A young couple have bought their dream home together after upsizing from a one-bedroom flat to a three-bedroom house.
George Pickering and Laura Summerfield secured a joint mortgage on a Rowan house type at Bovis Homes’ Hampton Water location in Peterborough.
George, a 29-year-old project engineer, and Laura, a 29-year-old customer service specialist, have made the commitment to each other just two years after meeting.
“Laura was living at home with her parents in Peterborough while I had my own flat in St Neots,” said George. “We were at my sister’s house when she said: “Have you two thought about getting a house together?’
“That sparked off the big conversation and we decided we were both ready to commit. We wanted to stay in the area to be close to family and friends and definitely wanted more space.”
The couple contacted sales manager, Joel Tedham at Hampton Water and arranged to visit the site.
“When we got there Joel showed us inside a three-bedroom semi-detached house which was all but finished and was available,” said George. “We stepped inside and instantly fell in love with it.
“The modern open-plan layout downstairs was stunning. The space flowed from the kitchen at the front of the house through to the dining/living area which had French doors to the spacious back garden. It was flooded with natural light and had a real wow factor.
“We wanted that house but knew we had to act quickly. Luckily, we were able to take advantage of Bovis Homes’ Part Exchange scheme which meant that they would buy my flat and deduct the value from the new house. It was brilliant because it meant we had a guaranteed buyer and didn’t have the stress of being involved in a chain which might collapse – and Bovis Homes paid the estate agent fees.
“Joel and the Bovis Homes sales team made the entire process so effortless and it would not have been possible to get this house without them.”
George and Laura moved into their new £295,000 home in November 2023.
Having three bedrooms has meant that the couple have been able to spoil themselves.
“It’s wonderful to have an en suite, which is a nice touch of luxury, but we have gone one further and transformed a spare bedroom into a walk-in wardrobe for both of us,” said George. “Even though we have done this we still have a spare bedroom which is reserved for guests. This room is big enough to have a double bed and a desk in, which gives me a space to do work admin when I need to, without having to intrude on the rest of the house.
“The open-plan layout really works for us as it suits our lifestyle. It means that we can both be downstairs and no matter where we are, we can be close enough to chat. It’s great for one of us to cook while the other just relaxes and chats away at the breakfast bar.
“We absolutely love our new home as it’s perfect for us in every way. One big advantage over the flat is that we now have our own garden. It’s south facing and gets the sun most of the day. The garden is bigger than we expected which is great because it is lovely to be able to sit on the patio area outside and enjoy a cuppa in the morning or one after work, in the early evening sunshine.”
The couple have now settled into their new home and are enjoying exploring the local area.
“We’ve got everything we need on our doorstep,” said George. “There’s a convenience store close by and a big Tesco a five-minute drive away – so that’s all our grocery needs, and more, catered for. There is a good gym that we both use which we can walk to in five minutes and that is a big plus for us as we like to have exercise in our lives.
“All in all, this house is ideal and, because of all the space, this will be our home for a long time to come. Another thing that is lovely is that at the flat we could hear people moving about in the building and all we can hear now is birdsong. It’s so peaceful and relaxing.”
There’s currently a selection of one, two, three and four-bedroom homes available to reserve at Hampton Water, with prices starting at £190,000. For more information, visit bovishomes.co.uk.
