A new build property in Ashbourne is the lucky third home that two Derbyshire parents have owned over the past decade, with three generations now under one roof at David Wilson Homes’ Ramblers’ Gate community.
Parents Annie (44) and Leon Plews (46), along with their children Ridley (8) and Minnie (6), have upsized from a four bedroom townhouse in Allestree to a five bedroom Lichfield style property at the new development, with Annie’s mother Lynne (74) also moving in with the family.
The property’s modern, spacious features immediately caught the eye of the family, who had been looking at mostly older properties before finding a home designed to fit their situation perfectly.
Annie, who works in water mains renewals at Severn Trent Water, said: “Mum had a fall during the first lockdown in 2020, and this brought home the fact that she is getting older and more vulnerable, so we decided to sell both of our homes and buy a bigger place to live in and share together.
“We looked at several homes in different areas around Derbyshire, and we originally had the idea of buying a home for the four of us with an annex in the garden for mum. A self-build was also contemplated for a while but proved too troublesome.
“We came across Ramblers’ Gate on Rightmove, and when we visited the development, we loved the spacious feel of it along with the existing trees and lovely green spaces. Beforehand we didn’t look at any other new builds, but we knew this development was for us.
“It was the generous size and sociable layout of the Lichfield that ticked all the boxes for the five of us – a tall order! Its design provided us with enough space and a great layout for us all to live together comfortably with our own ‘zones’.”
The family’s plan to sell their own homes and their commitment to saving enabled them to buy a bigger home with ease.
Annie added: “We sold two homes, ported our existing mortgage and moved into a caravan for three months, saving about £5,000 to put towards stamp duty.
“We were delighted to finally find a high quality new place that has a driveway and enough room to allow three generations to live together. I have an office on the first floor which is the perfect space for working from home.
“It’s also great that there’s a nice community for us to get involved with here. Ashbourne is a lovely town and we feel lucky to live here. We have fantastic next-door neighbours.”
The family were very pleased with their decision to purchase a new build home again.
Annie said: “There are lots of benefits that come with buying a new home, including new technologies in building materials and boilers, the higher efficiency rating, straight edges, and you get the added reassurance and support from staff throughout the homebuying process.
“In fact, the staff have been brilliant – they have been so friendly and have bent over backwards to ensure we have a positive experience.
“We are proud to have bought the house we worked hard to get. The children love everything about it.”
For more information on the three, four and five bedroom homes available at the development, call the David Wilson Homes sales team on 033 3355 8483 or visit the website at Ramblers’ Gate.