FirstBuy helps couple secure new property in Essex
Taylor Wimpey gave first-time buyers Aaron and Stacie Wildney all the assistance they needed to purchase their ideal home at Peninsula, the leading housebuilder’s popular development of new homes for sale in Dovercourt, near Harwich, Essex.
With her husband Aaron regularly away in Afghanistan and a new baby to care for, army wife Stacie Wildney was keen to look for new homes in Essex so she could be near their families during his long tours of duty.
With both their families and friends back home in Harwich, the couple decided to try to save up to buy an Essex property which would be a haven for Stacie and seven-month-old Poppie while Aaron, a Lance Corporal in the infantry, was serving on the frontline.
They found just what they were looking for at Taylor Wimpey’s Peninsula development of new homes for sale in Dovercourt, where FirstBuy in Essex enabled them to purchase their ideal home with just a 5% deposit.
And when they realised the beautiful ‘Hadleigh’ showhome was for sale including all furniture, fixtures and fittings, the problem of how to furnish their home at the Taylor Wimpey Essex development was solved straightaway!
“We’ve bought the house at Peninsula as both a family home and as an investment for the future,” explains Stacie (24), reflecting on the search for houses for sale in Dovercourt.
“We visited the development at Christmas and were taken round the showhouse and when we were told we’d get everything inside it was the perfect solution. We didn’t really look at anything else.
“The decoration and furniture is lovely – it’s very modern. My favourite part of the house is the top floor – it’s a massive bedroom with an en-suite and it’s a lovely space which is ours.”
Stacie and Aaron were able to take advantage of the fantastic FirstBuy initiative, which meant they only required a 5% deposit and a 75% loan-to-value mortgage, with Taylor Wimpey and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) providing a 20% loan which will be repayable at the end of the 25-year mortgage or when the property is sold.
Stacie adds: “We only had a 5% deposit, so we probably couldn’t have afforded to buy so soon without FirstBuy – it would have been a case of saving for a lot longer. We’d saved up most of the money while I was pregnant but since Poppie was born we’ve been spending quite a bit more!
“The whole homebuying process was so easy and so convenient. I’ve always heard buying a house was stressful but I haven’t found it stressful at all. Everything was done for us and with all the guarantees which come with a new build house there’s no need to worry about anything.”
Stacie’s already got the keys for the new house, but won’t be moving there until May, when Aaron (23) goes back out to Afghanistan for another five-month tour.
When he does, though, she’s looking forward to having the support of all her family and friends just a stone’s throw away.
There’s currently a superb selection of high-quality homes available to reserve at Peninsula including two-bedroom apartments and starter home from just £122,000, three-bedroom houses from £149,995 and four-bedroom properties from £159,000. Selected plots are available for 80% of the full price under the FirstBuy scheme, full details of which can be obtained from the Sales Executive.
Peninsula offers homebuyers an enviable lifestyle close to Blue Flag beaches, a wealth of restaurants, bars and cafes, a weekly market and monthly farmers’ market plus a great choice of shops including an Asda supermarket on the doorstep.
In addition to windsurfing and a wide range of watersports, Dovercourt Leisure Centre in Low Road offers a swimming pool and solarium, fitness suite and floodlit pitch, while facilities for football, rugby, cricket and tennis are also local.
For those who enjoy walking, trails provide the chance to explore the nearby woodlands and meadows, while the country lanes and shoreline also make for perfect cycling, and the National Cycle Network runs from Harwich to Manningtree.
Commuters will appreciate that Dovercourt Railway Station is only half a mile from home, with regular services to Colchester in 30 minutes, Chelmsford in 60 minutes, and London Liverpool Street in 90 minutes. Road links are also excellent, with the A120 to Colchester close by, and Stansted Airport only 50 miles away.
The Peninsula Sales Information Centre and showhome are located in Heron Way, off Main Road, Dovercourt, and open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm and Mondays from 1.30pm until 5pm.
Further information on Taylor Wimpey developments across the region is available by visiting taylorwimpey.co.uk.
