03.04.2024

From London to Hatfield East: A Family’s Journey – Homeowner Testimonial

Dmitry, relocated with his family from busy East Acton, London to Hatfield in Hertfordshire for more space at an affordable price. He’s moved to a two-bed, terraced new build home that’s perfect for his young family, close to excellent amenities, rail links and good schools.

“My wife Kristina and I moved to a new development in East Acton a few years ago”, Dmitry explains. “We rented an apartment which was perfectly nice, but we quickly found that we needed to make a bigger change to get the lifestyle we wanted for us and our then newborn daughter.”

For Dmitry, a software engineer, and Kirstina, a sales consultant, space and cost were significant factors in their decision to move out of London. While both wanted to live within commuting distance of the capital for work, they wanted a garden, room for a car and better access to walks, green spaces and sports facilities – all at a more affordable price. The goal was a better quality of life and more disposable income to spend on the things they enjoy.

It wasn’t just about the pull of leaving London behind for Dmitry. Staying in a new-build property was important, but with so many options, choosing the right development was critical. The couple began searching online and they found a number of new-build developments across the commuter belt that seemed to fulfil their needs.

Dmitry adds: “We were looking at two or three major developments, and I even mapped it all out in a spreadsheet so I could compare our options. Though, when I visited Hatfield, I immediately knew it was the one. Durkan’s showroom was really polished and well presented. The finishing and the details were really good and it was obvious that there were no other options for us.

Dmitry and his family went on to purchase a two-bed terraced home at Durkan Homes’ Hatfield East development – a new collection of high-quality apartments, and two-, three- and four-bedroom homes in the centre of the town – that allowed them to fulfil the change in lifestyle they needed to suit their young family.

“We were paying nearly £2,300 a month in rent, which at the time was set to increase to £2,500,” Dmitry said. “This was becoming unsustainable so with some savings behind us, Kristina and I looked at moving from London. It was a daunting idea in a way – how do you find somewhere that meets your criteria that you know you’ll enjoy when you move in, that’s also in the commuter belt?”

“We’d looked at a few houses, but Hatfield East offered everything we were after at a much more affordable price – even with the great location and current high mortgage rates. We looked up Durkan Homes and found through Google Reviews that they were very well regarded by buyers. So we booked a visit, toured the show home and asked all the questions we had.” Dimitry explained.

“It was a great experience. Durkan Homes’ team was very helpful, and we really liked the quality of the home. The two-bed terrace  with a garden looked perfect for us – we were surprised by the space inside and out. The house was well fitted out with everything we needed, and it had a welcoming and cosy feel. Taking the stress out of things was important for us too, so to get a brand-new home that we didn’t need to refurbish or decorate was the right choice for us.”

Durkan Homes helped Dmitry and Kristina with their moving costs by paying for the Stamp Duty. The couple was supported through the buying process by Durkan Homes’ sales team, and their own dedicated day-to-day contact to make things easier and as hassle free as possible.