For Chris and Kirsty Rae, Silver Birches in Alford, Aberdeenshire offered the best of both worlds as the new community from Stewart Milne Homes is situated in beautiful countryside yet within commuting distance of the city.
Chris, Kirsty and their family already knew the appeal of life in a property from Stewart Milne Homes as they had previously lived in their Charleston development in Cove. However, they wanted to live in the countryside while being close enough to Aberdeen for commuting.
Chris (30), a marketing and communications manager, said: “I grew up in the countryside and always wanted to go back, but as we work in Aberdeen the commute needed to be practical.”
Close to the historic market town of Alford, with excellent links to Aberdeen, Silver Birches sits in a beautifully landscaped setting with views across the rolling hills and the countryside.
“We found out about the Silver Birches community by carrying out research online. The development stood out as it met all our requirements and we also loved the layout and how it links to the village,” said Chris.
The couple are now the proud owners of a Hollandswood, a detached four bedroom home with detached garage.
This spacious family home incorporates beautiful details such as a feature winding staircase which leads to a galleried upper landing, a bay-windowed dining room, a living room with French doors that lead out to the garden and an open plan kitchen-breakfast-family room.
Both the master bedroom and a guest room have ensuite shower rooms and the family bathroom has a bath and separate walk-in shower. The home also has a utility room with access to the garden and downstairs cloakroom/WC.
Kirsty (29), who works as a university administration manager, said: “We wanted four bedrooms, a garage and a room that could be used as a playroom and theHollandswood was perfect.
“We particularly fell in love with the position of our home. It’s on a plot at the end of a cul-de-sac and it overlooks the park! It’s ideal for our family to settle down in.
“Our favourite part is probably the large kitchen and dining space, it really does feel like the heart of the home and our garden is a complete sun trap all day long, we can’t wait to make use of it during the summer months,” she said.
“We love how quiet and peaceful Silver Birches is and also how much of a community spirit there is here.”
As the couple had previously bought a new build home, they knew it was the right decision in terms of design, as well as for the convenience when it came to buying and selling.
Chris said: “Being able to make decisions on fixtures and fittings with our last home was great, so we wanted this option again. I love how new builds are a blank canvas that you can really put your stamp on.
“We made use of the Stewart Milne Homes’ Part Exchange service, which meant there were no worries about selling our old home. There were no fees and the whole process was easy and stress free from start to finish.
“The service from Denise our sales consultant, Sean the site manager, and Fraser at customer services has been outstanding and everyone at Stewart Milne Homes has made it feel like no issue is too big or small to be dealt with.
“We also used a removals company, so the day couldn’t have gone smoother. Our handover was complete by late morning and we received a gift box which included a bottle of bubbles and a bouquet of flowers which was a nice touch to arrive to.”
Prices at Silver Birches currently start from £199,995 and the showhomes are open Thursday to Sunday from 11am to 5.30pm by appointment only. To make an appointment please call 0845 075 8284. For further information visit www.stewartmilnehomes.com.