October 2018
A young couple has secured a brand new home in Longhoughton by using Northumberland County Council’s affordable housing scheme.
First-time buyers Chris Davidson and Rachel McCoy, who both work for the NHS, moved onto our Chancel Place development in September. Using the affordable housing scheme, whereby eligible homebuyers can purchase a property at a discounted market price, Chris and Rachel were able to buy a spacious three-bedroom house.
The couple were previously renting a flat five miles away in Alnwick and decided that they wanted to get a foot on the property ladder. With Chancel Place being less than a five-minute drive to the A1, which Chris and Rachel both use to commute, it proved to be an ideal location.
Rachel commented: “We are enjoying living at Chancel Place – the layout is great and it is a spacious and well-maintained development. As well as being very well-located for getting to and from work, we love that the beach is a five-minute walk away.”
The couple chose our semi-detached ‘Kingston’ house type. Rachel said: “We were not originally looking for a new-build home, but once we saw the Kingston at Chancel Place we fell in love. We really liked its design and layout, and we wanted a house with three bedrooms and a garden which made this the perfect house type for us.
“We absolutely love the bay windows in our kitchen, and the French doors that lead out from the lounge and allow lots of light in. The en-suite to master bedroom and the downstairs cloakroom were added bonuses.”
Reflecting on their overall experience, the couple said: “We would highly recommend purchasing a Story Home. The team has been professional and helpful throughout our journey, with Sales Executive Amber taking the time to answer all of our questions in detail and keeping us updated at every stage, and Site Manager Paul providing an excellent home demonstration before we moved in.
“We found the whole process of buying an affordable home relatively stress-free. The mortgage advisor recommended to us by Story Homes was brilliant in helping us decide on a mortgage and we would definitely encourage others looking to take the first step on the property ladder to look into the affordable housing scheme.”
Affordable new homes are a popular option for homebuyers, allowing people who would otherwise be unable to buy a property to enjoy all the benefits of living in a brand new home for a price that fits their means. We sensitively include high quality affordable homes within our developments to meet local needs, as required by local planning policies and in line with our commitment to the communities in which it builds.
Guidance and eligibility criteria can be found on the local council’s website.
Katherine Hope, Sales Manager at Story Homes, said: “We are really pleased that Chris and Rachel are enjoying their new home and were able to benefit from the affordable housing scheme, which is a good way for anyone currently renting or living with family to purchase their first home at a discounted rate.
“Our homes at Chancel Place have been very popular, so we have just released a number of new three and four-bedroom properties. These include a three-bedroom semi-detached ‘Hastings’ house type which would also be an ideal choice for a first-time buyer.”
Our Marketing Suite and ‘Taunton’ show home at Chancel Place are open from Thursdays to Mondays, 11am to 5pm. Prices start from £209,950 and selected plots are available to move into in time for Christmas. For more information, call 07870 881155 or email chancel.place@storyhomes.co.uk.
