- 18 March 2022
After Covid got in the way of their wedding plans (three times), secondary school teacher, Caitriona and business owner, Craig decided to use the time to save for a deposit on a new home. With a baby on the way they found their dream home at our Howards Green development, and we were lucky enough to meet them both along with their 6-week-old, beautiful, baby boy Rowan.
Hi! So lovely to meet you both and baby Rowan! I guess we will start by you telling us a bit about yourselves…
Of course, so Craig is a business owner and runs the Bling Pig Barbers & Bar in the centre of Darlington and I am a secondary school teacher and teach Spanish and French.
We met by complete fate when we were both on holiday with friends in 2016, in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria of all places! There was an instant connection, and we spent a year doing long distance, 300 miles every fortnight! Eventually Craig persuaded me to become a Northerner and we moved in together in Chester-Le-Street in 2017.
We got engaged in February 2019 when Craig surprised me on one knee whilst on holiday in Cuba. Unfortunately, Covid got in the way of plans, and we ended up with 3 cancelled weddings (summer 2020 in Staffordshire, summer 2021 in Staffordshire and summer 2021 in St Lucia). Meanwhile we found out we were pregnant in May 2021, so we decided to get married, just the 2 of us, in Gretna Green in October 2021.
So, why did you decide now was the time to move and buy a house?
We had been thinking about buying for a while and the positive to come from multiple lockdowns was that we were able to save for a home deposit.
Was there anything specific that attracted you to Thirteen Homes and Howards Green?
We spent a lot of time looking at the new builds in our area, comparing developers and what they had to offer us. The added perks that Thirteen Homes had to offer as standard appealed to us, so we made an appointment with Fay and within half an hour she had us completely won over. We put down a reservation fee 20 minutes after leaving the office, in the Aldi car park round the corner!
What were your thoughts on the specification in the homes?
One of the best parts of the process was the appointment where we got to choose our design specifications for the kitchen/bathroom. There was such a huge range that it took us hours! Fay was so helpful with the process and supported us in our vision becoming reality.
Did you consider any of our other house types before reserving the Indigo?
We didn’t, once we saw the Indigo show home, we felt that it was the perfect starter home for us.
What’s your favourite thing about your new home and the Indigo house type in particular?
Everyone who has come to visit us comments on the height of the ceilings and how spacious it makes the house feel. We love our living room the most, and the bay window is a such a lovely feature.
Would you recommend Thirteen Homes/Howards Green to others and why?
Absolutely! Overall, we have had a really positive experience with Thirteen homes. Fay in particular has gone above and beyond her sales role to make us feel welcome and continues to support us when we have queries/issues.
Craig already has recommended Thirteen Homes to others, which has led to new residents on the estate!
Now for a bit of fun, if you could invite anyone to a dinner party in your new home, who would it be and why?
Craig - a babysitter (so Craig can nap!)
Caitriona - all my family who live in Ireland and are yet to see our new home!
Are you looking for your forever home? Why not pay us a visit and let us wow you with our wonderful homes and spectacular specification!