Knowing the right time to downsize is critical. So many people leave it too late – and then it
can feel like an impossible task. But Helena Cole, 55, and her husband Martin, 57, are a shining example of how to get it right.
Their large family home in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, where they lived for 22 years and brought up their sons Daniel and Charley, needed updating. The garden was too big for their needs, the utility bills were too high, the conservatory was too cold in winter and too hot in summer… a lot of money was going to have to be spent on the place.
They both agreed it was time to find a new home while they were still young enough to enjoy it. Daniel, 23, a forensic scientist, had bought his own flat but Charley,21, working in insurance, would be moving with Helena and Martin, so they still wanted space – just not quite as much of it – plus all the benefits of new technology and modern building methods.
IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED…
The family have busy lives. Martin commutes to the Canary Wharf offices of Lloyds Bank, while Helena is an examinations officer in a large secondary school, so location was important for work and pleasure. And they love their holidays, so being near an airport would be a bonus. However, their first foray into house hunting was not a success. ‘The sales manager was unpleasant,’ says Martin. ‘Frankly we were treated very badly.’
The process of trying to seal the deal on that first new-build home dragged on for months. ‘And price was the basic price,’ says Martin. ‘We were told we would have to pay extra for everything, thousands of pounds extra – for quartz worktops, an upgrade on our shower, parquet flooring and very basic carpet.
‘But we were on the list for one of these houses. We had not seen anything else so we just kept waiting to hear if we had a house.’ One of the advantages of downsizing after many decades of property price rises is that they were able to reap the benefits of their sale and had no need of a mortgage. Martin and Helena were ready to go. But what was meant to be a happy lifestyle change was turning into a nightmare. Then, as so often happens they found what they now call ‘their real dream house’ completely by chance.
A ‘SLIDING DOORS’ MOMENT
Martin was in the car, on his way to play golf, when he spotted a roadside sign for a show home at Takeley, an Essex village just a few miles from London Stansted airport but not on the flight path.
Flitch View, a Weston Homes development, was advertised as a luxury, private gated community of eight exclusive detached homes, each with four or five bedrooms, small gardens, near open countryside and village shops and just five miles from the market town of Bishop’s Stortford – and its all-important train station – over the border in Hertfordshire. Like an excited newly married couple, the Coles could not wait to organise a viewing.
Spotting the sign for Flitch View was a ‘Sliding Doors’ moment, says Martin. ‘It instantly changed our lives. We did not know it was there …then suddenly we found it.
‘And after our experience with the last house, it was great to have a sales team who made it all so easy. We saw the house on the Friday, made an offer on the Monday, transferred a small deposit and it was ours. Job done.’
Now they’ve moved in, they are every bit as thrilled as they expected to be. ‘There isn’t one thing about it I don’t like,’ smiles Martin. ‘Unlike the other house it is generous with everything. The doors are solid and wide, all the fixtures and fittings are included in the price. The carpets are good quality.
‘We have two en suite family bathrooms, loads of cupboards, water-saving taps – and for me, I love the garage, the sliding security gates and the video doorbell. It makes us feel safe. But above all it’s the garage. My man cave.’
BUILT WITH PRIDE AND PASSION
Award-winning developer Weston Homes, now established 30 years, is a family business that’s also based in Takeley, just a few miles from Flitch View.
It takes pride in building luxurious, high-quality homes in well-connected, desirable locations – and its own premises reflect the ethos: modern, light-filled, sustainable and with impressive staff facilities including a large gym, along with a restaurant where teams meet for meals and clearly immerse themselves in the development of apartments and houses across the South-East.
The company is passionate about sustainability – and it’s one of the many advantages of buying a new home from Weston Homes. Martin and Helena’s Flitch View home has solar panels integrated into the roof design, plus a ground source heat pump, ensuring a cosy house and low energy bills, while superfast broadband enables efficient home working.
As a wife and mother, Helena appreciates the thoughtful design and easy-running newness of this house, with power points and up-to-the-minute technology in all the right places. And the family all love the ease with which they can cook and live together, while also enjoying their spacious separate areas.
‘I keep thinking how I will put our stamp on it with pictures or maybe a feature wall,’ says Helena. ‘We have so much space. It doesn’t feel like downsizing at all.’
Her personal favourite space is her walk-in dressing room. ‘For me, this was a real game changer,’ she says, opening the door to reveal a huge, well-organised display of shelves and hanging rails. ‘I saw this, turned to Martin and said, “I really love this house.” And I tell everyone. I just can’t stop going on about it!’ The couple left behind a district where suburbia had grown up around them. ‘We had a massive Marks & Spencer, a massive Tesco,’ says Helena. ‘It was an area always on the go.
‘But now I feel calm. I’m in a village, with lots of little villages around us which we can’t wait to explore. It really is a life-changing moment for us.’ Martin agrees. ‘Everyone who thinks about downsizing should do it early, when you can enjoy your new life.’
Following incredible sales success, Flitch View has now sold out. Our nearest development is Thornwood Park in Epping where we have a range of three, four and five bedroom homes. For information on our other developments across London and the south east, click here.
