We chatted with Lauren (28) and Tim (37) having recently moved into their new build two bedroom house at the Orchard Field development in the village of Siddington, near Cirencester. Here they tell us all about how they are settling in…
Having been in the rental market for the past ten years, the couple felt it was time to explore a more permanent housing option for themselves and their new baby. ‘I worked out that I’d moved to a new home almost every twelve months during those ten years of renting - it was exhausting! After speaking with a Mortgage Advisor it was suggested that Shared Ownership be our best option for getting on the property ladder’ Lauren reflects, ‘Being local I was already aware of the Orchard Field development so once registered with Sovereign for updates; I eagerly kept checking the website for when we could apply for a home here’.
Reserving off-plan
‘Not long after applying I had a call from Melanie our Sales Consultant offering us a plot; she talked me through the process and sent me a list of plots with their floor plans to choose from. Initially it was nerve-racking making such a big financial decision ‘off-plan’, but we felt totally reassured and well informed by Melanie when selecting our new home’.
A forever home
Lauren explains ‘We just love the development; it has a quaint village feel yet we’re just a five minute drive from Cirencester town centre. It’s becoming such a lovely place to live, and we’re excited to see how it will all come together once building works on site are finished very soon.
As a family we enjoy being outdoors and with a woodland walk right on our doorstep – it’s perfect, just the other day we spotted deer on the estate!
The homes at Orchard Field have been built with sustainability in mind; designed to be as energy efficient as possible and capable of cutting heating bills by up to 70% compared to standard new build. ‘This was the main appeal’ Lauren remarks. ‘Our house runs off solar energy and is well insulated that we’re already noticing that this is a much more cost-effective way for us to live’.
Lauren & Tim have already considered the Staircasing option that Shared Ownership offers and with their new home they can eventually own 100% of it meaning they’d own the freehold. ‘We’re able to see this as our forever home and staircasing gives us the flexibility to plan and invest in our future here’.
Modern day living
‘When I saw the floor plans, I initially wasn’t entirely sure on open plan living but I now see it totally suits our lifestyle especially with an active toddler running around! We have a separate utility room so I no longer have to listen to the sound of the washing machine! There is a really unique and cosy ‘snug’ space on our landing which offers a place to have a sofa bed for when our friends come to stay.
Reflecting on their buying journey the couple didn’t realise the impact of stability that Shared Ownership has given them. ‘Since moving in, we just had this massive relief that we can now feel settled - this finally feels like home…our family home’.
All of our Shared Ownership homes at Orchard Field are now reserved, but there's a number of additional developments across Gloucestershire to explore, to find out more click here