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The
HOUSE HUNTER
What we found… THE HISTORIC TOWN Lillybank Battle, East Sussex
FROM £345,000
THE BEST OF BOTH Water Meadows at Broadacres, Southwater, West Sussex
FROM £380,000
This month FTB goes on the hunt with Lucy and Glenn Hawkins who are after a family home with two or more bedrooms in the south east of England
PROFILE
Names Lucy Hawkins, 35, and Glenn Hawkins, 40 Occupations Information Scientist, Campaigns Manager Maximum budget £375,000 Requirements A two or more bedroom home in the South East of England, with outdoor space, a town or high street close by and commuting times to London of under an hour
What they wanted… It’s all change for us − we have our first child due at the beginning of next year and have decided to relocate from the North West back to the South East, where we are both from originally. Glenn and I have called Liverpool our home for the past 10 years − but with a little one on the way, we want to settle in a place of our own closer to our families. Glenn is originally from Kent, while my family mostly live in south east London, Surrey and Sussex. We’d like to look at homes in these areas and make a decision based on what we can find. We need at least two bedrooms and some outdoor space – a garden ideally. We like the countryside and are more than happy to be away from busy areas, but we would like shops and places to go to be easily accessible. We’ll both be working flexibly, with just a few visits to Liverpool or London needed for us both every month, so a reasonable commute to the capital would be great for us. Our budget is around £375,000.”
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Close to the medieval town of Battle, this collection of family homes has the Sussex countryside on the doorstep. The properties range from two to five bedrooms and have been created in a variety of styles to blend seamlessly into the beautiful surrounds. This is a rural location that benefits from great access to all the amenities needed for modern life, with supermarkets, cafes and pubs within easy reach. Trains into London take around 80 minutes, while the seaside town of Hastings can be reached in less than 20 minutes by car.
Water Meadows is the latest phase of the wider Broadacres development. The collection of two, three, four and five bedroom homes take its inspiration from the pretty Sussex location, which offers residents a mix of rural and town lifestyles. Inside, homes are beautifully finished, with flexible living spaces, fitted kitchens, en suites from the master bedrooms and living areas that open to private rear gardens. Southwater and its amenities lies within walking distance, while the large commuter town of Horsham can be reached in 10 minutes by car.
millwooddesignerhomes.co.uk
berkeleygroup.co.uk
What they thought… This location is so different to the busy city life we are used to now − Battle is a quaint Sussex town with the beautiful seaside close by. We love the history in the area and the beauty of the South Downs, and with the coast so close, it would be a wonderful place for us to settle down as a family. It’s a little further south east than we’d originally thought of − but that doesn’t rule it out. We are really impressed with the properties, they’re very thoughtfully designed.”
I have family quite close to this area, and have visited Horsham many times. It’s a lovely area with a great deal to offer families. We are really impressed with the general design of the houses and it’s clear that the development has been designed in keeping with the local area. Southwater looks pretty, and it’s only a short walk, which would be great with the baby. And getting to London for work and general visiting takes less than an hour, which is ideal.”
First Time Buyer October/November 2021
FTB 16-17 Househunter October-November21.indd 16
13/09/2021 16:17
