Retirement still feels a long way off for local Whitsbury landlords Paul and Annette Somerville, but the couple were keen to look forward to a stable, secure future for their golden years. Buying a home at Whitsbury Green in Fordingbridge enabled them to achieve precisely that.
Nestled on the outskirts of the New Forest, Whitsbury Green is a collection of brand-new two-, three- and four-bedroom houses and bungalows from Pennyfarthing Homes. With an abundance of outside space and a stream running across the bottom of the development, the setting delivers a sense of wholesome serenity. There’s a playpark for Whitsbury Green’s youngest residents, while it’s just a short stroll into the picturesque town of Fordingbridge to access the shops and services needed for day-to-day life.
Paul (54) and Annette (62), who own the popular Cartwheel Whitsbury pub, were renting in the village, where they had lived for the past eight years. The couple had previously owned property for more than 20 years in Scotland but began renting following a move to the New Forest. Paul explains:
“We owned property for over 20 years, so renting was strange. For nearly eight years, our home never truly felt like ours. Our landlord was good, but we felt we couldn’t really put our own mark on the property.”
Looking to the future, Paul and Annette were keen to put down roots and buy a home of their own once again. The couple had savings from a previous house sale, so had funds available for a deposit, along with savings put aside to weather any downturn in business revenue.
It was while searching online for local properties that they came across Pennyfarthing’s homes at Whitsbury Green. The idea of owning a newly built home appealed to the couple from an energy efficiency perspective. With busy lives as local landlords, the prospect of having no DIY or repairs to deal with was also a plus point.
Keen to know more about Pennyfarthing Homes, Paul and Annette went down to the company’s Potters Wood development in Verwood, Dorset to have a look around. They were impressed with what they found: the build quality was good, the development thoughtfully designed and the Pennyfarthing team both friendly and helpful.
Paul and Annette went on to purchase a three-bedroom, three-bathroom semi-detached home at Whitsbury Green. Pennyfarthing had just started building the home when Paul and Annette came across it online. Nearly a year later, the couple completed. Paul recalls:
“We just crossed the finish line as our mortgage deal expired. It was due to expire on 25th December 2023 and we completed on 21st December.”
The couple moved into the property a month later, along with their two cats, Freddie and Trumpet.
“We were in a strong position, as buyers with no chain,” comments Paul, “So we had plenty of scope for negotiating a few added extras as part of the purchase. The Pennyfarthing team were great to deal with. They ended up including Karndean flooring downstairs and carpeting upstairs. Plus, we got to choose our bathroom tiles and our kitchen worktops and cabinets. Buying a new home off plan like this meant we could enjoy customisations as part of the purchase process.”
Paul and Annette have already added a couple of feature walls to the bedrooms in their new home, while a joiner friend has fitted an additional wardrobe. They are now settling into the space and getting a feel for how they use it throughout the seasons before decorating and personalising further. That said, Paul is already hard at work in the garden, where he is putting down a concrete plinth for a summerhouse.
“The garden is just lovely,” he explains. “One of the reasons we chose this particular plot was how spacious and private the garden is – it’s not overlooked at all. We have two sets of bifold doors overlooking the lawn, plus extensive greenery outside the front of the house. It feels like being in the countryside, with lovely views all around. The outlook is so peaceful and tranquil, which helps us recover from a busy day at work. Our plan is to put a glass veranda at the back of the house, eventually.”
With the bifold doors and its large windows, the house feels “very light and airy,” according to Paul. He and Annette also appreciate the development’s attractive setting, with its landscaped greenery and walkways. Paul also notes that the build quality is “excellent”.
As well as being only a four-minute drive from Paul and Annette’s pub, Whitsbury Green provides easy access to both Salisbury and Ringwood, where the couple enjoy going out for dinner. Fans of Asian food, they particularly enjoy the fusion fare on offer at Gurkka. They also travel to Southampton regularly to visit the Mayflower Theatre, as well as heading to shows in the West End when they can, making good use of the reliable train connection between Salisbury and London.
Ultimately, buying at Whitsbury Green has given Paul and Annette the lifestyle and security they were seeking, as Paul explains:
“We’re getting on a bit now so wanted to look ahead to retirement! Buying our home at Whitsbury Green has provided us with the stability and future security we were seeking. It’s a lovely, peaceful place to live. The house feels like a home – a haven from the pressures of work. It’s also a home where we can express ourselves with our choice of furnishings and our garden designs as the weather improves. We’re extremely happy here.”
For more details on the homes available from Pennyfarthing please visit https://www.pennyfarthinghomes.co.uk/developments/ or call 01425 541818.
