Couple buy into a great lifestyle at The Tower in Chelmsford

With press articles highlighting the difficulties house purchasers face, first time buyers could be forgiven for thinking that they might never be able to afford their own property. Jamie Godden, 23, and Amanda Perrin, 22, certainly had their doubts, until they found their ideal home at The Tower in Chelmsford, a new development by Barratt Eastern Counties, and discovered how much help was on offer.

Jamie, an assistant quantity surveyor and Amanda, a trainee retail merchandiser, had both been living with their parents. They discovered The Tower by chance, when Jamie tagged along with a friend who wanted to take a look. The Tower, which rises to eleven storeys, is located in the heart of Chelmsford. With striking modern architecture and outstanding facilities, including a concierge service, gym and private car park, it is reminiscent of a smart London development.

"The Tower's a fantastic building, a real landmark," says Jamie. "Its style appealed to us, as well as its great location - everything we need is nearby."

With Barratt's help, Jamie and Amanda found that they could afford to buy a home at The Tower. "Barratt paid our stamp duty and even contributed towards our legal fees," Jamie explains. "Without this help, we would have struggled to buy our own home." In less than a month, the couple had moved in.

Jamie and Amanda bought a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with an outdoor terrace. It is very spacious and has an open-plan design, with a combined living, dining and kitchen area. Floor-to-ceiling widows flood light into the apartment and imbue it with an airy and fresh feel. All the apartments at The Tower open on to a balcony or terrace and those on the higher levels have panoramic views across the town.

The gym and concierge service are especially welcome features for Jamie and Amanda, who comments: "Jamie and I love the gym, which saves us a lot of money, and the concierge service is really convenient, it's great having someone sign for our mail and deliveries while we're at work."

Security is another benefit: "The building is very secure, we have a key fob to get into the apartments and the car park, so it feels really safe," says Amanda

Chelmsford is well connected to the national motorway network via the A12, M11 and the M25. The excellent transport links make life easy for Amanda and Jamie, who both commute by car: Amanda to Welwyn Garden City and Jamie to Colchester. Train travel is just as easy, with regular trains from Chelmsford station taking just 30 minutes.

"The location couldn't be better," comments Jamie, "We're literally next door to the station and there are shops downstairs, including a Tesco. Everything is right on our doorstep."

Prices of apartments at The Tower start from £179,995 and Barratt is offering to help first time buyers with their deposit. With some apartments now complete, people could be living in The Tower this summer.

For further information visit Barratthomes.co.uk.