Third time’s the charm for second steppers at Clipstone Park

A combination of hard work, Help to Buy and a little assistance from the Bank of Mum & Dad has finally meant that David Barber and his wife Amy have found their forever home – but it wasn’t plain sailing.

David, 43, and Amy, 36, were living in a shared ownership one-bedroom flat in Hemel Hempstead, but had been looking longingly at Barratt North Thames’ Clipstone Park development on the edge of Leighton Buzzard since it first launched in 2019. When David started a new job in Milton Keynes, the couple decided it was time to make a move to somewhere with more space, so they put their flat on the market.

Unfortunately, it took nearly six months to sell, during which time their purchase fell through on two properties at Clipstone Park. “Selling the flat turned out to be a bit of a nightmare,” says David. “The flat itself was fine and there was lots of interest, but the first sale fell through, which put us back to square one. The delay meant that we lost two properties at Clipstone Park before we secured this one, so it was definitely third time lucky.”

The delays meant the smaller homes they had been viewing at Clipstone Park had all been sold, so the couple took a deep breath and decided to push themselves to upsize just that little bit further. “We’d lost the houses we knew we could afford, but we wanted to move as soon as possible, and the last available house at the time was a four-bedroom,” says David. “Along with all our scrimping and saving, we had some money from the Bank of Mum & Dad, along with Help to Buy, which was certainly a big help to us – without the scheme it just wouldn’t have been possible.”

The couple also had to contend with Covid before finally moving in October 2020. Amy was really excited for the move, and worked hard to get everything ready to go, but admits that until the day they finally got hold of the keys it was impossible to relax. “It was such a relief to finally be in our new home,” she says.

The couple were particularly attracted to Clipstone Park because of its location – slightly out of the town, but still within comfortable walking distance. “We love the location as it’s out of the way, in quiet countryside surroundings,” says David. “This was what really drew us to the development – such a contrast from our flat which was on a busy road. The local facilities are a great bonus, and we have already met many of our new neighbours who seem really friendly.”

Karly Williams, Sales & Marketing Director for Barratt North Thames, says: “Clipstone Park is ideal for people who want to enjoy the countryside, as the whole development has been designed around parks, sports pitches, playgrounds, allotments and open spaces, with more than three-quarters of the area kept green for residents to enjoy.

“Leighton Buzzard is a thriving market town with great transport links – Euston can be reached by train in just half an hour, while Milton Keynes is also easily reached by road or rail and direct buses run to Luton. With its antique shops and flea markets, wide range of parks, historic light railway and the Grand Union Canal running through it, Leighton Buzzard has so much to offer residents.”
Barratt’s development forms part of the larger Clipstone Park community, which is split between three developers and comprises more than 1,200 new homes, shops, schools, GP surgery, a community centre and a care home. Homes currently available start from £400,500 for a three-bedroom, semi-detached Norbury-style home, featuring a spacious open-plan lounge/dining area with double doors into the rear garden and a driveway for two cars.