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Following their two sons flying the nest, Kirsty (46) and John (47) Beckwith downsized from their large six-bedroom home, to a smaller four-bedroom property. However, with their large family often home at the weekends, the couple recently decided to upsize again, purchasing a five-bedroom house at Crest Nicholson’s Nine Acres development in Tiptree, Colchester.

Kirsty, a Personal Trainer, and John, a Human Resources Director, live with their youngest daughter, Laura (17), and have finally ‘right-sized’, using the Part Exchange scheme to find a home which fulfils all their needs as a family.

Kirsty explains: “It is quite an unusual move to downsize, then upsize again, however we have a large family and we were finding when our sons and their partners visited at the weekends, that we didn’t have enough entertaining space. Our new home gives us all the space we need with a large open plan kitchen and dining area which is perfect for when everyone is home.”

Kirsty continues: “We used the Part Exchange scheme which made the process of buying so much easier. We have had problems in the past with chains breaking, so the scheme really took the stress out of moving. We were even allowed to stay in our old house longer, giving us more time to move our furniture and belongings across.”

Located in the perfect rural setting, in between Colchester and Chelmsford, Nine Acres comprises a beautiful collection of three, four and five bedroom homes. The area of Tiptree is steeped in history, with the development located next-door to the village’s renowned jam factory and tea rooms, where the Wilkin family have been producing their famous fruit preserves since 1885. Each home at Nine Acres has been finished to a high specification, featuring fully-fitted contemporary kitchens and integrated appliances.

Kirsty comments: “Buying new was the best option for us, the quality of the build is excellent and maintenance is low. We even notice the difference with our energy bills as we don’t need to put the heating on as much; it is always so warm.

“We’ve converted the garage into a gym where we work out as a family and sometimes I train some of my clients in here. The house also has a separate study which is a great space for when I need to work from home.”

Nine Acres benefits from a range of excellent transport links, allowing nearby towns and cities to be accessed with ease. Local buses run regular services to neighbouring towns of Colchester, Maldon, Witham and Tollesbury. In addition, Kelvedon train station is just four miles from the development, and offers regular services to London Liverpool Street, with a journey time of approximately 50 minutes into central London.

Kirsty concludes: “The area is really accessible, and my husband’s commute into Chelmsford has been significantly reduced since moving. It’s also easy for me to get to my work in Colchester, travelling down the A12, which means we can spend more time enjoying our family home.”

Prices at Nine Acres start from £390,000 for a three bedroom house, from £465,000 for a four bedroom home and from £640,000 for a five bedroom property. Help to Buy and Part Exchange schemes are available. For more information please call 01621 861151 or visit www.crestnicholson.com/developments/nine-acres/.


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