A couple got engaged in their brand new four-bedroom house in Lincolnshire after acquiring the home via the Help To Buy state-backed scheme.
Katherine Hensby (25) went into the house and the first thing she saw was the engagement ring, her boyfriend, Lewis Etoria (34) had arranged to be put near the entrance.
Katherine, a Data Analyst for the NHS, was over the moon with the surprise. She said: “It was really romantic, I couldn’t stop crying! The Sales Advisers had put the ring in the house and Lewis let me open up the front door to find it. I’m surprised he kept it all a secret. We’re now organising our wedding for next year and will look to start a family after – it’s a great place to bring children up.
“The house itself is amazing and the staff have been so helpful. I did a lot of the moving myself as Lewis was at work and the builders on site helped out a lot, I couldn’t have done it without them.”
The couple had previously rented property and had moved in with family members prior to purchasing at Manor Farm in order to save for their own home. Manor Farm, in Tiber Road, is a development of exclusive two, three and four-bedroom homes set in the small Lincolnshire town of North Hykeham. The town was recently voted in the top 50 places for quality of life.
“We couldn’t have bought our home without Help to Buy,” said Lewis, who works in communications for the NHS. “Katherine and I moved in with my mum for six months while we saved for a deposit and it was at this time that we happened to drive past Manor Farm. After looking around the show homes and speaking to the Sales Advisers we decided there and then it was for us.”
Lewis and Katherine chose their new three-storey home for its flexibility to allow them to grow and start their family together, and for the benefits associated with a new home.
“A new-build home really appealed to us starting out together,” added Lewis. “It’s nice to have your own space that no-one has lived in before; there isn’t any work that needs doing and we’re surrounded by people also taking their first steps which creates a community feel. Plus we plan to be here for a long time so wanted room to grow, so the Rochester was ideal.”
