Family Homes (March '09) Continued

The Parent who spends most of the time at work will need to know their other half and the fruit of their loins are warm, contented and well-connected while sat in meetings pretending to care what the boss is jabbering on about.

When they return from work they'll want space to park, a cooking arena in which to prove once and for all why one sex in particular dominates the world of haute cuisine, a generous relaxation area full of a VERY BIG TELLY, and the luxury of a lockable mastersuite in which they and the other Parent can remind each other what they fancied about one another all those years ago.

Little Bellicose will require his own space, man, upon which to place all manner of ‘keep-out' signs, deadly booby traps (or discarded laundry as it is also known), posters of 11 strapping foreign men in football shorts, and various bacteria sprouting cereal bowls. He'll also need outside space in which to burn off his endless reserves of energy, which miraculously seem to disappear around chore time.

Clandestine will similarly require a space that she can turn eye watering shades of pink in her early youth and then deepest black once she discovers eyeliner and the utter horribleness of, well, everything. She will of course need access to a phone, the internet etc, etc, in order to keep her hectic social networking on track. Oh and Parent one and two will also want to know if their new home will be near doctors, shops, good schools, Pizza Express yadda, yadda, yadda. The kids might be interested in the pizza thing.

So will the brand new home you're thinking of going to have a look at have any of these essential features? Well, yes. Wondering if a showhome will have a nice kitchen and bathroom is like wondering if the winner of this year's Derby will have legs and a stupid name.

Why? Well because that's the unique selling point that new homes trade on. They're designed with the benefit of years and years of experience and observing how families live, and what each member needs. And it is that purpose built quality to the following homes that should be able to provide you most if not all of what you might be looking for in your next home.

Oakdene Homes' Shared Equity initiative at its Cravenwood development in the village of Weeley, in Essex might instantly gain the attention of families looking to upsize. Visitors will be able to find out about the scheme by telephoning Oakdene on 01737 249393. Or better still, why not visit the development, which is described as part conversion, part new build, and set within beautifully landscaped grounds.

Phase One - The Walled Garden and Mews Cottages - provide three- and four-bedroom new build homes, and an individual two-bedroom Coach house. Phase Two will comprise the conversion of the former manor house known as Hillside House, which, once complete, will offer a unique range of three-storey, four-bedroom homes.

There are currently savings to be made at Hillreed Homes' The Vines (www.hillreed.co.uk), which is located on the outskirts of the East Sussex town of Hailsham near Lower Horsebridge. The Vines offers a three-bedroom link detached with garage, and a four-bedroom detached with garage - both showhomes - at an appreciably reduced price and with a few showhome goodies thrown in.

Beautiful surroundings would seem to be the order of the day in each development mentioned so far, and indeed this theme continues with Antler Homes' Blenheim Place development in Old Town, Swindon (01793 618766). There are just four, fivebedroom homes to be found here backing onto the popular Coate Water Country Park, and within a casual stroll of Old Town's chichi shops and cafes. Does it have all the lovely little extras that you'd like? Well durrrrr! (As Bellicose might put it).

There's a very appealing streetscene to be found very close to Your New Home's offices at Kings Hill, West Malling in Kent. But while the exteriors at Crest Nicholson's Burlington Place (0870 755 976) might suggest cute and countrified the interiors are every bit as space and light savvy as you'd expect from 21st century accommodation. Burlington Place offers what the company describes as ‘expansive family homes' laidout across three floors which should provide ample living space as well as some handy hideaways that are ideal for stealing a few quiet moments.

Gleeson Homes' The Grange in Retford (01777 701089) not only offers what the developer describes as a wonderful location, but also the possibility of Part Exchange for those currently finding the market a little slow. Excellent for commuting to Nottingham, Sheffield and Lincoln, the Grange offers three-bedroom semi-detached homes and three and four-bedroom detached homes within a low density, quiet residential area.

Banner Homes Whitehorse Park in Banbury (01295 257323), it transpires, is yet another collection of three-, four- and five-bedroom homes that finds itself situated in what is described as an attractive, idyllic, leafy and tranquil neighbourhood. Curse these developers and their residential voodoo! Oh and not content with the lovely surroundings Banner also has to make the twoor three-storey homes spacious, versatile, and flexible enough to cope with the demands of growing families. Honestly, the cheek.

So does the world of new homes have something perfect for your family? Well, yes, probably, and probably at a much more affordable price than you were expecting. Hmmm, actually that does sound like a pretty good investment after all.


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