Estate agent and nurse buy 3 bed house 15 months after their first date

Estate agent, Jonathan, and nurse, Charlotte, first met on a date at a waffle bar in St Albans. Just over a year later the couple bought and moved into a 3-storey house at Bellway’s Linmere Gateway development in Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire.

“We have mutual friends, who set the date up,” said Charlotte. “We expected to eat in but there were still COVID-19 restrictions and they were only offering a takeaway service. We had to get a take-out and sit in the local park but it was a great date and we just clicked straightaway.”

Selling up to buy a new build home

Charlotte lived in her own two-bedroom flat in Dunstable, while Jonathan had a two-bedroom cottage in Toddington.

“I worked ‘normal hours’ but Charlotte often worked shifts and it restricted the time we could spend together,” said Jonathan.

“After 10 months together, we could both tell that the relationship was serious so we had a chat and decided we wanted to take it to the next level and buy a house together.”

Charlotte sold her flat within 3 days, while Jonathan found a buyer for his cottage on the same day it went onto the market.

A simpler buying process

After being gazumped on one property and having the seller withdraw on another house, the couple spotted the Linmere Gateway development online.

“We arranged to view the showhome – a three-bedroom, three-storey Cedar house type and fell in love with it straightaway,” said Charlotte. “It had been fully decorated and furnished and looked lovely.

“When we got to the top floor, which is given over to the main bedroom, we were blown away. We both looked at each other as if to say, ‘we want this house’.”

Space for a super-king!

Despite misconceptions, research has shown that the average new build home is actually larger than the average older property. Something Charlotte and Jonathan experienced.

“As the bedroom takes up all of the top floor, we thought we needed a bigger bed to feel right in that space,” said Charlotte. “We had ordered a super king size bed, and it arrived a fortnight after we moved in, but it was worth the wait.

“Having the whole top floor dedicated to our bedroom is fantastic. There is an ensuite with a double shower and a spacious walk-in wardrobe, which is great for me because I have a lot of clothes.

“When our friends come round and we give them a tour of the house, they love the place but particularly the main bedroom.

“They all say that having such a huge bedroom must be like living in a five-star hotel suite and they are not wrong. It’s heavenly and feels so luxurious.”

A home with space to entertain

“We have got a big kitchen with a breakfast bar, which is great for entertaining when family and friends pop over,” said Jonathan.

“There’s also a separate living/dining room which we can use when want to sit down and have a meal together.

“The extra space in the house created by the three floors really works for us because having the two bedrooms and bathroom on the first floor means we can keep that for guests but still have our separate space up on the top floor.”

Support through the home buying process

“The customer service we received was superb,” said Charlotte. “Nicola, the sales advisor, was brilliant. Nothing was too much trouble for her and she was always available to help us if we had a query.

“The quality of the finish and the specification of the house is excellent too. We love our new house and are delighted to be together and living in a wonderful home that is just perfect for us. Coming home to each other and to a house like this, is a dream come true.

“There is a lot of green open space on the development and we like the fact that the houses are not built on top of each other. When we look out from our house we can see over the nearby fields.”    

Considering a home move? Search new build homes near you on Bellway’s website.