing a ground floor two-bedroom apartment for £405,000, Sylvain, director of sales at a Mayfair hotel and Sandra, an HR assistant, were attracted to the development’s close proximity to transport connections, whilst still feeling slightly removed from the hustle and bustle of central London.
Sandra commented: “Considering the short amount of time we had to find a home I think we were very lucky to find this one as it is just perfect for us. Double doors open onto our very own garden and Kenley station is not even five minutes away, so we can be in town very quickly. I have to say we were also touched by some of the little touches like speakers in the kitchen, it is not a ‘standard’ offering at most new-builds in this price range.”
A wealthy residential suburb situated in the London Borough of Croydon, Kenley is popular with families and young professionals due to its truly country feel, good transport connections, shopping and schools. Trains from Kenley station run directly to London Bridge in just over 30 minutes, whilst London Victoria can be reached in under 40 minutes.
Sylvain said: “We still want to stay connected to London, but be far enough out so we can enjoy more space and the countryside. We also love the history and character of Kenley, whilst there is still a lot of room for growth, so we’re excited about our future here.”
Since launching, Welcomes Road sold out in a matter of months with the majority of purchasers first-and second-time buyers utilising the Government's Help to Buy scheme. Due to its popularity a number of interested parties missed out, however, two individuals have since reserved homes at another Property Experts scheme in Croydon with a similar spec. Prices at the seven-unit development on West Hill, Sanderstead start from £300,000.
Find out more at www.propertyexperts.co.uk.
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