Marc and Dayle's story

Tell us a little bit about yourselves: 

Dayle is an Operations Manager at a local golf hotel and spa and I’m a teacher at a local primary school that’s not too far from our new home. We met almost three years ago and bought our first home together shortly after. We lived there for a year and a half before deciding to upsize and find our forever, dream home. We also have a French bulldog called Vinnie who we’ve had since he was a puppy. 

We both love to travel and try to get away as often as we can, whether it a weekend away, a city break or a beach holiday. Having said this, our travelling calendar had to go on pause whilst we moved houses and decorated our interiors. Now settled in, we are now looking forward to spending Christmas and New Year in New York for Dayle’s 30th birthday.

Which house type did you buy and why did you choose it?

After much deliberation between two house types, we opted for the 4 bedroom detached Narsbrook. We knew that we wanted a detached property and we loved the space that the Narsbrook offered in the open-plan downstairs area. Upon entering the Narsbrook at our first viewing, we knew this was the home for us. It had all the features we were looking for, including a large entrance hallway, separate dining area, comfortable living space and a spacious kitchen. We loved that they were all in an open-plan area but each could be made to feel its own. We also loved the size of all four bedrooms and their layout, the master bedroom in particular. 

Comparing it to the Maybrook which we also considered, we felt the downstairs space in the Narsbrook offered us more opportunities and flexibility with our furniture and interior plans. We love to host for family and friends, so the large open spaces sealed the deal for us, being able to cook and prepare whilst still entertaining guests. 

Do you know any family or friends that already live in an Avant home?

Funnily enough, one of my longest, closest friends has an Avant home just around the corner in a previous development phase. We can see their home from our bedroom window. Having spent some time in their home, we loved the space and the layout of Avant’s homes.

What was your motivation for moving? 

Whilst we loved our first home, the space we had was limiting and there were certain downfalls to it. Having lived there, we knew we wanted a bigger and detached property which wasn’t overlooked by surrounding homes. 

Why did you choose to buy a new build property over a second-hand home?

We were very open-minded during our house search. We explored a range of options, both second-hand and new build. In the end we decided that new build homes would tick more of our boxes, and we loved the luxury of being able to choose and customise our options. We also loved the peace of mind which comes with the structural and internal warranties too! 

What do you love most about the exterior of your home?

We love the entire design of our house. Having encountered issues with the positioning of our previous property and it feeling cramped and overlooked, we love the plot of our new home. The rear is surrounded by woodland which is not being built upon and to the front there are no homes being built directly in front either. This was top of our priority list for our forever home.

What do you love most about the interior of your home?

As this is our first new build, we loved having a complete blank canvas to work with upon completion. It’s hard to pick one specific area to call our favourite as it’s more the feeling of home and the flow of the layout that we love. The downstairs layout is a huge pro for us, and we love how our options help tie all the areas together to create one large, harmonious living space. If we had to choose our favourite space in the house, so far, would have to be our master bedroom which we have fully decorated and completed since moving in.

How has your life changed since you moved into your Avant Home?

Since moving into our new home, we have really felt the benefit of more space, storage and comfort. Having an entirely open-plan kitchen, living and dining space means we spend more time together each evening after work. Similarly, having this space has meant we can host friends and family more often, having them around for dinner, drinks or even just a chilled catch up. Also, the increase in garden space has been a huge hit with Vinnie, particularly during the long summer evenings, allowing him to come in and out as he pleases.

What is the community like on your development?

The entire community seem so friendly and warming. This is a huge credit to Angela in the sales office who really takes customer care to a new level. She was able to put us in contact with our neighbours to make friends, share home ideas and meet others with similar lifestyles and interests. She really took the time to get to know us and had our best interests at heart throughout the process.