Hanna and her husband had been living in Berkshire for 5 years. Having formed a new relationship with their home as a result of the pandemic, and grown tired of paying more for less in Windsor, as well as never-ending renovations, they ditched their Victorian house to seek a better quality of life in Chertsey.
They were prepared to wait to find a new home that suited their budget and preferences, aware of the challenges of a chain move. But they didn’t expect it could happen so quickly, thanks to Cala’s Part Exchange service.
Hanna said: “The shift toward remote working meant our location in relation to work was no longer a priority. All of a sudden, we could consider other things and put our lifestyle first.
“Location was really important to us. Expansive spaces, but close to amenities was top of our priority list. We wanted somewhere perfect to raise our young son and live with our dog, but also enjoy ourselves, meaning access to the outdoors, good schools, things to do and good connections.
“Being our third home, we knew that buying a home on the chain wasn’t always smooth, let alone trying to find a new home that suited our needs. But not only did we find the home we wanted, Cala’s Part Exchange service took all the stress away. We moved into our new home as soon as it was ready and were able to stay in our old home in the meantime. We then simply swapped keys – it was as simple as that.”
Hanna and Garry found their ideal home at St Peter’s Quarter in Chertsey – a development of 2-4 bedroom houses close to 57 acres of parkland, Woking, the River Thames and London, all at once.
Hanna said: “The commute used to be the major factor in our location. If we weren’t within a short distance from work, that was a problem. Now, it’s much less important.
“We wanted more outdoor space and a substantial garden. We also wanted our shops, schools and pubs to be in walking distance. But we couldn’t move away from work altogether. Fortunately, we have the best of both worlds where we’re located. Trains from Woking take us into London in 20 minutes if we need it, but we have everything else we want on our doorstep.
“We didn’t realise how social our surrounding areas like Woking are until we got here. There are endless options for food and we regularly go to the theatre and cinema as a family. Our social life has improved!
“Surrey more broadly is also the perfect location for families. We can easily go for walks with the dog from our home and we’ve since become National Trust members after exploring the beautiful land around us. It’s a family-oriented environment and a stark difference to where we were.”
Thanks to the lifestyle and service on offer, Hanna and Garry found the three-bed Kiswick at St Peter’s Quarter in Chertsey they wanted to call home. It was the blank canvas they wanted.
“We wanted a new build. Our previous house needed substantial work doing over the time we were living there and always felt like an ongoing process, so we wanted to leave that behind and find somewhere new, homely and ready.
“Our Cala home was perfect. We lifted and shifted our furniture in and we were ready to start living. Being able to choose finishes in areas like the bathroom and kitchen from the outset meant that we felt like we were moving into a newbuild with our own style.”
Cala’s Part Exchange service means we could purchase your existing property to allow you to move chain-free into your new home. It means that buyers know they have a cash buyer for their home and their move is not at risk of problems that come with the chain. Legal completion dates will be the same, with no need for bridging loans or accommodation. There are also cost savings as there is no need to pay agent fees, Home Report or survey cost, as well as time savings, as no chain means less chance of delay.
“Little touches from the team at Cala only made us feel even more at home. We arrived with candles, biscuits and even toilet roll prepped in our home to make us feel welcome. We’ve had a new build before, but the experience we received from Cala was above and beyond anything else.”
Find out more about our St Peter's Quarter development or the services and incentives we can offer to help you move into your dream home.
