International NHS workers leave renting behind at 35

The couple, originally from the Philippines, moved to the UK in 2018 to pursue medical careers with the NHS, with Toni working as a full-time Gastroenterology Research Nurse and Ren as a full-time Simulation Technician and Clinical Skills Tutor for medical, nursing and allied health professionals.

They began house hunting in March 2023 and quickly purchased a detached three-bedroom home off plan at Linmere for £399,000 with a 10% deposit.

Toni says: “We knew that it was time to upsize when the idea of storage in the flat became a distant memory. As we work long hours at the hospital, it’s so important to us to come home to a sanctuary that we can call our own. We always dreamt of having more space to make our own and decorate, and we have now even created a converted gym room out of a spare bedroom.

“Since moving to the Linmere development, we have become much more active and have been taking advantage of our new gym equipment and dedicated wellbeing space, as well as taking leisurely long walks around the development.

“As much as buying off-plan can be a daunting process, we were able to move quickly without any chain, which meant we could pick up the keys in June just three months after seeing the floorplan and starting the process.”

Ren adds: “One factor that we liked about the Linmere development is that there is a local bus stop at the development which goes straight to the hospital that both Toni and I work at. We don’t have a car yet, so our new home needed to have excellent transport links for us to get to and from work. This has made a big difference to our daily commute and work life balance.”

Homes at Linmere have been designed with sustainability in mind, with enhanced insulation, energy efficient water heating systems and 90 acres of green space on the doorstep. All Barratt homes are designed to be up to 64% more energy-efficient and could save buyers up to £2,200 per year on their bills.

Toni comments: “Despite upsizing from a one-bedroom apartment to a three-bedroom house, we have noticed that our water and electricity bills have remained largely the same thanks to the energy efficiency of the property, which we did not expect before moving in.

“We love having our own garden, as this is something we didn’t have in our previous property, as well as community green spaces to enjoy on the development. Over the summer, we hosted lots of BBQs and there is a real community feel with the neighbours getting together throughout the year.

“After saving for so long to buy our first home while privately renting, it has been so rewarding to create a space that reflects our personality and fits our needs.”

Marc Woolfe, Director of Sales and Marketing for Barratt North Thames, comments: “We have seen an increase of first-time buyers in their 30s who are looking specifically for a new home that gives them the freedom to decorate how they want, without having to worry about the additional financial burden that comes with renovating an older property.

“New buyers leaving the rental market behind for the first time are transforming spare rooms into home gyms, offices and even craft rooms to take advantage of the extra space. After years of saving for deposits, the most exciting part of a new home for many is the opportunity to make it suit your hobbies and lifestyle.”

Linmere offers 17 play areas, electric car charging points, and new community allotments. It is located within five minutes of the M1 with direct links to Milton Keynes, Aylesbury and St Albans, and Luton Airport is just a ten-minute drive away. The nearest train stations are Leighton Buzzard, Leagrave and Luton Airport Parkway.

For further details about Barratt David Wilson North Thames or the new homes at Linmere, visit https://www.barratthomes.co.uk/ / www.dwh.co.uk or call 0330 828 0133 / 03301272521.