A Nottinghamshire couple hope to start a family together after their move to a four bedroom property at Barratt Homes’ Beeston Quarter development after living in a small flat for over three years.
Richard Riley and Laura Summerson (both 35), an Analyst for an energy company and a Fashion Recruitment Consultant respectively, recently moved into their Haversham property and are revelling in the extra space their previous flat was unable to provide.
Laura said: “We have definitely upsized with a long-term home in mind. When we were house hunting, we were looking with the future in mind and we have finally found somewhere to build a family.”
For Richard and Laura, choosing to buy with Barratt Homes was a no-brainer due to the developer’s longstanding reputation as a high-quality developer.
When asked about their moving experience, the couple said: “People say it’s a stressful part of life, but it really hasn’t been difficult. The sales team have helped with the silliest of our requests and have been happy to assist us.
“We had no idea what to expect as first time buyers but Barratt Homes has been really awesome in every way.
“The area is fantastic with the canal and nature reserve on our doorstep. It’s been great for lockdown walks and there’s lots of nice independent restaurants we’re waiting to try.”
The couple wouldn’t have been first time homeowners if it wasn’t for their use of Help to Buy. The scheme means buyers only need a 5% deposit to purchase a property and the government then lends up to 20% of the value of the property. Buyers then have a 75% mortgage and the equity loan is interest-free for 5 years - making the move to a new home more affordable.
Richard and Laura advised house hunters wanting to save to buy a property that setting monthly budgets to stick to helped them move from a small flat to a four bedroom property.
Richard said “My best piece of advice would be to make saving manageable. There is no point putting 80% of your money away and then struggling to live, and not go out. Set yourself a reasonable budget that still lets you go out once a week.
“We found that we were able to keep saving regularly because we still allowed ourselves some spare money for going out every once and a while.”
Richard and Laura’s Haversham style home has the perfect amount of space and the couple are looking forward to welcoming family and friends once restrictions allow.
Laura said: “The kitchen and living area is one of my favourite parts about the house. We’re a social couple and we never really hosted people before as we didn’t have the room or a garden!”
“It’s just perfect”, Richard added, “It’s a big house but it’s not so big that it’s overwhelming. We can’t wait to have our friends over to enjoy the garden and have some parties!”
Richard and Laura are enjoying their time in their new home as just the two of them before they start a family together in the future.
Jan Ruston, Sales Director at Barratt Homes North Midlands, said: “We’re thrilled that Richard and Laura are happy with their new home and have settled in so well at Beeston Quarter.
“We strive to provide a close-knit and welcoming community for all of our residents and we hope future buyers like Richard and Laura can find their forever home here too.”
For more information on the properties available at Beeston Quarter, call the Barratt Homes sales team on 033 3355 8472. Alternatively, visit www.barratthomes.co.uk/new-homes/nottinghamshire/h803201-beeston-quarter/.