Couple’s Perceptions of New Build Changed

When Andy and his wife Sarah decided to move from South Wales to North Devon they had no intention of considering a new build property.

Having seen some large new estates being built close to their former home, the couple were convinced they would be looking for an older house.

However, after visiting Wain Homes’ Kingsland development in Westward Ho!, their perceptions of new build changed and the couple moved into their new four-bedroom Priestley property in September 2022.

Andy said: “If you had told my friends six months ago that we had bought a new build, they would have been stunned.

“There were some massive new estates where we lived before and the homes were so tightly packed together, we referred to them as little boxes.

“Wain Homes’ development couldn’t have been more different, with generous room sizes, big plots and lots of green space.

“We thought all new build developments were the same, but Kingsland has shown us this is definitely not the case.

“People often put all housebuilders into the same bracket but we found the room sizes and spaces between homes is definitely greater with Wain Homes.”

The couple chose Westward Ho! primarily for retired Andy to give something back and dedicate more time volunteering for the charity Christians Against Poverty, which helps people become debt free.

The Kingsland development also reduced Sarah’s commuting time, being less than 30 minutes’ drive to the North Devon Hospital where she works as a nurse.

Aside from extra space, the first three months in their new home has also shown the benefits of buying a new build home in respect of energy efficiency.

Andy explained: “Our last home was 50 years old, and we used a wood burner to keep the lounge warm, but the rest of the house quickly became very cold once the central heating was turned off.

“If we heat our new home in the morning, it then stays warm all day long without having to put the heating on again until early evening, which is great news as energy prices have hiked.”

The move to Kingsland very nearly didn’t happen following the collapse of Andy and Sarah’s property chain just one week before completion.

“That’s when Wain Homes stepped in and offered us an extremely fair part-exchange deal” explains Andy, “which meant we didn’t have to start all over again and secured us the plot we really wanted.”

Andy and Sarah were attracted to the Priestley, wanting plenty of downstairs space and versatile rooms.

“We love the double set of patio doors from both the kitchen/diner and the lounge which are great for access to the garden and really open the house up” says Andy. “We also like the fact the house has a separate study which we use for relaxation and we have turned one of the bedrooms into an office.

“Every room is finished to an extremely high standard and we were both impressed with the quality of the fixtures and fittings, such as the oak doors and the high quality bathrooms and white goods.”

Now happily settled into life in Westward Ho!, Andy is planning to be a Job Club coach next year to help people get back into work, another excellent Christians Against Poverty initiative.

He is also considering making the most of the coastal location with some surfing lessons at the nearby surf school when the weather is warmer.

“It’s a lovely place to live” said Andy. “There are lots of nice walking routes close by and we have made some great new friends through the Baptist church in Westward Ho! We are so pleased that we chose this property.” 

Click here to find out more about our available homes at Kingsland in Westward Ho!