Recommending the Tilia Homes development to friends, who became their neighbours, was the cherry on the cake!

Green open space, a play area across the road and a big blank canvas to make their own, for one Bourne family, Elsea Gardens was the perfect place to buy their first home. And recommending the Tilia Homes development to friends, who became their neighbours, was the cherry on the cake!

Here Katie and Dave share their story…

“When I inherited money from my grandparents, I knew that I wanted to use the money to buy our first home. It’s something that would have meant a lot to them and made them proud and it was the right time for us as a family with Teddy, our son, only being two years old.

“We had always been drawn to the idea of a new-build property as we liked the fact that we had the freedom to really make the place our own – a blank canvas!” Katie explains.

“When we began researching the different options available to us as first time buyers, we soon realised that we could utilise the Government-backed Help to Buy scheme, which has already helped so many people get on the property ladder. We were able to purchase the beautiful three-bedroom Bluebell house type at Elsea Gardens. The home has ample space for a growing toddler to run around, while still having the space for myself and Dave to relax and entertain friends and family.

“The whole process was so simple and stress free. From the application for Help to Buy, to the weekly build meetings with the Tilia Homes team at Elsea Gardens. There are also other financial support initiatives, like Part Exchange and Smooth Move, to help people at different stages of the property ladder too, so we know this for next time.

“We were so impressed with how much we were kept in the loop and our buying journey that we recommended the development and the homes to our friends. They ended up buying the house three doors down, which has been lovely,” adds Dave.

After being through the buying process Katie and Dave’s advice to people has been to research, research, research.

Katie says: “There are so many homebuilders out there but what set Tilia apart for us was the friendly, helpful nature of the teams, as well as the quality of the homes. Nothing was too much trouble and we felt everyone genuinely took an interest in our journey – even down to waving at Teddy when he loved to watch the diggers and trucks go by. Even before we moved in there was a real sense of community!

“Elsea Gardens is made even more special because of the attention to detail that’s gone into the development itself and not just the properties. There are lots of green open spaces and a playground is being built right across the road from us, which will be perfect for Teddy come Spring and Summer. There’s a shop right around the corner and, because of the location, we can keep our old jobs in the town where we used to live because the commute is so manageable.”

Katie and Dave took advantage of the house demonstration, which allows for all new homeowners to get to know the inner workings of the heating system and where all the important parts are in the home.

“Like any house move, expect to roll up your sleeves to get everything just as you like it – especially in the garden – but remember this is an exciting adventure, so plan, prepare and most importantly, have fun!”

Katie & Dave, Elsea Gardens