Newlyweds Emma and Justin realised the dream of owning their first home together with a move to Hatfield. They’ve gone from renting a one-bedroom flat in Muswell Hill, North London, to owning a spacious two-bedroom home in Hertfordshire, close to excellent amenities and rail links and with the opportunity to make the home their own.

When a flat purchase in North London fell through last minute, a chance drive-by of Durkan Homes’ Hatfield East development put Emma and Justin one step closer to their dream of home ownership. “My mum recommended looking in Hertfordshire and we just happened to drive past Hatfield East when visiting family in the area,” explains Justin.

“We viewed our now home the same day and instantly knew it was the one,” Emma adds. “Plus, we’ve ended up with a spacious two-bedroom, two-bathroom home with a garden and two parking spaces, it was great value for money.”

After getting married in the summer of 2024, both Emma and Justin were keen to finish the year in their new home. “Given the delays we’d already faced elsewhere, we wanted to be in our new home as soon as possible,” Emma continues. “Excitingly, we completed, picked up the keys and flew off to Jamaica for our honeymoon on the same day.”

Choosing to start married life in a new build also meant that the couple had a blank canvas to make their own – and they are already busy bringing their design ideas to life. “I’ve got quite an eye for interior design,” laughs Emma, “and we’ve already started adding our own touch to the property with a calming dark blue paint and built in wardrobes in the master bedroom. We’ve also got French shutters being delivered soon, and love the classic look this will add to our home.”

As first-time buyers, the couple wanted the peace of mind of their first home together being a new build and were drawn to the style of The Ascot house type at Hatfield East. “We did look around other developments in the area to see what they had to offer, but we fell in love with the quality on show at Hatfield East,” Justin adds. “The exterior design of the houses and layout very much fit our lifestyle and aesthetic.”

“And it’s such a marked difference to our previous rental property,” Emma agrees. “We were living in a tired, ground floor, one-bedroom flat and paying far too much for it. You just get so much more for your money here.” The couple’s new home came complete with white goods, flooring throughout and a fully turfed back garden, all included in the purchase price.

For Emma, who works in finance, and Justin, who works in digital PR, being able to enjoy the space, lifestyle and value for money that this move offered was important, as Emma explains. “We had previously thought that we’d want to live more centrally but now realise we can have the best of both worlds. Hatfield has everything we need right on our doorstep, including shops and restaurants within walking distance. There are also plenty of green spaces to explore, and it’s a bonus that our new home is only a six-minute walk from the station, with direct trains into London Kings Cross in under 35 minutes. Given we still have roots in North London through both our family and work, it’s great to know that we can get back so easily.”

The couple are already planning their future together in their new home in Hatfield. “We’re looking forward to seeing what the future holds for us in our new home,” Emma continues, “and it’s great to be somewhere that can grow with us when we think about starting a family. We’ve really enjoyed meeting our neighbours and it already feels like there’s a real community here. The local children all play out on the street together, and it’s encouraging to know that it’s such a safe and welcoming environment.”

“For the time being, we’re looking forward to hosting a hot tub party in our garden and entertaining family and friends. The kitchen is perfect for this and it really feels like the heart of the home. It’s also significantly bigger than other properties we looked at, so there’s room for the whole family to join us.”

The couple was supported throughout the buying process by the Durkan Homes sales team, with a dedicated day-to-day contact ensuring the process was as stress-free and hassle-free as possible. “The Durkan Homes team was so accommodating, and we were really impressed with how smooth and fast the process was,” Justin says. “They even recommended solicitors and mortgage brokers that they regularly work with, and there wasn’t a single hiccup in the four weeks it took from us making an offer to completion.”

“We were so happy to find somewhere that was ready to move in to and finished to such a high quality” adds Justin. “The aftercare team has been really responsive and it’s great to have the peace of mind that Durkan Homes offer great guarantees and warrantee periods on their new build properties. We’ve even recommended Hatfield East to family members who are also getting married and looking to buy.”

“The best surprise was that there were no surprises,” finishes Emma. “We really felt personally valued by Durkan Homes, they even left us a hamper for when we moved in.”

“Buying as newlyweds just made the process all the more special and our new Durkan home is a ten out of ten. It just feels good waking up in it.”

For more information on Durkan Homes’ Hatfield East development, please visit https://www.www.durkan.co.uk/development/hatfield-east/