It’s a family affair at Barratt’s Beechwood development

Life’s a family affair at Barratt North East’s Beechwood development near Durham, where two sisters and their parents have all bought new homes.

When Leila and Andrew Smith bought their first home at the development in Sacriston, they didn’t realise they were starting a trend.

They were followed by Mum and Dad, Anne and Mohsen Chizary – and then Leila’s sister Sara and husband Levi Haynes bought a third house nearby.

Anne Chizary said: “We’re a close family and we all love our new homes.

“Leila and Andrew bought first – they married two weeks before getting the keys – and every time I went over to see them my husband would joke: ‘Ask about part exchange for our place while you’re there’.

“On one occasion I thought, ‘I will ask’, and then everything happened very quickly. Within six days Barratt had valued our old house, we agreed a price and had a mortgage arranged. Six weeks later we moved in with our youngest daughter Gemma.”

The following month Sara and Levi moved into their new home with children Seth, Ebony and Milo – and now everyone lives within two minutes’ walk of each other.

Anne said: “We were very well looked after by the sales adviser Audra Simm, who saw to it that everything went very smoothly, and the site manager Steve Bellamy.

“We had always bought houses that needed a lot of work so it was a dream moving into a new home with lovely new carpets and everything so clean.

“I don’t feel any sadness when I pass our old house. There’s so much space in our new home, it’s a really nice size and all very manageable.

“We’re a close family, we do most things together but we respect the need to have our own space too. It’s a convenient closeness that we don’t abuse, so if I run out of teabags I’ll go to the shop rather than to them.”

“We also have a son Ben,” she added, “who says he is definitely not moving here. He likes to be different!”

Everyone took advantage of helpful purchase schemes.

Leila and Andrew used an affordable housing partnership between Barratt and Chester-le-Street District Council to help local people get onto the property ladder.

Anne and Mohsen used the famous Barratt part exchange service, while Sara and Levi bought through the Government-backed HomeBuy Direct low-cost home ownership initiative.

There are still some family homes available at Beechwood, which enjoys a semi-rural setting three miles from Durham city centre.

Showhomes and the sales centre are open daily from 10.00am to 5.00pm. For details visit barratthomes.co.uk/beechwood.