Jeremy and Jane Sanders downsized from a large, rural house in West Devon to a two-bedroom home with a sunny south-facing garden at Alderbrook in Petersfield, Hampshire, reuniting them with friends and family. Petersfield particularly appealed to the Sanders because three of their four children, mother, brother and niece all live reasonably close by, they wanted to be in a town so they could easily stroll to nearby places, Petersfield is well-connected to London and there are plenty of choices for dog-walking.
Jane said. “We wanted to downsize and move from our large house in the West Devon countryside to be closer to family, and exciting things like shops and public transport! We had enjoyed our more rural existence but didn’t want everything to be a car ride away. We needed to be realistic about getting older in a large rural house.”
The Sanders were looking for something modern, built to a good standard, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms and a smaller but nice garden. Jeremy said: “We started thinking of moving early on in the pandemic and at that time you could only look at new builds. We recognised having a new build would mean a lot less hassle and work and we could enjoy minimal maintenance and running costs.
“When the time came the selling/ buying process was surprisingly easy. We went up to Hampshire for the May bank holiday in 2023 and that was the moment we decided to put our home in Devon on the market. Thinking it would take a while to sell we went on holiday, only to be called by the agent whilst we were on the Atlantic and told she had sold our house within three weeks. Whilst afloat we looked up newly built homes in Petersfield within our price range, got off the ship, flew home, visited Alderbrook and pretty much immediately reserved our home. We looked at a couple of others by other developers, but they didn’t appeal.”
The Sanders love their kitchen-dining area and Kebbell’s attention to detail, the high ceilings for a smaller property and the lovely oak stairway and door woodwork. They also enjoy their south-facing garden which gets lots of sunshine and the fact their garden feels open and is not overlooked. They also believe “Two bathrooms is the secret to a happy marriage!”
The Sanders added their personal touch by having bookcases and a dresser built in. They also chose the colours of their kitchen units, tiling and flooring and are delighted with the fitted appliances. Green credentials are important to them, and they are happy to have solar panels, underfloor heating and a charger for a future electric car and for when their son visits with his electric vehicle.
Jane said: “Moving to Alderbrook and Petersfield has meant being reunited with friends and acquaintances and seeing family more often. Our social life is different now. We can just pop out for coffee and meet for lunch with ease.
“Kebbell was excellent throughout. Initially, we would just email with any snagging requirements, and they were always dealt with very promptly and quickly. The dog is best friends with every builder he comes across as more families join us at Alderbrook.”
This month Kebbell has announced the launch of phase two, comprising a further 21 homes, at Alderbrook in Petersfield.
Alderbrook is set in Petersfield in the South Downs National Park and will comprise 82 contemporary and energy-efficient two, three and four-bedroom houses, including social housing for rent and shared ownership. The homes have underfloor heating and are fitted with photovoltaic roof panels which aim to generate at least 10% renewable energy. Completion of the development is anticipated to be in 2025. The homes range from 960 to 1974 sq ft and prices are in the region of £500,000 to £995,000.
For an appointment - 020 8901 8738 / alderbrook@kebbell.co.uk