Man about the house at Grand Ocean in Brighton

Many new developments now come complete with a concierge or estate manager facility with roles varying from monitoring the building to accepting deliveries.

At Explore Living’s Grand Ocean development in Saltdean, Brighton, the estate manager, Michael Lobacz, 33, has taken his job one step further by providing a one to one personal service to each of the residents.

Michael commented: “I have worked in customer service for 13 years and it is a role I really enjoy, I love meeting people and helping people. My position as Estate Manager allows me to get to know the residents and I know most of them by name now.”

Grand Ocean is a collection of 180 one and two-bedroom apartments, located on the doorstep of the rolling Sussex Downs, with breathtaking views of the South East Coast. Explore Living recently completed the restoration of the original hotel building, as well as the construction of the four new wings, making the apartments the perfect coastal retreat.

Michael continued: “I provide a personal service to everyone who has bought a home at the development. I make sure the building is safe and that any problems residents may have are fixed as soon as possible.

My services are available to help residents with whatever they need and make sure their homes are safe and secure while they are out or away. I am happy to provide that reassurance.”

Mr Brynmuir Pippin, 74, bought an apartment at Grand Ocean with his wife Sandra, 72, when their son insisted they moved closer to him so he could make sure he was available if they needed anything. Brynmuir commented: “Our son was worried about us being so far away from him because if there was an emergency it would be a long way to travel. He looked online and found Grand Ocean which is much closer to where he lives in Newhaven.

We were previously living in a three-bedroom house and decided to downsize to a two-bedroom apartment which was much easier maintenance for us. Michael does a great job and our son has the piece of mind of knowing if we need anything Michael can help us.”

John Inglis, Sales and Marketing Director at Explore Living commented: “Excellent customer service is just as important after the sale of a property as it was before a sale. Buying a home is a big decision so we ensure our homes are of the highest quality and specification. The Estate Manager, Michael is on hand at Grand Ocean to look after the building and help the residents with anything they need.”

Grand Ocean is located approximately six miles from Brighton, which provides a wide range of shopping, restaurants and entertainment options. For commuters looking to travel further afield, regular services run from Brighton railway station into London Victoria in just under an hour. For those without a car, Grand Ocean is also home to Saltdean’s first car club, which provides rental of low-emission cars from as little as £3.96 per hour. There is also a very good bus service connecting Saltdean to Brighton and various other local destinations.

Each home offers the very best in modern living with under-floor heating, a video-entry system, pre-wiring for Sky+ and provision for wall-mounted TVs, and energy-efficient lighting throughout. The stylish kitchens benefit from a thoughtful, ergonomic design that maximises storage space and feature concealed sockets, deep work surfaces and integrated appliances including microwave, oven, hob and extractor, dishwasher, fridge/freezer, waste disposal system and freestanding washer/dryer.

Prices at Grand Ocean start from £179,995, for further information visit: exploreliving.co.uk