“It’s perfect for our retirement" Couple looking forward to fresh start in new four bedroom house on High Peak development
A couple from Stockport have bought a property off-plan at Barratt Homes’ Midshires Meadow development in Whaley Bridge as they look ahead to a relaxing retirement.
John (68) and Julie (65) Williams are all set to move to Midshires Meadow to retire with their two cats, Harry and Poppy, with a more low-maintenance property in a sought-after location.
Though John still works part-time as a social worker, Julie has now fully retired. They have lived in their current family home for 30 years whilst raising their two children, Jack (33) and Evie (28), they’ve decided to move now that their children have flown the nest.
Buying a home off-plan means making the purchase before the property has been built, often early in the construction process.
John said: “We bought the home off-plan because we were able to choose exactly the home we wanted. Because construction hadn’t started at the time we made the reservation, we had plenty of time to think about it, sell our property and ensure all our finances were in place.
“Due to buying off-plan, we’ve been able to upgrade our new kitchen, include flooring throughout, have a say in the tiling and bathroom to suit our taste, an also add extra plug sockets where we wanted them.”
For property seekers looking to follow in their footsteps, the couple listed their top three benefits of buying off-plan as being able to select the home of their choice, customise it to ensure it suits and, lastly, have plenty of time to get everything in place. John and Julie aren’t stuck in a chain, but they have Barratt Homes’ Part Exchange scheme to fall back on if their sale falls though.
Julie said: “40 years ago, our first house was a Barratt home. We’ve decided to move back into a brand-new property because they are energy efficient and no repairs or maintenance are necessary.
“We met Stefan, the Sales Adviser at Midshires Meadow, who was immediately helpful, professional and efficient. He has been wonderful, patient and very knowledgeable about our new home. We would most definitely recommend Barratt Homes and are grateful to Stefan for his support.”
The couple have chosen the four bedroom Hertford style home, which they selected due to its spaciousness and the quality of its design.
John added: “Our children will be able to come and stay with all the room we have. We are sure our new home will create as many happy memories as our current home has.
“We chose Whaley Bridge because it’s part of the Peak District. It gives us fresh air, lots of walking routes and we are nearer to the M1 for travelling. The development is further away from the main road too, which is ideal for our cats.
“It’s going to be perfect for our retirement, thanks to its transport network and peaceful atmosphere.”