MEET DAMIAN & NARELLE RICHARDS.
\nSpring is well and truly here and there\u2019s been plenty happening at Ashbury over the past few months.\u00a0
\nNow home to over 1,000 people, the thriving, vibrant community is literally growing by the day. And future residents, Damian and Narelle Richards, can\u2019t wait to join them.
\nFor the past 17 years, the couple have been renting in Torquay, where they and their young family made the most of the relaxed, coastal lifestyle. Keen to live a little closer to their daughters\u2019 secondary school in Geelong while still staying close to the coast, the first-time home buyers purchased land in Stage 15B in December last year. Currently in the process of building a family home at Ashbury, they couldn’t be more excited about taking the next step in their life journey.
\nWe took this opportunity to chat with Damian to discover what made the couple choose Ashbury.
\nThere are so many factors to consider when purchasing land and building your own house. What made you choose Ashbury?
\n\u201cThere are so many physical things to like about Ashbury from its fantastic masterplan to the sensational location close to the city, but still just down the road from some of Victoria\u2019s best beaches. At the end of the day though, our decision was really based on gut feel. We just loved Ashbury\u2019s overwhelming sense of community, and the sense that this was our chance to join a quality, homely neighbourhood.
\nAt a practical level Ashbury was also really affordable, with plenty of decent sized blocks available, made even more enticing at the time we purchased thanks to a cash rebate offer, if settlement was on time!\u201d
\nThe sales process can sometimes be a pretty overwhelming and daunting process. What were your biggest challenges? And how have the Ashbury Sales Team helped you and supported you along the way?
\n\u201cProbably the biggest challenge we faced throughout the entire process arose right at the outset \u2013Stage 15 was selling so quickly, we had barely any time to make a decision about whether to buy the specific block we wanted, get the land titled, settle and appoint a builder prior to end of 2020 \u2013 all so we could qualify for the $25,000 Federal Government Homebuilder Grant. It all added up to an incredibly stressful 2 months and believe me, we\u2019re both very glad that\u2019s in the past.
\nThroughout the process, Sharee and Matt from the Ashbury Land Sales Office were superstars. Not only were they incredibly supportive and knowledgeable, most importantly, they were endlessly patient and more than happy to help us \u2018first timers\u2019 out with many silly questions.
\n\u201cObtaining developer approval for our proposed fa\u00e7ade in the limited timeframe available was also tricky, given the Homebuilder clock was ticking and we needed to complete our slab within 6 months of signing the building contract. Without developer approval, we wouldn\u2019t have stood a chance of doing this. But Sharee was so helpful about following up on our behalf. In fact, she was far more effective than our builder, and thanks to her prompt actions, we were able to meet \u2013 and beat, the deadline.\u201d
\nHow did you decide what you wanted to build?
\n\u201cWe wanted a design with a floorplan which would maximise our block\u2019s aspect and capture the maximum amount of daylight.\u201d
\nWho is your builder and how did you select them?
\n\u201cWhile we looked at several different builders, ultimately, we went with the ABN Group\u2019s Homebuyers Centre, based on all the quality inclusions in their home designs.\u201d
\nAny tips for anyone thinking about building their own home?
\n\u201cDefinitely! Like any big decision, the best advice is to do your homework up front and research, research, research. Work out exactly what you want in terms of inclusions and whether they \u2018re right for you, because each block of land is so specific, in terms of orientation and aspect, making it really important to select a home design with a floorplan that will allow you make the most of yours.\u201d
\nWhen do you expect to move into your new home?
\n\u201cAt this stage we hope to move in, in November this year \u2013 just in time for summer, fingers crossed.\u201d
\nWhat are you most looking forward to about living at Ashbury?
\n\u201cWell, we\u2019re looking forward to lots of things, but we\u2019re definitely really excited about the masterplan, with all those playing fields and open spaces \u2013 perfect for an active family like ours. We\u2019re also excited about joining and becoming part of such a lovely, friendly, welcoming community.\u201d
\nWould you recommend Ashbury to your friends and family? And if yes, what would you tell them?
\n\u201cAbsolutely! We were actually introduced to Ashbury by some friends, ourselves. So, we always encourage people to do what we did, to take a drive through the Estate and check it out \u2013 and when you do, you\u2019ll soon understand its appeal and why it\u2019s shaping up as one of Armstrong Creek\u2019s most popular addresses.\u201d
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