Holly Scofield (30) and her husband Josh (30) always planned for their first home to be a steppingstone but didn’t know how easy the Part Exchange scheme would make upsizing and snagging their dream home, a spacious four-bedroom house at Crest Nicholson’s Sketchley Gardens development in Nuneaton.
The Part Exchange scheme gives homeowners a smooth and worry-free moving experience by purchasing their existing property and taking its value away from the price of the property being bought, all that needs to be paid is the difference between the two.
Holly and Josh purchased their first home, a small three bedroom in Wyken, at 24 and 25 years old respectively using the Government-backed Help to Buy scheme. Just five years later they were able to take their second step on the ladder, upsizing to a new build property using the Part Exchange scheme.
Holly explains: “We were quite realistic when we bought our first property about what we could and couldn’t achieve. Our first house had two full sized bedrooms and a smaller one which we occasionally used as an office and there was no garage, but it let us get on the property ladder as soon as we could. Help to Buy really enabled us to buy our first home and then save so we could have a larger deposit when we were ready to upsize.
“One of the biggest factors that played into us choosing a new build with Crest Nicholson was the availability of the Part Exchange scheme. It was the best way for us to go after the size that we wanted and took away the hassle and worry over selling our old home.
“In terms of the Part Exchange process, the Crest Nicholson team was very helpful from the get-go. They understood what we needed, what we currently had and what our options were. They helped to get us what we needed to complete the Part Exchange and then as a result make the sale of the house as well.”
Sketchley Gardens turned out to be ideally located for Holly, a hospital Project Manager, and Josh, a Mechanical Engineer at an aerospace firm. Not only are their commutes under half an hour but, most importantly to them, they are now closer to both of their families.
When viewing properties, they fell in love with the style of their new home, The Dartford. The four-bedroom house features a downstairs study, spacious open living plan, garden, and garage. The additional space is ideal for when both are working from home and gives them peace of mind for their future.
Holly added: “Although currently it’s just the two of us, we’re likely to expand our family at some point in the future so the size of the property was really appealing as well as the modern living plan of The Dartford with its spacious rooms and garden. To have enough space to entertain, have an office space and additional bedrooms made the property a real winner and many of the other developments in the area didn’t offer that. The energy efficiency of the house gives us another layer of security for the future. This home is really the best of both worlds for us.”
While in the process of searching and securing their new home, Holly and Josh both went through job changes so they aren’t strangers to tricky times when trying to move. They also understand the challenges currently facing many homebuyers, especially when it comes to mortgages.
When asked her advice for people looking to one day land their dream home, Holly said: “Keep your eye on the interest rates at all times and don’t be afraid to speak with your mortgage advisor and the people who are helping and supporting you.
“The biggest thing for me and Josh was getting on the property ladder early with an eye to eventually upsize. We were nervous to make these changes at a time when the interest rates are higher and us both having job changes, however looking back, it has all really paid off.”
Nuneaton is home to several bars and restaurants, alongside a range of entertainment venues and high street shops. The area around Sketchley Gardens is served by a number of primary and secondary schools, including Higham Lane, rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted and Wembrook Primary School, rated ‘Good’. It is ideally located close to the A5, which provides easy access to the M1 and M69, giving residents plenty of travel options across the region. The development is also less than a ten-minute drive away from Nuneaton train station, which offers direct services to Birmingham, Leicester, Crewe and more.
Prices for homes at Sketchley Gardens start from £280,000 for three-bedroom homes, whilst four-bedroom homes on site start from £310,000 and five-bedroom homes at £440,000. Crest Nicholson’s Smart Own, SmoothMove, Part Exchange and Deposit Booster plus the industry-developed Deposit Unlock schemes are available on select properties. For more information on the development or to book an appointment, please call 02477 289 711 or visit www.crestnicholson.com/developments/warwickshire/sketchley-gardens.
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