Being able to work from home has meant Charlie Cripps has been able to change location and finally buy her first house.
And she’s picked the perfect home to share with her dog Hattie, as there’s a bigger garden and countryside walks nearby. There’s also a spare bedroom that she can use as an office.
Charlie has chosen a two-bedroom terraced house at Bewley Homes’ Garden Village Collection at Watership Place, Whitchurch taking advantage of Help to Buy scheme for the £319,950 property.
Charlie has been renting a flat in Surrey but couldn’t afford to buy a house there. But working from home during the pandemic and not socialising or going on holiday meant she was able to save more money towards her dream property in Hampshire.
“I don’t need to be so close to London anymore for work so I’m moving to the countryside, space and a better lifestyle,” Charlie explained.
“Hattie needs a bigger garden and I’ll be able to walk straight out the door onto footpaths and the countryside, with lots of pubs and more green space. And it’s much nearer my parents.”
Charlie, 37, a client relationship manager for a property technology company, used to travel around the UK for work with much of her time spent in London.
But since March 2020 she’s worked from home due to the pandemic. “Those days of travelling around have gone. And even when I do need to go to London from my new house I’ll be able to walk to the station and it’s just 65 minutes on the train.
“I’ve worked from my kitchen table for a year and a bit and don’t have anywhere to eat. I’m really looking forward to a clear workspace in my new home. I want to properly shut my office door and walk away from my job at the end of every day. You can’t do that when you’re surrounded by your equipment all the time.”
Working from home meant she was also able to get her sproodle pup Hattie last year and her dog has been a big reason why she’s chosen her new home.
“It’s got a nice sunny garden and I wanted a separate kitchen so I’d have a muddy dog area and a big space for Hattie to stay in if I go out. I can shut the lounge door and she has the hallway and kitchen.
“I fell in love with the floor plan because it’s really functional. From the lounge, I have French doors straight out onto the garden and there are nice big windows which is really important to have lots of light with a terraced house.
“Bewley has really thought about every single thing down to the best place for sockets and radiators. I am massively into cycling and there’s a secure bike shelter in the garden, an outdoor tap for washing down the dog, a separate patio area for the bins and access to come and go from the garden.
“It’s been very exciting choosing all the specifications for my kitchen and bathroom. My kitchen has a quartz worktop and integrated appliances.
“In the bathroom, they’ve made good use of the space with vanity units under the sink and a shower over the bath.
“There was a silver lining to the pandemic, being able to buy my first house was one positive – and Hattie was the other one.”