FROM HONG KONG TO HERTFORDSHIRE, FAMILY FIND THEIR FOREVER HOME AT SCHOLARS IN BROXBOURNE

“Everything just fell into place” Matt, homeowner

After seven years living in the heart of the urban Hong Kong landscape, Hannah and Matt  found themselves with just 30 days to find a property in the UK for themselves and their daughter Lottie. The couple swapped Hong Kong’s high rises for the semi-rural setting of Chase New Homes’ development, Scholars in Broxbourne.

Hannah and Matt had been working overseas for years. Upon their return to the UK, Matt’s company provided the family with a serviced apartment in Canary Wharf for a month. The pressure was on, with just 30 days to sort out a new home, a new car, childcare and more. However, when they came across properties to rent at Scholars online, “everything just fell into place,” recalls Matt.

Moving on from their serviced apartment, Matt and Hannah rented a home at Scholars initially, but liked the development so much that they went on to buy their forever home there.

“We discovered Scholars on Rightmove while looking for somewhere to rent longer term, and it was clear pretty quickly that the development ticked all of the right boxes for us. Scholars blends the best of semi-rural living with easy access to London. Both Hannah and I travel into Canary Wharf for work a couple of days per week, so the fact that Scholars is so close to the station is excellent. We can jump on the train to Liverpool Street and then hop on the Elizabeth Line – it’s around an hour, door-to-door, as well as being driveable in 30-40 minutes. All while we benefit from the lush greenery of Broxbourne.”

Scholars is a development of two-bedroom apartments and three- to five-bedroom houses from Chase New Homes, in a secluded, leafy location neighbouring Hertfordshire’s Broxbourne School.

“As we had rented at Scholars, we knew what we would be getting by buying a home there,” comments Hannah. “The quality of the homes was evident, so we were happy to buy off-plan.”

Lawyer Hannah, 38, and investment bank techie Matt, 39, chose to purchase a ‘Milton’ house type – a five-bedroom property that would provide plenty of room for them both to work from home several days per week. The property has a lovely large kitchen, family living area, separate living room and integrated garage, where newbie DIY enthusiast Matt has his workbench and tools. Every room has large windows, meaning the home is full of sunlight.

Hannah and Matt are using two of the bedrooms as offices. The other three include a main bedroom with en-suite and walk-in wardrobe, a bedroom for Lottie and a lovely guest bedroom with its own en-suite. The property has underfloor heating downstairs and is extremely well insulated, meaning Matt and Hannah only need have the heating on for an hour or so in the morning for their home to feel warm and cosy.

Choosing a home off-plan meant that Hannah and Matt could select the one with the largest garden, so they have the space and flexibility to add a garden office in future, should they wish. They are due to install turf in the springtime and will think about decking and other garden design elements at that point.

Scholars is in the catchment area of multiple well-regarded schools and there is plenty to do in the local area for children, meaning the move has been a positive one for three-year-old Lottie. The youngster is currently working hard on building up her stick collection in their large garden and spreading her toys all over the house.

For Hannah and Matt, finding Scholars has given them the chance to buy their forever home. Hannah explains:

“We’ve moved around a lot in our lives. Now, the time was right to settle down. Being able to purchase a five-bedroom home at Scholars has given us the flexibility to not only work from home, but also to evolve the property as Lottie grows up and our needs change. We’ve also got room to grow our family, if we decide to do so. We’re done with moving now – we’ve found our forever home.

Hannah and Matt purchased the Milton house type, using a deposit they had saved up over the past 15 years of their working lives. The property they chose was one of a wide range of options available at Scholars. The mix of properties and the quality of the design were both elements of the development that appealed, as Hannah remembers:

“Some housing developments feel as though the developer is trying to cram as many properties as possible into the available space. Scholars doesn’t feel like that; the development is spacious, with a lovely mix of property types and architectural details. It feels like those who designed the development really enjoyed their work. You can tell that a lot of thought has gone into the placement of the homes and the space made available for gardens and greenery, as well as the mix of styles and finishes.”

Matt and Hannah began the process of purchasing their home in April 2023. At the time, only the first-floor brickwork was complete, but that didn’t stop Matt from 3D-modelling where the furniture would go in every room once the house was finished!

Despite the pressures of work, Hannah and Matt have enjoyed exploring their local area. Matt has been to a local chess club and enjoys regular runs along the river to the next couple of villages. He explains that running in such picturesque surroundings is very different to running in Hong Kong, where, “the key focus was on trying to cross roads without being killed.”

Hannah is keen to join the local choir when her work schedule calms down. In the meantime, she has been exploring the surrounding greenery with Lottie, enjoying the views across the fields of wildflowers to Lea Valley. She comments:

“The recreation ground just down the road from Scholars is like a village green and there are some lovely little cafes in the local area. It feels like being in the countryside, even though you’re not. There are also all the amenities we need nearby, including some good quality restaurants. There’s a lovely, safe feel to the area and to the local community.”

Matt and Hannah have already got to know some of their neighbours, including couples with children the same age as Lottie.

“It’s a very family-oriented development,” shares Matt. “There’s a lovely mix of ages living at Scholars and plenty of like-minded families to enjoy a glass of wine with. A lot of ‘sold’ signs have gone up recently, so we’re looking forward to meeting more new neighbours soon too.”

Having found their forever home, would Matt and Hannah recommend Chase New Homes to other homebuyers?

“Absolutely,” states Hannah. “Our experience of the Chase New Homes team was excellent throughout the buying process. And afterwards too, actually. They were always helpful and available, and even went above and beyond to help us sort out a temporary internet connection while we waited for broadband installation. We would certainly recommend them to anyone looking to find their new home.”

Homes at Scholars are priced from £549,995, viewing by appointment only. Contact www.chasenewhomes.co.uk/development/scholars-broxbourne/ for further information.

For further press information contact Gemma Cole or Emma Holden at The Oracle Group PR Agency on:

gemmac@oraclepr.co.uk or emmah@oraclepr.co.uk  / 020 8394 2821

Editors Notes:

About Chase New Homes:

Chase New Homes is an independent housebuilder that has successfully been delivering new homes since 2005.

The company has grown exponentially in the last decade with an extensive portfolio of developments, from multi-million-pound properties to large-scale apartment schemes. Strong design and quality finishes can be seen in all Chase properties.

As an independent company the reputation of Chase New Homes is key. Whether acquiring land or building homes, they strive for an exceptional service. This philosophy has created a strong brand among Chase customers and partners over the years.

Recent projects include a 595-unit scheme at Times Square in Welwyn Garden City, a 268-unit scheme at Forster Oaks in Stevenage and an exclusive development of four and five bedroom semi-detached houses at St Edwards Gate in Goffs Oak.

Other forthcoming projects include Lea Wharf in Hertford and One One Six Cockfosters.

The staff at Chase New Homes are passionate and constantly seek to embody this passion within all elements of the business.