Rex and Chioma Okonya moved into their new Bowyer house in May with their children, 12-year-old Bryan and 10-year-old Isabella.
Rex, 45, a pharmacist working in Poole, and Chioma, 39, a financial analyst who works from home, were previously renting an older property with three bedrooms in Parley Cross.
They were paying ยฃ925 in rent each month and now their monthly mortgage payment is ยฃ2,908.
The move to being a homeowner is an important moment. Rex said: โItโs a big relief to be in our own home when you look at how much you put into rented property when it could have gone into a personal home.
โIt feels different. If you need to make adjustments to your home, you can do that, and you donโt have to get permission or have to put everything back the way it was.
โIt was a good feeling to move in. The kids were excited and couldnโt wait to get into their rooms.โ
The couple had initially considered some older properties while house hunting, but Rex said: โComparing prices it didnโt make sense buying an older home. This is a fresh start, and we will have less repairs and the house is a blank canvas.โ
The energy efficiency level of a new-build home was also a factor. Rex said their rented property had an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E, whereas their new home has a rating of B. EPC ratings go from the most efficient A rating to the lowest efficiency rating of G.
Rex described the energy bills at their old home as โridiculousโ. He said: โA new home has good insulation and a good energy rating, and so you donโt need to spend as much on fuel bills.โ
The couple already knew people who had bought from Bellway and so they had a look at the Kingsmere Park development and liked what they saw. They visited a showhome in Bellwayโs Goldsmith house style and although that was not the property type they chose, it gave them a good indication of how their home would look.
Rex described the customer service from sales advisors Tom and Jess as โbrilliantโ.
โTom and Jess were lovely and helped us with everything. No question was a wrong question, and they were always willing to help, such as with choosing the fixtures and fittings โ they didnโt rush us. They kept us informed of any changes and different stages of the development and when things would be ready.โ
The couple bought their home for ยฃ572,995 with a deposit of ยฃ57,300. Bellway paid their stamp duty.
Their home is a double-fronted house with an open-plan kitchen/dining/family room leading out to the garden, a utility room and a garage.
Rex said the living room is spacious with plenty of room to allow for family hobbies. He became interested in astronomy during the pandemic lockdown, and his son is learning to play the piano, and there is enough space in the living room alongside the furniture to have a telescope set-up and a piano there.
They like the development and the surrounding area too as there are local walks and it is easy to drive to the beach with the children.
Rex said: โItโs a very nice environment, very quiet. I like peace and itโs not too noisy. There are nice shops at Parley Cross and the Lidl just off the development is within walking distance.โ
Prices at Kingsmere Park currently start from ยฃ339,995 for a two-bedroom semi-detached home in Bellwayโs Joiner house style.
