Home really is ‘sweet’ for couple in Smethwick

A young Asian couple knew their first home together was meant to be when their baby boy – also a first - was born on the day they exchanged contracts! Deep Bains (26), wife Mani (24) and baby Arjun have recently moved into a three bedroom home at Victoria Gardens by George Wimpey West Midlands (on the former North site of the famous Cape Hill Brewery) and despite the combined pressures of moving home and giving birth say it went very smoothly.

The Sikh couple has just held a traditional house warming ceremony called ‘Sukhmani Patt’, which blesses the property and brings good luck. Special spiritual confection called ‘Naam Ladoo’ is handed out to family and friends – and George Wimpey sales executive Julie Partridge was also invited to partake.

Mani explains: “Julie has been a great help throughout our purchase and even got on well with my dad, which is saying something. She’s a very warm person, open and friendly with nothing too much trouble and she took a lot of the pressure off. She loves holding Arjun too. The least we could do was ask her to join us in celebrating our new home and sharing some naam ladoo seemed the perfect way.”

A modest Julie, who lives nearby in Smethwick, says: “I was thrilled to be part of their house warming celebrations and feel privileged to deal with lovely people like the Bains, day in day out. Moving house is a major life change, so if I can lighten the load and make it all easier to cope with, then that’s very rewarding and gratifying.”

The Bains family chose to move back to their Smethwick roots after a stint with their in laws in Solihull, where Deep works in IT. The imminent arrival of baby Arjun meant they needed more space, but Solihull was proving too expensive.

Mani adds: “We first looked at George Wimpey’s Wesley Gardens in West Brom, which was great but a little too far out for Deep’s drive to work. Then my mum, who lives round the corner in Tudor Road, tipped us off about Victoria Gardens and we fell in love with the three bedroom showhome and decided to buy the same housetype.

“We get a good deal on the asking price and this combined with the recent fall in prices finally made our dream move possible. It’s certainly a buyer’s market at the moment and you get more home for your money in places like Smethwick, plus we’re back amongst loved ones and friends. I also like the idea of new build as it’s maintenance free and ready to live in, which is ideal when you’re just starting a family.”

The good people of Smethwick obviously agree with the Bains family because Victoria Gardens has enjoyed a sales boom of late. For example, eight properties recently sold in just two weeks and this is certainly bucking the national downturn in the housing market. Indeed, nearly three quarters of the family-friendly homes on this development of 68 properties (expected to be sold this year) have already been snapped up!

George Wimpey sales & marketing director, Carol Edwards, says: “Despite the current trend, both visitor levels and sales at Victoria Gardens have been really encouraging – and we remain cautiously optimistic because the desire to buy a new-build home is still there. Plus more sustainable price levels and lowest ever interest rates give us confidence in the affordability of new homes going forward.”

The entrance to Victoria Gardens is just off Cape Hill (A4092), which is a major route within the area and leads to the main shopping area to the west and onto Dudley Road (A457) to the east. Areas of open space are proposed within the development to retain a sense of open expanse and softening to the build form – and these green pockets will provide character and further improve the quality of the public realm.

In short, Victoria Gardens fully embraces the Government’s urban design vision of ‘continuity’ (a place where public and private space are clearly distinguishable), ‘legibility’ (a place that has a clear image and is easy to understand), ‘commutability’ (somewhere that’s easy to get to and move through), ‘adaptability’ (a place that can easily change) and ‘diversity’ (somewhere with variety and choice).

Current availability includes a designer one bedroom coach house (highly unusual in that it’s detached) for just £90,995 – or £80,000 for a quick 28 day completion. What’s more, the ‘Leamington’ has its own private entrance and an allocated parking space, plus it’s open plan for the ultimate in modern city living. Other availability at Victoria Gardens includes traditional three bedroom mews homes with garage from only £145,995, contemporary three bedroom three storey properties with garage from just £154,995 and four bedroom townhouses with garage from just £157,995.

The sales centre and showhome is open Thursday – Monday from 10am – 5pm.

For more information, visit Georgewimpey.co.uk.