After deciding it was time to downsize from the three-bedroom semi-detached house she had lived in for over three decades, 80-year-old Mavis Facer set her heart on buying a bungalow.
And although she initially envisaged buying a second-hand single-storey property, she immediately fell in love with the new-build Elm bungalow at Grange Park in Thurston after discovering the Bovis Homes location online.
So, she put her old house in Colchester, in Essex on the market and reserved an Elm at Grange Park, getting the keys to her new two-bedroom semi-detached bungalow at the end of June.
One of the main reasons for Mavis deciding to relocate was so that she could be closer to her daughters Jo, 49 and Julia, 52.
The retired Cashier Processor was also keen to live in a smaller home that would be easier for her to get around and maintain.
Mavis’s daughter Jo said: “We had been discussing mum moving into a bungalow for a while. Given mum’s age, it’s much more convenient for her not to have to walk up and down the stairs like she did at her old place.”
Mavis and her daughters looked at a few old-build bungalows to start with but they all needed work doing to bring them up to scratch. They decided that going for a new-build property would be a much more cost-effective and convenient option but hadn’t seen many bungalows at new-build developments before.
Jo said: “We first heard about the Bovis Homes Grange Park development online, after searching for new developments in Bury St Edmunds with bungalows, which is something we haven’t seen much of at new developments.
“We had a tour of the Elm show home, and my mum fell in love with the bungalow straight away. After visiting the site, she decided to put her home on the market soon after.
“When we looked at the Elm, we were most pleasantly surprised by the fact it had two bathrooms, including an en suite. This makes it much more convenient than in mum’s old house where you had to go up and down stairs to get to the bathroom.
“Mavis’s favourite room is the open-plan kitchen/living room. It has French doors that open into the garden, so she can see outside easily, and fill the rooms with light.”
Grange Park’s rural location offers a more relaxed pace of life compared to what Mavis experienced in her previous home.
Jo said: “The development is smaller compared to the other developments we visited and creates a bigger feeling of safety for my mum. Her old home in Colchester was close to the busy town, so living in a village makes a nice change for her.”
A selection of two-bedroom bungalows are currently available to buy at Grange Park, with prices starting from £339,995.
References to “we”, “us” or “our” are to the part of the Vistry Group (including Linden Homes, Bovis Homes, Countryside Homes, Drew Smith, Vistry Ventures or one of Vistry’s joint venture companies) from which you are intending to purchase a new home. References to "you” and “your” are to the prospective buyer or buyers of a new home from us.
All images are used for illustrative purposes only and are representative only. They may not be the same as the actual home you purchase and the specification may differ. Images may be of a slightly different model of home and may include optional upgrades and extras which involve additional cost. Individual features such as windows, brick, carpets, paint and other material colours may vary and also the specification of fittings may vary. Any furnishings and furniture are not included in any sale. Please check with our sales consultants for details of the exact specifications available at the development(s) for each type of home and the associated prices.
