Nathan Lee and his wife Alice will probably remember the first day in their new home more than most. Just as the lockdown began, the couple moved into a stylish three bedroom semi detached house at award winning Bewley Homes’ Acacia Gardens in Farnham.
According to Nathan, Bewley Homes ‘pulled out all the stops’ to make sure the couple could move in on that day even after a last-minute issue had raised some concerns.
Nathan, 30, said: “Bewley Homes did a great job and we can’t thank them enough. They remained very reassuring and calm during a tense period before we could take possession of the keys. We had moved out of our flat making us effectively homeless! With hotels shut we were struggling for a contingency plan, but Bewley Homes pulled out all the stops to enable us to complete and make the move happen that day.”
Alice, 28, added: “Because it was the first week of the coronavirus lockdown we couldn’t hire a removal company. So, we hired a van and did it ourselves and the actual move part wasn’t too bad.”
Acacia Gardens is a charming new development of just 47 three and four bedroom homes situated in the green, leafy countryside of Wrecclesham, located on the very edge of the bustling Georgian market town of Farnham which is renowned for its independent shops, coffee shops and restaurants. All homes feature integrated appliances, French doors to a large living room and master bedroom en-suite.
The Lee’s took advantage of the Government’s Help to Buy scheme and took a 20 per cent loan on their £452,000 home.
Nathan and Alice had spent a lot of time researching online and visiting different developments in the area but came back to Acacia Gardens.
“Value for money, Acacia Gardens is hard to beat in the area. The homes are very spacious, the gardens are a good size and there’s an amazing woodland forest on the doorstep ideal for bike rides,” added Nathan.
He continued: “Farnham is very convenient for work and we love the town. It’s a great mix of old and new and has a buzz about it. There’s plenty of coffee shops, independent stores, bars and restaurants. Once they re-open we can’t wait to explore the place.”
Alice added: “We have a blank canvass which we can make our own mark on. Everything is brand new, with a lot of space and a great garden. Our home is very energy efficient and will saves us hundreds of pounds on heating bills every year.
“Why wouldn’t you buy new? We have friends who have bought second-hand properties who have then complained that they have needed to spend tens of thousands of pounds doing it up!”
She said: “We can see ourselves being here long term. We are putting roots down and we love our Bewley home.”
Alice, a nurse, commutes to London to work in a job that is, not surprisingly, very rewarding. Nathan, a former National Account Manager at Ferrero Rocher who has recently changed jobs and now has a sales management position with French company Danone who supply yoghurt and bottled water to the supermarket chains.
He joked: “When I was at Ferrero Rocher, not surprisingly, I used to be everyone’s best friend at Christmas! Acacia Gardens is perfectly located for both our jobs. Close to the motorway for me and Alice can easily get to Tooting.”
Buyers have been attracted to the development because of its location, value for money and spacious interiors.
With six other developments in the town competition for buyers is fierce which is why Bewley Homes has been delighted with the response to Acacia Gardens.
Elaine Stratford, sales and marketing director at Bewley Homes, said: “We are delighted that Nathan and Alice have settled in during this tough period.
“We have a fantastic development in an ideal spot near the town centre. We look forward to re-opening the sales office and establishing customer viewings at Acacia Gardens very shortly.”
The area boasts excellent road and rail links; 25 minutes to the M3 and Guildford, nine minutes to the station from which the train journey only takes 55 minutes to London Waterloo.