Moving in just four days before lockdown, Louise and Andrew Garden didn’t realise how much their new home would change the quality of their lives as the pandemic took hold.
With two small children, they were already living “down the road” from Bancon Homes’ new Kinion Place development, which is located on a hillside between Newhills and Craibstone on the outskirts of Aberdeen.
After extensive research, they decided to part-exchange and buy one of the company’s Rosehill house types.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Born and bred in Aberdeen, Louise, a marketing co-ordinator at Union Square, and husband Andrew, a petroleum engineer with EnQuest, knew they needed somewhere that would give them more space for their growing family.
Little did they realise that the impending lockdown would make that even more valuable.
Andrew said: “I spent months looking at Kinion Place and had my heart set on buying a Rosehill.
“The kitchen in terms of size and open-plan layout was the deciding factor. It really sold the house for us.”
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The Rosehill is a four-bedroom detached home which features a large open-plan kitchen-dining area with French doors leading out to the garden, as well as a detached garage.
All Bancon homes are finished to a high specification throughout and feature designer kitchens and quality appliances as standard.
The garden was also a key attraction for this young family.
“The Rosehill has a really huge south-facing garden, and it was the largest of all the houses we looked at across various developments,” said Andrew.
“This summer we have had sun until 10 or 11 at night and it’s made it a great space for entertaining when lockdown restrictions have allowed us, with many more barbecues this year than last.
“Everyone is also really friendly here, with a good mix of families and couples, and as you would imagine we have all spent a lot of time in our gardens.”
During lockdown, the family added their own personalised touches to their garden, putting in decking and a dining area. Space for the children to play is also a priority for the family, and with a separate study the children now have a dedicated room for their toys.
Louise said: “From a parent’s perspective, it’s great to be able to just shut the door on all the children’s toys at the end of the day.
“When you add this to the built-in storage in all the bedrooms, we always have a lot of room to put things away, which is a huge help.”
During lockdown, this extra space has been a lifesaver for the family as Andrew is also working from home, so space is at a premium.
The location of Kinion Place also continues to be ideal for Louise and keen photographer and hillwalker Andrew.
While the development is only a few minutes’ drive to Aberdeen’s Brimmond School, the site has a tranquil country feel with easy access to the surrounding countryside and the AWPR for onward travel.
Reflecting on their decision to move when they did, Andrew said: “We moved in just in time and we couldn’t be happier.”
Prices at Kinion Place currently start at £255,495 for a three-bedroom Thistle home.
Rosehill homes are currently on sale from £367,495 at Bancon Homes’ neighbouring Roses At Eden development.
Phone 01224 900142, email sales@bancon.co.uk or visit www.banconhomes.com to arrange a viewing.
Viewings are strictly by appointment only with full Covid-19 safety measures in place.
Virtual or online appointments are also available.