Ex-pats find their roots in Wakefield
950 miles couldn’t deter one Yorkshire couple from finding their ideal UK home. Chris and Roger Hawkins, who live in the Haute Pyreness Department in the Southwest of France, needed a home central to their children and grandchildren. After months of searching the internet and trips to various towns throughout Yorkshire the couple discovered the delights of Wakefield.
Roger, a retired town planner and university lecturer commented: “We had lived in West Yorkshire, primarily Leeds, for some years before finding our retreat in France. Our commutes back to the UK were a little pressured with the constraints of hotel living and with the property market at rock bottom, we decided now was a really good time to buy.”
Months of internet searching resulted in a busy week last October when the couple discovered their ideal property at Miller Homes’ Fairfield Manor development in Wakefield.
Roger continued: “We were impressed with many elements of the town, the range of shopping facilities, the parks and leisure facilities, especially Breton Park with its lakes and particularly for us, the excellent rail, road and airport links. The Miller development is perfectly located in an ideal area close to the services and facilities we were looking for. Although it wasn’t until we got back to France that we decided to buy an apartment there. In comparison to others that we had visited during our trip, the Miller apartment had much more space and was surprisingly less expensive.”
The couple embarked on a technological journey of virtually purchasing and designing their apartment using the internet. Through emails and picture messages with sales adviser Phil Snoad, Roger and his wife Chris, managed to choose their kitchen units, tiles, bathroom and en-suite fixtures and carpets. The next time the couple visited their apartment, it was complete.
Roger said: “It was exactly how we had imagined it to be. Phil had been very meticulous and taken a variety of pictures in different light settings to ensure we had a realistic view of the items. I cannot praise too highly the customer service we have had from Miller Homes. Between us we have lived in almost 40 homes and would say this has been one of the easiest and most pleasurable purchases we’ve ever made.”
Like the Hawkin’s, all apartments at Fairfield Manor boast airy, open plan living areas with a large integrated kitchen, spacious bedroom with fitted wardrobes and a contemporary bathroom. Selected plots also have the added luxury of a Juliet balcony with French doors.
The properties also come with added extras including chrome downlighters, a stainless steel sink with an eye-catching monobloc tap and a thermostatic shower. Prices range from £80,500 for a one bedroom apartment to £114,000 for a two bedroom apartment.
Phil Snoad, sales adviser for Miller Homes Yorkshire said: “Miller has over 75 years experience in building homes and communities, going that extra mile to ensure Roger and Chris chose the items they wanted is just part of Miller’s long tradition of making the process of purchasing a new home as easy and stress free as possible.”
Fairfield Manor is a delightful neighbourhood of the finest quality houses and apartments. It is positioned around a focal point in the style of a village green. This peaceful retreat is perfectly situated just half a mile from the centre of Wakefield and also has easy access to the M1 and M62, making it an ideal base for commuting.
If you would like more information about affordable living with Miller Homes visit Fairfield Manor, Thursday - Monday 10.30am to 5.30pm, log on to millerhomes.co.uk.
