After two years of searching Kay Mellanby was giving up hope of ever finding the perfect bricks-and-mortar match, until she finally fell in love with a Redrow home in Leeds.
Kay and partner Richard had spent months chasing countless older properties in a bid to get out of their rented accommodation, only to be pipped at the post - or failing even to get a viewing, but after switching their thoughts to a new build, the couple are now celebrating their first house anniversary.
“We couldn’t be happier, we love it here,” said Kay, who is originally from Durham. “I still had a house in the North East, which I rented out after meeting Richard and moving into a rental property in Leeds with him.
“After five years we decided to buy a home together and I sold my old home, but the emotional turmoil of it was horrendous. We were initially only looking at older houses but trying to buy one was a nightmare, with houses being snapped up straight away – or competing with 20 other viewers.
“We finally secured a home and thought we were in a strong position with a large deposit, a mortgage in place, no chain, and having had our offer accepted – then two weeks before we were due to complete the owners changed their minds and pulled out. We lost a lot of money and I thought I couldn’t go through that again.”
It was a chance visit to The Springs at retail and leisure park, Thorpe Park, that led Kay, a compliance manager at Leeds Trinity University, and engineer Richard to Redrow’s The Avenue at Thorpe Park development.
“I wish we had seen it two years earlier,” said Kay. “We hadn’t considered a brand new home because we thought they were small , with tiny rooms and in places with no community feel, but we couldn’t have been more wrong. When we saw the show home at The Avenue at Thorpe Park we were absolutely blown away by the quality and the size of rooms; the homes were full of character on the outside but beautiful and modern on the inside, and so nicely finished.
“The area is nice and quiet, while being close to The Springs with all the bars, shops, and restaurants, and near the motorway for when I want to go and see my family.”
Kay and Richard chose a ‘Warwick’, which is one of Redrow’s most popular three-bedroom detached styles with creative design making the most of the space. It boasts a kitchen/dining area that extends the entire width of the property at the rear, along with a handy cloakroom and separate lounge. Upstairs there are three bedrooms, the main with en suite, and a luxurious family bathroom.
“My sister bought a new build house from a different developer and my three-bed is bigger than her four!” said Kay. “I love the style and, in particular, the kitchen area with the double doors leading into the garden to get that outdoor-indoor feel. I like the long hallway, and the high ceilings and feeling of space. Even though we have a big L-shaped sofa in the lounge, there’s still plenty of room, just as there is in the main bedroom with a king-size bed.
“Being able to choose my kitchen, the flooring, and the tiles, so it was ready for us to just move in was a real bonus too, as is the fact that the house is so warm. We hardly ever have to turn the heating on, which is especially good given the rising energy costs.
“I thought moving was stressful, but Redrow and the sales team were fantastic, so helpful and supportive, they took all the stress away,” added Kay. “Now we’ve got a lovely home in a peaceful area, with wonderful neighbours – it’s everything we wanted.”
Thorpe Park will eventually combine retail, leisure, offices, and homes, that are all within easy reach of Leeds city centre. Crossgate station is just 1.5 miles away and offers direct trains to York and Leeds. The new North Leeds link road is also coming soon, together with a new train station, making it one of the most well-connected neighbourhoods outside the city.
There is a selection of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes at The Avenue at Thorpe Park – along with a further phase, The Point – with current availability from £407,950. Find out more at www.redrow.co.uk.
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