Agnieszka and Rafael’s homeownership story
After finding out they were expecting a baby, first-time buyers Agnieszka and Rafael realised that their two-bedroom rental apartment did not provide enough indoor or outdoor space to raise a family. After more than a decade of living in rental properties, they began searching for a place to call their own.
Buyers: Agnieszka, 41 and Rafael, 40
Occupations: Agnieszka is a Civil Servant, and Rafael is a Business Analyst
Year of purchase: December 2023
Development: Rainsborough Park, West Yorkshire
House type: 3-bedroom, detached Kilkenny
Purchase price: £219,995
Mortgage cost: £1,114.12
Previous monthly rent: £630
We spoke to Agnieszka to find out more about their journey which started in London, before moving up to Wakefield and now settling in one of our popular developments in Knottingley.
“Our journey started in London where we rented a few apartments over a period of eight years via private landlords and letting agencies. In Autumn 2018 we decided to relocated up North to Wakefield to improve our work - life balance, but also because property prices and rental costs in the North are much more affordable than in London where we were renting a 2-bedroom apartment for £630 per month. Whilst it was fully furnished, the overall space and storage capacity wasn’t great, and we didn’t think it would be sufficient for us once the baby arrived.
"Whilst we were lucky and had a good deal on our monthly rental costs due to us taking it out in 2018, we knew if we were to rent a new, bigger place it would likely come at a higher price. We have been renting for many years now and we were ready to buy our own property. We did briefly consider buying a pre-owned property, but we dismissed it as most pre-owned properties, which met our expectations and requirements, needed a lot of work. With a new build Gleeson home, that’s not something you have to worry about.
"We also found that Gleeson has a very good price range compared to other building developers in the area, as well as the location of Rainsborough Park being perfect for us due to a number of friends living nearby. The practicality of having a new house where we didn’t need to worry about fixing issues and renovation works was a big factor for us. We found that the prices of a Gleeson home are competitive, which allowed us to buy a bigger house than we would have been able to afford with other developers. In addition, we benefitted from incentives received from Gleeson as first-time buyers and for purchasing property that was already built.
"As we are first-time buyers the process of buying a house was all new to us. With this in mind, the Gleeson team have been approachable and helpful. They explained the process to us and made some good recommendations in terms of the solicitors to use. We were keen to complete the purchase and they ensured things were actioned promptly at the developer’s end. This allowed us to complete the purchase within an exceptionally short time frame.
"Our new home gives us much more space, with three bedrooms we can use the smallest as an office space which is very convenient as we are both hybrid workers. The kitchen is much bigger than the one in the rented apartment, which allows us to fit a dining table in it and provides enough space for cooking appliances. We also love the fact the house came with a garage, which we can use as an additional storage space. Finally, we now have a garden, which is something we always missed when renting apartments.
"It’s still early days for us to fully compare the bills between the properties but even with the additional cost of the building’s insurance, the total monthly bills do not appear to be higher than what we used to pay. This suggests our energy cost will come at a lower price than they used to, while the house is much bigger and warmer than the apartment was.
"It has been a very busy but also very exciting time for us since we moved into our new home. We are getting ready to welcome our first baby and we believe the experience will be much more enjoyable now we have a place of our own and with enough space for the three of us."
If you have been inspired by Agnieszka and Rafael’s homebuying journey, why not browse our nearest developments to you? With affordable buying schemes, a wide range of offers, additional incentives and energy efficiency as standard, there’s never been a better time to buy new with Gleeson. Click here to start your search!
