Buy Deposit Free with Stewart Milne Homes

April 6 2012

Taking the pressure off house hunters saving for a deposit, Stewart Milne Homes is launching a new deposit-free 100% lending offer on a selection of its new-build homes in Scotland. Buyers opting for a family home will find the offer available on a wide selection of two-, three-, four-, five- and six-bedroom houses for sale at many of the house builder’s Scottish developments.  On top of that, people searching for a one-, two- or three-bedroom apartments can take advantage of a mortgage requiring only a 5% deposit, which is significantly less that the standard rate of around 25% high street lenders are asking for at the moment.

A series of events has been arranged by the company to let potential buyers have a look around the developments and find out more about the financing offers available.  Independent financial advisors will be on hand at each event to provide individually tailored advice with no obligation to buy.

Hopefield View from Stewart Milne Homes

Stewart Milne Homes is holding events to explain its new finance initiative across Scotland in April

The company has now organised a series of homebuyer events in April so that house-hunters can visit the developments in person and find out more about the options available to them. At each event will be independent financial advisers who will give no-obligation, one-to-one advice tailored to each homebuyer. Dates and locations for these events are as follows:

John Slater of Stewart Milne Homes says: “We are committed to keeping homebuyers on the move and investing in straightforward, effective solutions to common challenges such as saving for a deposit. This deposit-free finance is the latest addition to our range of purchase plans and we are pleased to be one of the only housebuilders in Scotland to be offering such a sought-after and affordable purchase plan.”

Acknowledging that raising the money for a new property can be a barrier for homeowners and first-time buyers alike, he adds: “We are offering the 100% funding across all our houses – from two-bedroom styles right through to six-bedroom detached villas, to enable first-time buyers to growing families to secure their ideal home.”

by Suzanne Frost

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Posted by mariabrett

Time Capsule Buried at Athena Grange New Homes Scheme in Prestonpans

July 12 2011

The launch of the latest and final phase of properties at Stewart Milne Homes‘ Athena Grange development in East Lothian has been marked by pupils from Prestonpans Primary School  burying a time capsule at the site. The hope is that future generations will be able to enjoy a unique glimpse into today’s lifestyle and events of the past year, thanks to the efforts of the local 11- and 12-year-olds.

Athena Grange from Stewart Milne Homes

The final phase at Stewart Milne Homes' Athena Grange development features a range of 3-bed homes priced from £168,500

“As we are now on the final phase of development at Athena Grange, we approached Prestonpans Primary School with the idea of a time capsule to tie-in with the opening of the new play park,” said Alex Goodfellow, managing director of Stewart Milne Homes Central Scotland. “We have been very impressed with the pupils’ enthusiasm for the initiative and are extremely pleased to be part of such a significant project for the Prestonpans community.”

“We were delighted when the opportunity arose with Stewart Milne Homes,” said class teacher Martin Whitfield. “Athena Grange is a significant development within the Prestonpans community, and presented the perfect partner for the project. The pupils have really enjoyed the process and are very excited by the idea of their time capsule and personal memories being discovered in the future.”

Among the events of the past 12 months commemorated in the time capsule are the royal wedding and last winter’s snowfall, which led to the closure of the school for the first time in living memory. Pupils also buried contemporary objects and images, such as a specially commissioned piece by local author Annmarie Allan and pictures of iconic products such as Irn-Bru and the iPod.

Athena Grange is located just 15 minutes from the centre of Edinburgh, close to the banks of the Firth of Forth. The final phase of homes features a choice of four different three-bedroom home styles, priced from just £168,500. The properties feature spacious living areas, downstairs cloakrooms, separate utility rooms, French doors to the gardens and fitted wardrobes in the bedrooms.

Prestonpans is ideal for family homebuyers hoping to find a property where they can bring up children away from the inner city but within easy reach of the amenities at the centre of the Capital. There’s a regular commuter rail service into Edinburgh from the local rail station. Athena Grange has a play area in the centre of the development and a communal green, where the time capsule is buried. It’s not far to go to find good local schools catering for all ages.

There’s a show home to view at the Athena Grange development, open from 10.30am to 5.30pm, Thursday to Monday.

by Maria Brett

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Posted by Keith Osborne

Part Exchange Offers a Quick Way to Move

April 6 2011

In the current property market, many would-be house buyers are being put off moving due to the stress of selling their existing home. However, an easy solution for buyers wishing to upgrade into new-build homes in Scotland is a part exchange scheme, available from many house builders across Scotland. Part exchange means that when the buyer purchases a new property, the house builder will in turn buy  their old house as part payment towards their new home.

Being able to benefit from such schemes is just one of the many advantages of buying a new-build property and part exchange has proven to be a popular incentive for those longing to make a quick and hassle-free move.

Part exchange has several benefits to the buyer: there is no chain, therefore no concerns about someone pulling out of a sale; there are no estate agents’ fees to pay; the stress of selling a house is eradicated and the buyer can often stay in their existing home until the new one is ready to move into, as the purchases are co-ordinated to go through at the same time, meaning there are no expensive bridging costs to be paid.

Highfields View from Stewart Milne Homes

The 5-bed 'Malborough' house starts at £355,000 at Highfields View but is available via part exchange from Stewart Milne Homes

Stewart Milne Homes is currently offering a ‘Sell Your Home in Five Days’ plan to buyers at Highfields View in Dunblane. The development includes a variety of property types such as two-bedroom apartments, four-bedroom townhouses and five-bedroom detached villas, with prices starting from £171,000. Stewart Milne Homes promises to make an offer on the buyer’s existing home within the five-day period and will also liaise with solicitors to make sure both sales go ahead simultaneously.

There are only three plots still available with part exchange at Silver Meadow from David Wilson Homes.  Situated in Prestonpans, the development enjoys an attractive coastal setting to the east of Edinburgh, within easy commuting distance to the capital. The ‘Direlton’ home type is priced from £184,995.  The townhouse boasts three bedrooms, one with en-suite, a study, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room and an allocated parking space.

Baron's Grange from CALA Homes

The 'Melville' 5-bed home is one of the family home styles covered by CALA Homes' part exchange scheme at Baron's Grange

Part exchange is also offered at CALA Homes‘ Baron’s Grange development in Motherwell. Three property types  - the ‘Lewis,’ ‘Melville’ and ‘Kennedy’ -are available through the scheme.  Each is a detached five-bedroom home with prices starting at £375,000.  All of these house types include fitted wardrobes to all bedrooms, with two bedrooms benefiting from en-suite facilities. Downstairs, an open-plan kitchen/family room, separate lounge and dining room provide a flexible layout ideal for family life and/or entertaining.

Bellway Homes’ Potteries development in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire has a part exchange plan available on two of its house types. The semi-detached three-bedroom ‘Rothesay’ has a driveway and rear garden and is priced from £135,995. The ‘Nairn’ is a four-bedroom detached house with a price tag of £169,995.  Features include a utility room, en-suite facilities to the master bedroom and an integral garage.

by Maria Brett

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Posted by mariabrett

Edinburgh Based Workers have the Pick of Commuter Towns

March 23 2011

According to the last census, around 85,000 people regularly commute from towns and villages around Edinburgh to work in the city. While many people love the convenience of living close to their workplace, for others new homes for sale in Edinburgh hold little appeal and it is preferable instead to find a property away from the hustle and bustle of city life and commute.

The reasons for this are numerous and include remaining close to family and friends, preferring to live in a rural area to raise children and enjoy the open air and the general belief that it is possible to get more for your money outwith a major city. Many new-build developments in areas such as Fife, Lothian and the Borders offer a chance to live away from the hectic city yet are within an hour’s drive of the Scottish capital.

Woodmill Gardens from Stewart Milne Homes

Woodmill Gardens in Dunfermline from Stewart Milne Homes comprises a range of property types, a perfect place from which to commute to Edinburgh in under an hour

Situated in Dunfermline, Woodmill Gardens offers a collection of two-bedroom apartments and three-, four- and five-bedroom detached houses. Its motorway and rail links to Edinburgh make the development a handy choice for commuters. Features on this Stewart Milne Homes scheme include utility rooms, French doors leading out into the rear garden, appealing bay windows in the living room and a master bedroom with en-suite facilities and a walk-in wardrobe. Just one house type remains for sale at this popular development, The ‘Newburgh’ four-bedroom detached villa design, which is priced at £235,000.

Only a handful properties remain available at the David Wilson Homes Barbachlaw development in Wallyford, Musselburgh. Priced from £249,995, the home styles here have been designed with family living in mind. Features on some of the last few properties include open-plan kitchen/breakfasting areas, utility rooms, studies, a dressing room to the master bedroom suite and a double garage. The coastal town provides a gorgeously scenic location to enjoy the weekend in yet still be close to the city for the Monday to Friday commute.

Forest Park from CALA Homes

Forest Park is an exclusive development of luxury homes in Peebles from CALA Homes, priced from £685,000

CALA Homes‘ Forest Park development in Peebles has a luxurious selection of four- and five-bedroom family homes on offer. Nestled in the Tweed Valley, the area has a peaceful feel to it and is renowned for the quality of its salmon fishing, yet it’s just around a 50 minute drive from Edinburgh’s city centre. The generously proportioned homes at Forest Park start from £685,000, with features including dressing rooms, en-suites, conservatories, landscaped gardens and spacious open-plan family living areas.

Barratt Homes has recently launched The Beeches in Kirkliston, a new development of three- to six- bedroom properties priced from £229,995. Among the range of house types on offer at the development, highlights include the open-plan living/dining area that is perfect for everyday family life and informal entertaining, en-suite facilities to the master bedroom, the luxury of a dressing room to some master bedroom suites and integral garages.

Miller Homes’ Liberty Park in Wester Inch at Bathgate forms part of a new village development situated on the outskirts of the historic market town. Prices at the scheme start at £117,995 for a two-bedroom apartment with parking space. A new primary school has recently been built for children living in the village,  and families moving to the area can make the most of the sense of community that is quickly developing. A 24-hour supermarket close by, as well as a railway station and nearby motorway links, make Wester Inch a great option for commuters with busy family lifestyles.

by Maria Brett

Leave a Comment » | barratt homes, cala homes, david wilson homes, dunfermline, east lothian, edinburgh, family homes, fife, midlothian, scottish borders, stewart milne homes | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by mariabrett

Redrow’s Homes Fly Off the Market

March 16 2011

Three of Redrow Homes’ developments of new homes in Scotland in the east of the country’s central belt have recently enjoyed a huge surge in interest . Buyers in the area have been purchasing homes with such enthusiasm at Graemeslea in Aberuthven, The Potteries in Prestonpans and Optima in Edinburgh that just a few properties are still available at each site.  This means homebuyers interested in bagging one of these homes need to act quickly.

Graemeslea from Redrow Homes

Just five 5-bed family homes remain unsold at Redrow's Graemeslea scheme in Aberuthven, Perthshire, priced from £347,000

“The sales success we have seen at these three developments shows that despite the doom and gloom in the media about the economic climate there’s still a demand for quality-built homes,” says Mary McHutchison, sales manager for Redrow Homes (Scotland). “By offering the right product, in the right place and at the right price we’ve been able to capture a significant slice of the market, offering house hunters a choice of city centre apartments, large and luxurious homes and everything in between.”

Set close to the stunning Perthshire countryside, the Graemeslea development enjoys a peaceful location. Only five properties remain for sale here, each of which is complete and ready to move into.  The five-bedroom detached family homes are priced from £347,000. Upgrading buyers with a home to sell could benefit from Redrow’s part exchange scheme and find themselves able to move in sooner than they might think. This free property valuation tool can give you an up-to-date estimate of the value of your existing home.

Graemeslea from Redrow

The 'Chatsworth' 5-bed house design costs from £357,000 at Graemeslea

Just three homes are still available at The Potteries in Prestonpans. The development is ideal for house hunters looking to find a property that provides a happy medium between country life and city convenience. The Potteries accomplishes this, with Edinburgh city centre being only 10 miles away, while the village itself has a warm, family-friendly community atmosphere. Two-bedroom apartments here cost from £133,000, with three-bedroom homes priced from £165,000.

Perfect for those hunting for a starter home, the three remaining two-bedroom apartments at Optima in Edinburgh are available from £130,000. The development is close to the city centre and good public transport links are already established.

“It could cost up to £30,000 to bring an older three-bedroom property up to the same standard of one of our new homes,” Mary explains. “Our customers don’t have to worry about DIY or inheriting someone else’s decor, but will enjoy the peace of mind of a 10-year ‘Buildmark’ warranty. Plus because new-build homes are designed to be energy efficient, with central heating and double glazing as standard, they’re potentially cheaper to run than their second-hand counterparts.”

She concludes: “If you want to snap up one of the final properties at Graemeslea, The Potteries or Optima you should act fast to avoid disappointment.”

by Maria Brett

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Posted by mariabrett

First Time Buyer Plan launched by Stewart Milne Homes

January 21 2011

Stewart Milne Homes is helping first time buyers looking for a new home in Scotland with a new assistance scheme offering a 90% mortgage, mortgage protection insurance and a host of other benefits on homes at several of its popular property developments.

There is a deferred payment mortgage option where the buyer has 100% ownership while paying for a loan of just 80%-85% of the value of the home, the balance provided as an equity-share loan from the housebuilder. In addition, there’s also no Stamp Duty to pay on homes which cost less than £250,000.

Athena Grange from Stewart Milne Homes

Apartments at Athena Grange in Prestonpans are available with the new First Time Buyer Plan from Stewart Milne Homes

John Slater, managing director for Homes at Stewart Milne Group, explains: “Our original First Time Buyer Plan proved an outstanding success, and we remain committed to ensuring homeownership remains an affordable option. Our new plan is specifically designed to help customers secure a manageable mortgage and alleviate some of the costs of buying, and moving into, a first home. With monthly mortgage repayments of as little as £368, we are confident our new First Time Buyer product will prove equally effective.”

The package provides a number of benefits that will delight prospective first time buyers struggling to afford their own home:

  • A 90% mortgage is available
  • Mortgage protection insurance
  • Carpets, curtains and light fittings are included
  • A furniture package for the living room, master and guest bedrooms
  • A plasma TV and home cinema system
  • A fully fitted kitchen

Properties with two to four bedrooms are available on a number of Stewart Milne Homes development across the country to first time buyers under the new scheme, including:

New family homes in Aberdeenshire at Broadshade in Westhill, with three bedrooms, a walk-in wardrobe to the master bedroom and separate utility room downstairs for £246,995 (£231,996 with an 80%/20% deferred payment mortgage).

New houses in Ayrshire at Allandale in Saltcoats, for example, a two-bedroom mid-terrace for £132,000 (or £112,200 with the 85%/15% deferred payment mortgage) or a three-bedroom, semi-detached house with garage for £159,500 (£135,575 with the shared equity scheme).

New apartments in East Lothian at Athena Grange in Prestonpans, including two-bedroom style with en-suite facilities to the master bedroom and a balcony, which can be purchased with an 80%/20% shared equity arrangement for £122,400 (full price £153,000).

New homes in Lanarkshire at Morningside Gardens in Wishaw, including a two-bedroom property which has fitted wardrobes to both bedrooms and a separate study, costing £125,000 (£106,250 with an 85%/15% shared equity plan).

New houses in Midlothian at Hopefield View in Bonnyrigg, with a three-bedroom design at £184,000 and four-bedroom terrace at £202,500 (both property types are available with an 85%/15% deferred payment mortgage).

by Keith Osborne

Leave a Comment » | aberdeenshire, ayrshire, bonnyrigg, east lothian, first time buyers, lanarkshire, midlothian, prestonpans, saltcoats, shared equity, stewart milne homes, westhill, wishaw | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Keith Osborne

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