Clive and Geoff Fuller-Hale recently moved into their new three-bedroom house at Little Cotton Farm, a development full of character and charm in Dartmouth built by award-winning southwest housebuilder Baker Estates.
The retired couple had spent 12 years living in a two-bedroom 1950s bungalow in Brixham, but for some time, they’d been discussing a ‘forever’ move.
Clive explained: “Geoff and I had a clear set of ‘must-haves’ on our list – we wanted more space, so a third bedroom, an energy-efficient home, and very importantly, a kitchen/diner with French windows leading onto the garden, as well as a garage. We were also very interested in being able to do a part-exchange on a new property.”
Checklist in hand, the couple started house hunting and found Baker Estate’s impressive development at Little Cotton Farm in Dartmouth, in early 2022, through local estate agent, Bradleys, and kept an eye on the progress. In February of this year, Baker Estates started building their preferred style of three-bedroom detached house priced at £404,995.
Clive explained: “As soon as our house became available to buy off-plan we reserved. We went ahead with the ‘Home Exchange’ that Baker Estates offers in conjunction with Property PX. For us, this scheme gave us the security that we would get the house we wanted and not have the stress or uncertainty of being in a property chain, which could go wrong at any point.”
Geoff added: “The fact that Baker Estates could offer us this route to buy our new home was really empowering; it gave us total peace of mind and made the entire buying process very smooth. Another brilliant thing was, because we chose our property at the start of the build process, we could customise it and select fixtures, fittings, and finishes – so flooring, worktops, and extras like fitted wardrobes, so now the whole house reflects our personal style and colour palette.”
As for the ‘wish list’, well as Clive said: “We ended up with even more than we could have hoped for on the inside – a wonderfully light contemporary kitchen/diner and not only French windows in one room but also in the living room and the second bedroom. Outside too, we have marvellously efficient and ultra discreet solar panels, which are already proving to be productive.”
Geoff added: “Even having such a generously sized garage attached to our house has made our move here easier because we have a place to store items and not feel rushed into getting rid of things. We also are so impressed with the attention to detail - Baker Estates has been so thoughtful in arranging the different styles of properties - designing them cleverly to give each one its own subtle individual style and character, ensuring that no one feels that they are living in identical homes, and the landscaping adds to the organic intimate feel of the whole development.”
Both Clive and Geoff see Little Cotton Farm as their final move. When it came to choosing Dartmouth, it wasn’t only the town’s natural beauty – but its coastline, countryside, vibrant atmosphere, fascinating naval history, and the practical benefits it can offer.
Clive said: “We’re both active and young in mind and spirit, but the fact that we are within five minutes of a brand-new health and medical centre and a leisure centre with a swimming pool and well-equipped gym, is a big plus and also future-proofs us when it comes to health and well-being.”
Annie Williams, Sales & Marketing Director at Baker Estates, commented: “Our aim is always to build quality new homes that reflect the local landscape and also allow buyers to create elements that are a reflection of their own taste within their new homes.
“Externally, our homes focus on individual but cohesive architectural design, using local materials, and incorporating sophisticated energy-efficient features wherever possible. It’s always wonderful to get feedback from buyers like Clive and Geoff, who have found the entire buying and moving process a positive stress-free experience and instantly feel at home at Little Cotton Farm.”
Two, three, four and five-bedroom homes are currently available at Little Cotton Farm starting from £249,995. Click Here to find out more.