Getting keys to new house was ‘bittersweet and very special’ for young Bexhill couple

Hayley Dyer, 25, and Brandon Scullard, 26, got the keys to their new two-bedroom property at the Bovis Homes location at the end of June - almost a year to the day since Hayley’s great-uncle Richard Webster passed away.

And it was thanks to him that the couple were able to buy the house as he left Hayley an inheritance which was enough to cover the deposit.

“It was bittersweet,” said Brandon, “but it was also very special.” And they are sure that Hayley’s great-uncle would have been happy to see them using the money to buy their own home and enjoy living there.

“It was really nice to get the keys. It’s such a massive thing in life to get on the property ladder.”

Brandon, an outdoor instructor at Sabden – The Workplace in Bexhill, a free school for students who benefit from alternative learning outside of mainstream education, and Hayley, a speech and language therapy assistant working for the NHS in Polegate, would not have been able to afford their house without the inheritance

“We are blessed and lucky to have our new home and we are very appreciative,” said Brandon

During their property search the couple looked at some second-hand homes but decided they would prefer something fresh that they could put their own stamp on, rather than an older property with the previous owner’s “touch” on.

“We saw one that had so many cupboards it was all over the show, whereas a new build is simple and we liked the idea of being the first people in, and putting our own touch on it.”

Hayley spotted The Gateway and Brandon agreed that it was a good option. “The house just looked so nice, and the location is good. It’s closer to our workplaces and it’s not too far from Bexhill town centre.”

And when the buying process got under way, they were very happy with the customer service they received from the sales team at The Gateway.

Brandon said: “It was incredible. We were supported all the way and they were very patient. They were available seven days a week which was great because if we had concerns over the weekend, they were available. They almost felt like friends in the end. They were very kind

“All of it was ‘above and beyond’ and everything was done super quick and if they said they would call then they would do it.”

Hayley and Brandon paid £305,000 for their new home, taking out a £165,000 mortgage that costs them £900 a month.

The couple are now settling in and getting to know their new location better as neither of them had lived in Bexhill before.

“The Gateway is a lovely little complex that’s tucked away,” said Brandon. “The town has some good steak restaurants and pubs and cocktail bars. We have got the 1066 walk literally a two-minute walk away which is quite nice, and the train station is a 15-minute walk away and Bexhill beach is a half-hour walk or a three-minute drive.”

The couple previously lived in a two-bedroom flat in St Leonards which cost them £825 per month to rent. It’s a very different experience having their own house

“We now have a garden, and we are not sharing the building with 20 other people’s lives, and that’s great,” said Brandon.

“We landed first pick on the plot and what we have is an end of terrace. This plot has a little side gate which gives us a slight bit of extra land, and we have two parking spaces in front of our house and don’t have to share any access.”

Having their own place means they can make it exactly as they want it. “It’s about building your own home and doing what you want. It’s ours and we will benefit from it in the future,” said Brandon.

The Amberley house style features a long open-plan kitchen/sitting room/dining space that runs from the front to the back of the house with French doors leading out onto the garden.

And Brandon says the garden is one of their favourite parts of the property as they both like to spend time outdoors. “The house is also more spacious, which feels better,” he said. It means that they can set up the spare room up as a bedroom for guests, unlike in their rented flat where they had to use a blow-up bed whenever people came to stay

“It does feel different having your own place. You feel more comfortable, it changes your mindset about everything, and it makes you feel better and makes you feel at home. We absolutely love it, and we are really happy.”

There are currently two, three, four and five-bedroom houses for sale at The Gateway, with prices starting at £309,995. To find out more, visit www.bovishomes.co.uk.