Kent is seen as a perfect place to live by many house-hunters thanks to its extensive choice of rural and urban locations, great connectivity to London and Europe, and some of the UK’s most delightful countryside and coast. Housebuilders there are busy in order to match buyer interest.
We take a look at some of the county’s latest new homes news.
Spring Acres
A distinctive collection of new homes is offering affordable living in the picturesque village of Bapchild this autumn. Following the success of its neighbouring Heron Fields development, which sold out in 2019, Hyde New Homes’ Spring Acres will deliver 525 brand new homes to the area for outright sale and through Shared Ownership. Located near well-connected Sittingbourne, it could be ideal for commuters and those who love nature.
The collection of two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom homes are designed to a high-quality specification including contemporary kitchens and bathrooms, neutral flooring and all the finishing touches. Phase one will comprise 60 homes, available for both outright sale and Shared Ownership and prices for the homes start at £260,000 for the full market value. A 30% share would require a minimum 5% deposit along with a subsidised rent, which is paid to Hyde New Homes on the remaining share. Further shares can be purchased, through a process known as staircasing, which allows purchasers to own 100% of their home over time. So typically, for a £260,000 home, a deposit of £13,000 is all that would be required.
Minnie Dando, head of marketing and communications at Hyde New Homes, said: “The pandemic has seen an ever-growing number of buyers expand their search radius from central London to the surrounding counties. Spring Acres has also been designed with Kent residents in mind – those who wish to put down roots but may not have been able to afford to buy in the area previously.”
Find out more at www.hydenewhomes.co.uk.
The ‘Rose’ house type
There’s an opportunity by buy a new home and move in before Christmas at Davington Fields in Faversham using the Home Reach ‘part buy-part rent’ scheme. Through this initiative for housing provider heylo in partnership with private housebuilders, eligible buyers can purchase a share of the home (usually starting at 50%) and pay a subsidised rent on the remainder. The scheme requires a much smaller deposit and mortgage than buying outright, but if they wish, buyers can ‘staircase’ by purchasing further shares in their home at a later date, until they own 100%.
The ‘Rose’ is a three-bedroom family home set over three floors with a study and an open-plan kitchen with spacious family area opening onto a private garden on the ground floor; a first-floor sitting room, bathroom and bedroom; and two well-proportioned bedrooms on the top floor, with en suite to bedroom one.
A 50% share is priced from £194,998 (based on full market value from £389,996), which would require a minimum of 5% deposit from £9,750. Find out more about Davington Fields from Home Reach.
The ‘Holden’ house type
Also in Faversham is Perry Court from David Wilson Homes. Right now, there’s a range of three- and four-bedroom houses for sale here, some of which are available through Help to Buy, and buyers moving up the property ladder are invited to enquire about the housebuilder’s own Part Exchange scheme, which can take a lot of hassle out of the purchase process.
There have been a couple of new releases here, and top-of-the-range is the ‘Holden’ on Plot 263, which benefits from a south-facing rear garden with which to maximise the enjoyment of sunshine throughout the day. This spacious detached property is priced at £553,995 and comes with an impressive open-plan kitchen/family room with a walk-in glazed bay to ‘bring the outside in’. The ground floor also has a utility room, sitting room, study and cloakroom. Upstairs, three of the bedrooms are doubles (with en suite to one) and there’s also a single bedroom, while the family bathroom comes with separate bath and shower. Find out more about Perry Court from David Wilson Homes.
The ‘Chelworth’ house type
Dickens Gate in Staplehurst is another David Wilson Homes development where the housebuilder has just unveiled some new plots, among which is the ‘Chelworth’. Priced at £624,995, this double-fronted detached home comes with a kitchen/family room, dining room, living room, dedicated study, utility room and cloakroom downstairs, while upstairs, all four bedrooms are doubles, with bedroom one having its own en suite bathroom. There’s a family bathroom for the other rooms to share.
The local primary school is within walking distance and there will soon be allotments and play areas for residents here to enjoy. Staplehurst is a well-served village with its shops and convenience stores, and the bonus of its own railway station which is under an hour from central London. Prices at Dickens Gate range from £384,995 to £624,995. Find out more from David Wilson Homes.
Barratt at Richmond Park
Barratt Homes is hosting a Help to Buy event on Friday 15 October, between 5.00pm and 8.00pm, at the Barratt Homes at Richmond Park development in Whitfield, just outside Dover. Right now, there are three-bedroom homes available there which are well under the price threshold for the government-backed scheme with only requires a 5% deposit and 75% mortgage.
This development is close to supermarkets and Honeywood Retail Park and just a 10-minute drive from Dover, which is served by the A2 and National Rail and High Speed trains. For families with young children, Whitfield Aspen Primary School is on site.
Prices currently start from £309,995. The site is open from 9.00am to 8.00pm Monday to Friday, and from 9.00am to 6.00pm on Saturday and Sunday. Find out more about Barratt Homes at Richmond Park.
Case study: Joy and Colin
A chance meeting with a stranger in a French bar led an expat couple on the path to their new life back in the UK.
Joy (75) and Colin (78), who now live in a luxury bungalow at RoyaleLife’s Reculver Rise development on the Kent coast, after spending 15 years in the south of France.
Although their home near Cannes was lovely, and the couple had made many friends, they wished they could be closer to their son and old friends back in Essex – something that became even more important during the coronavirus pandemic.
Joy said: “We wanted a home that would meet our needs, but that also had the fantastic community focused lifestyle that we loved in France. So, after seeing an advert for RoyaleLife, we made contact immediately and were put in touch with sales and site supervisor Sharon Reach. There was a two-bedroomed property she wanted to show us, and we joined a private virtual tour for that very afternoon. We put an offer in and it was accepted – the happiness and relief brought us to tears.”
Sharon said it had been a true pleasure helping Colin and Joy find their new home by the sea: “Reculver Rise is currently in the development stages, but I took the chance and gave them a tour around a home style I knew they would love – and as I predicted, they fell in love with it straightaway.
“As Mr and Mrs Foley were selling their property, we had a short wait for their home to sell and then it was all systems go. We stayed in close contact throughout the whole process, and when they arrived at Reculver – just 12 weeks after their virtual viewing – I greeted them with a bunch of flowers and box of chocolates. It had been quite the journey!”
Since moving, the couple have been getting to know the area and enjoying life’s little pleasures. Residents have access to a range of facilities, including an indoor swimming pool, coffee lounge and tea gardens. Local coastal walks lead directly from the development and there is plenty to do nearby including cycling, fishing, sailing and golf.
Excellent transport links mean Joy and Colin can be in Canterbury in half an hour or even London within 90 minutes if they so desire.
Find out more at www.royalelife.com.
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