Lifetime city dweller René D’Oliveira says he loves living in the capital – but he’s far less keen on the property prices.
So much so, in fact, that he’s escaping the traffic and the high rents, and at 45 has decided for the first time to buy his own property; quitting Putney for the relaxed charm of Fernley Park, Linden Homes’ new collection of homes in East Sussex.
Speaking from London, IT professional René said: “It’s great here and there are lots of amenities, but rented accommodation is a residence not a home. You can’t reflect your personality and taste with little things like your choice of colours and curtains.”
So he has bought off-plan a two-bedroom house which he is ready to move into before Christmas with the rooms decorated in advance to his taste, thanks to Linden Homes’ Enhance interior design service.
“I’ve always rented, as I have moved around so much,” he explained. “But I finally decided that really and truly I wanted to buy and make that home. I was open to anywhere that had charm and a nice feel to the area. Some London properties may have those characteristics but at an unjustifiable cost. For me, it’s not about what I can afford; it’s about what is reasonable to pay for what you get. London was out.
“Driving into Sussex is beautiful and you feel a sense of relief and, actually, surprise because it’s easy to forget how beautiful England can be.”
The character two, three and four-bedroom family homes are surrounded by parkland and the landscape of the Sussex Weald, and enjoy scenic views, rivers and woodlands. The friendly town of Uckfield is on their doorstep and the south coast only an hour away.
“When I saw the designs I thought how nice it would be to have something new,” René continued. “There’s a great attraction in knowing you’ll be the first person to live there and be able to invest your personality in it from the start.
“They’re very pretty homes, they’re quite charming really. But they have all the benefits a modern new home can bring you. Fernley Park oozes the thought that has gone into the design of the homes.”
Inside, fully-fitted kitchens come as standard alongside top quality fixtures and fittings and high level energy efficiency, as well as fully turfed gardens. A 10-year NHBC guarantee and two-year customer care warranty give peace of mind too.
René added: “The locale is centrally located to buzzing Brighton and other charming towns like Lewes are just a short drive away. In that way it’s a very good choice.
“I didn’t need to spend a lot of time looking; I knew the home and the location were for me. Distances on paper might be further than in London, but without the London traffic you can travel farther more quickly, so no issue there.”
For eligible house-hunters climbing further up the property ladder, moving to Fernley Park can be hassle-free with Linden Homes Part Exchange scheme. Once buyers choose from a selected range, within seven days a valuation on their property will be made by three local estate agents.
Next a cash offer is made, as long as your current property is not more than 70 per cent of the value of what you want to buy. The only thing left to do then is set a move-in date and get packing.
Alternatively, Linden Homes will help through its Assisted Move service where its team works closely with estate agents to sell your old home within an agreed period while the new property is kept reserved.
For more information visit the sales centre between 10am and 5pm, call 0844 488 1585.
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For further information, contact Lyndsay Scanlan or Sam Nickerson at Remarkable Public Relations on 01962 893 893.
