Help to Buy

All smiles for a brand new start at Stanground

- 03 May 16

The housebuilding industry celebrates New Homes Week in May and a young Peterborough family are happy to sing the praises of new-build after buying a Bovis Home at Milbey Manor in Stanground.

The old saying 'new home, new baby' certainly came true for first-time buyers Blake and Sandy Van Eeden, because just a week after celebrating the birth of their first child Millie, the couple collected the keys to their new Bovis Home at the Cambridgeshire location - a move that was made possible thanks to the Government-backed Help to Buy scheme.

Help to Buy is exclusive to new homes and requires a five per cent deposit, allowing the buyer access to a 75 per cent mortgage and a Government equity loan of 20 per cent - and it helped the Van Eedens into a spacious, three bedroom 'Draycott' town house.

"The scheme worked really well for us and our circumstances," said Blake. "Finding more than a five per cent deposit would have been really difficult and we would probably have had to settle for something smaller."

The couple had been renting a one bedroom coach house in Surrey and after getting married a year ago were keen to get a place of their own and start a family. House prices in Surrey were proving way out of reach so the Van Eedens began looking in Peterborough - where Sandy's family already live.

"We initially viewed some second-hand properties in the area but didn't like the idea of ongoing refurbishment and maintenance costs," explained Blake. "New build is so much easier as everything is done for you and you just move in, plus you have build warranties for peace of mind."

The Van Eedens looked at several new builds before falling for their Bovis Home and Blake says they couldn't be happier. "We absolutely love it and everything is spot-on. The three-storey design gives us a lot more space and having three bedrooms, one with an en suite, is ideal now we have Millie.

"There is a study for Sandy to work from home after her maternity leave and we've got a garage, parking space and a garden for when Millie gets older. We've even got a third bedroom should Millie get a brother or sister in the future. For us it makes a perfect family home."

For more information about Bovis Homes or Help to Buy see www.bovishomes.co.uk