Couple buy home together near Swadlincote just seven months after first date

Gary Allan and Kayleigh Essex have moved into a three-bedroom Lacemaker home at the Bellway at Hugglescote Grange development in Hugglescote, near Swadlincote.

Gary, a 35-year-old safety, health, environment and quality advisor, and Kayleigh, a 34-year-old technical advisor, met in December, decided to buy a home together in March and moved in together in July.

Kayleigh was living in a two-bedroom home in Swadlincote, while Gary had a two-bedroom home 11 miles away from her in Ibstock.

Their whirlwind romance began last year when the couple met in a coffee shop in Ashby.

“It was love at first sight,” said Gary. “We clicked immediately and quickly discovered that we had so much in common, it was crazy. After that first meeting we couldn’t wait to see each other again.

“We got fed up living half an hour apart with one of us having to leave the other, apart from at weekends and holidays. After three months, we decided that we would sell our houses and buy one so we could be together all the time.”

Kayleigh sold her house within a week but the sale for Gary’s house fell through. Luckily, Bellway was able to help out.

“I bought my house in Ibstock from Bellway in 2012 and they were brilliant,” said Gary. “So when we decided to look for a house we knew they were our best option. We wanted to be the Ibstock area as my work office is there, while Kayleigh works from home.

“We spotted that Bellway was building in Hugglescote so we went along to the development. I walked into the sales office and thought that the sales advisor looked familiar – and he was. It was Peter Rodway, who sold me my Bellway home more than 10 years ago.

“It was great to have a catch-up with him and it felt like a sign that we were in the right place. We looked at the three-bedroom Lacemaker showhome and loved it. It was perfect for us.

“I told Peter about how the buyer for my house had pulled out and he told us about Bellway’s Part Exchange scheme whereby they buy your house if you buy from them.

“We signed up for that and it took away all the stress that I was feeling after my house sale fell through. It was brilliant because Peter did all the work which meant that Kayleigh and I could focus on the excitement of buying our first home together.”

Under Bellway’s Part Exchange initiative, an independent valuation is made on the buyer’s existing property, and Bellway will offer a fair price based on that value. The buyer is then free to move into their brand-new home without worrying about selling their old property or becoming involved in lengthy property chains.

Gary and Kayleigh and their two dogs – Bella, a 11-year-old Shih Tzu, and Jessie, a two-year-old Whippet cross – moved into their new home in July.

“As we got to choose the fixtures and fittings in the bathrooms and the flooring throughout, it feels like we have already put our stamp on the house,” said Gary. “In addition to this, we upgraded the kitchen worktop and the appliances and had a fridge, a freezer, a washing machine and a dishwasher fitted.

“The kitchen looks fabulous and we spend a lot of time in there but we both adore our main bedroom which has a real wow factor. It has an en suite which is a touch of luxury, but it also has his-and-hers fitted wardrobes and a TV on the wall.

“Mind you, we have set up a games room in one of the spare bedrooms and that’s a favourite space too. We are keeping one of the spare bedrooms free because, in the future, we might hear the patter of tiny feet in the house. That’s a long way off but we have future-proofed our home by making sure we have the room if we were to become parents.

“At the moment, we are taking time to enjoy being together in our dream home after our whirlwind seven months.”

There’s currently a choice of three and four-bedroom homes available to reserve at Bellway at Hugglescote Grange, with prices starting at £229,950 and £349,950 respectively.

More information can be found at https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/east-midlands/bellway-at-hugglescote-grange or by calling the sales team on 01530 614133.