Sanjay Sachdev began looking for a new house last year. He, his wife and his son had been living in a rented home for three years and Sanjay decided it was time to buy somewhere in the area.
Sanjay says he had a long list of priorities to consider as he searched for his new home:
“I wanted a good location and a good quality home that was the right size for us – three or four bedrooms ideally. I was interested in the layout of the development and of course the budget had to be right.”
“I had been searching online for all the new developments in the area for some time, then one day there was a notice on the Linden Homes’ website to announce that St John’s was going to be built in Chelmsford. It was very early days.
“I had decided to buy off plan – so when I first visited the sales and marketing suite at St John’s there were no homes to see, just brochures, architects’ plans and a scale model of what it would look like when it was complete. It was very helpful actually and gave us a good idea of what was planned and the kind of homes that were going to be built.”
“We had other things to consider though, at this stage: We discovered that the station was nearby and of course the road links to London are good too. One of my top priorities was to ensure that we were near to the school bus stop for my son. We found out there was one a couple of minutes from St John’s, which was excellent.”
Sanjay hasn’t always lived in Chelmsford, but he was aware of the role the old St John’s hospital has played in the city’s history:
“I know that many people who are from Chelmsford were born at St John’s and I’ve heard that they have an emotional attachment to this site. Because of its history as a maternity hospital, it has good memories attached to it and because of this the development has a nice feel to it.”
After his first visit to St John’s, Sanjay took away the brochures and did some more research to make sure the commute would work for his wife, who is a consultant at a hospital in London. He also began to look into the finances. Initially he had planned to reserve a plot for a three bedroom home, but after speaking to his mortgage provider, he discovered that he could afford a four bedroom home, so he reserved one of these in the autumn of last year.
While much of the country was being battered by storm force winds on Valentine’s Day, Sanjay was accepting the keys for the new family home at St John’s:
“Over the last ten years my job has meant that I have to move a lot so I have lived in a number of different properties. They have all been new build homes – none has been more than two years old. I think our Linden Home compares very favourably to the others – the house is well built and it is the attention to detail that I really like. The new air circulation system works very well; the heating controls are separate for upstairs and downstairs, which is a thoughtful idea because it stops the upstairs becoming overheated. The boiler provided is efficient and copes well with the demand for hot water. The flooring and carpets are good quality. In homes I’ve had before, sometimes the flooring can creak!”
So would Sanjay recommend buying off plan?
“For us, buying off plan meant that we could request certain finishes like tiles, kitchen units and flooring. There was a very good choice and we are very pleased with what we have chosen.
“Buying off plan for some people can sometimes be like seeing a movie after you’ve read the book. Your imagination has often built a picture of what you’re expecting to see. Yes, it is difficult to imagine the finished home if you have never seen it and it will always be a little different to how you imagine it, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing is it? We were certainly not disappointed”.
For more information on St John’s in Chelmsford please call 0844 488 1738. Alternatively you can visit the sales and marketing suite which is open daily from 10am to 5pm.
-ENDS-
For further information, contact Claire McCowan or Emma Cox at Remarkable Group on 01962 893893.
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.
