For Elizabeth and Kirby Porter the importance of being close to their family led them to move from Northern Ireland to the beautiful coastal town of Stonehaven.
Elizabeth explained: “My son and his wife live in Stonehaven and it was the right decision for us to move here so we can enjoy spending time with them and watching our granddaughter grow up.
“It will also make it easier to see our son who works as a teacher and lives in London with his fiancé.”
Once they had made the decision to move, the couple were also thrilled to find out that their son and his wife were expecting another baby and a second granddaughter arrived safely at the end of October.
Elizabeth, said: “We had already started the process to move to Stonehaven and although things did not go quite to plan with the sale of our previous home we were delighted that we managed to finally move before our new granddaughter was born.”
The retired couple downsized from a former Station Master’s house in Bangor just outside Belfast and Elizabeth and Kirby opted to look for a new build home although they had lived in a period property for almost 30 years.
Elizabeth said: “We knew that it would be a different experience trying to buy whilst we were still living in Northern Ireland so we agreed from the outset that we wanted a new home.
“We wanted to pay a fixed price rather than becoming involved in a bidding situation and we also wanted a home that would require much less maintenance.”
The couple visited the new Dunnottar Park neighbourhood from Stewart Milne Homes and knew it was the ideal location for them. They wanted a spacious four bedroomed home so they had plenty of room for all their family to stay when they visit so they narrowed down the options to the Glenmore and the Denewood before finally opting for the Glenmore.
Elizabeth explained, said: “Both homes had so much to offer but the Glenmore had a separate dining room as well as a dining kitchen and we wanted to have a room for more formal dining and special family occasions.
“We also have a lounge with French doors which open onto the south facing back garden and it is a wonderful place to enjoy a coffee or have lunch and make the most of any sunny weather.”
The four bedroom home also has two en-suites from both the master and the guest bedroom which was important for Elizabeth and Kirby who are looking forward to welcoming guests once restrictions are lifted.
The couple are now happily settled into their home but it would be fair to say it was a stressful process.
The couple reserved their new home from Stewart Milne Home in January and were due to move just a month later. However, the sale of their existing property fell through just a week before the agreed moving date so they were forced to put their home back on the market.
It sold quickly however lockdown started the following day, so they were once again forced to delay their plans.
Elizabeth said: “Stewart Milne Homes were fantastic and were very supportive through a stressful process. They were patient and understanding and we were so relieved when we finally manged to move into our new home in September.”
The couple have created an extended bubble with their son and his wife and are enjoying spending time with their granddaughters and they are also making the most of the scenic location.
Elizabeth added: “We were used to living on the coast so Stonehaven was the perfect choice and we have already spent many happy hours walking along the coastal paths and enjoying the scenery.”
For further information on Dunnottar Park and all homes from Stewart Milne Homes visit www.stewartmilnehomes.com