After five years of living near Edinburgh city centre in a two-bedroom flat, Rachel and Michael decided they needed more space. With space coming at a premium in the city centre, they decided to make the move further afield.
“We always knew we wanted to buy a new build property when we were choosing to move home. Both Michael and I like a modern style and we wanted something totally new that we could put our own stamp on. It was also really attractive to avoid the stress of ripping up carpets or having to wallpaper” said Rachel.
“We had looked in several places and I was keeping my eye out on all new housing developments. Michael is from East Lothian originally and we were really keen to move back to the area to be closer to his family. When I saw a Facebook post about Abbey Gardens from Lynsey, Sales Manager at Cruden on the Edinburgh Gossip Girls group that I’m part of, I knew straight away that we should go and have a look. When we first saw the show home we were blown away! I could imagine us living there from the moment we first stepped inside.
“There are a lot of features we loved and hadn’t seen in other houses we looked at. We were really keen to have an open plan kitchen and dining area, and this house gives us that great family multi-purpose space. The French doors out to the garden, as well as a separate back door to the house is a great addition. We have two black Labradors and living in a house with easy access to a garden, and parks nearby, has made life so much easier.
“Having a pantry as well as a utility room also gives us the extra space we were looking for as well. The separate shower unit in addition to a bath in our main bathroom is very handy, especially when we have guests coming to stay. The garage was also an attractive feature for us. Michael likes his ‘boy’s toys’ - he has two cars and motorbikes. Before we moved he had to keep the motorbikes at his grandpa’s house because there wasn’t anywhere secure to keep them at the flat and it wasn’t practical to bring them inside. Now the garage gives us the perfect space to store Michael’s cars and motorbikes.
“It was quite a thought to move from a second floor flat to a house with a ground floor. I was a bit concerned about security and Cruden were great at helping us to get a house alarm system fitted, even with an extra sensor in the garage to make it more secure. In reality I didn’t need to worry, the area feels very safe and secure. It’s lovely and quiet, but also really well placed for shops, restaurants, takeaways and even a retail park. There are amazing views of the countryside from our office window, compared to the view of someone else’s flat from our flat windows. The location is also ideal for my commute, with an easy drive to work.
“Some people asked if it was difficult living on a development that wasn’t finished yet, if it was like living on a building site, but actually Cruden’s approach of building a few houses at a time means there’s been minimal disruption. Abbey Gardens has a real community feel to the area and it has been much easier to meet our neighbours than when we lived at the flat. We’ve already been chatting loads!
“The whole buying process has been a great experience from day one. The house was actually ready before us. Our flat was still on the market and wasn’t selling as quickly as we hoped, which made us quite nervous. Everyone at Cruden Homes were really supportive, offering advice, reassuring us and keeping us updated with all our options.
“We can’t wait to show all our friends and family house soon at our house warming party, they’re so excited to see it. My mum has already came to visit from Manchester and she was really wowed by the space and the presentation. We’re delighted we made the move and absolutely love our new home!”
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