First-time buyer finds her peace of mind at Apsley Quay in Hemel Hempstead

Buying a first home is often an overwhelming time of joy, excitement and often stress for most, but for first-time buyer Samantha Gray, buying her new home at Bellway’s Apsley Quay in Hemel Hempstead came with a long-awaited sigh of relief, at the end of a difficult journey.

In March 2020, the 37-year-old sales consultant and freelance photographer was only two weeks away from purchasing her first home in London when the pandemic hit, and she found herself without a new home to move into and no home to go back to.

Through this period of stress and uncertainty, she again set about the search for a new place to live – and found the safe haven she had been looking for at Apsley Quay, where she moved into a one-bedroom apartment in May this year.

Samantha said: “With all the excitement and naivety of buying my first property, I gave in my notice for my house share in Wimbledon and then when my sale fell through due to Covid, I found myself homeless and couch surfing for over a year during a global pandemic.

“I was expecting to be more excited when I got the keys for my new home, but because of the past year all I felt was the relief of finally being in my own place.”

Samantha was also impressed by the experience she had of buying a home with the Bellway sales team at Apsley Quay.

She said: “I can’t fault the customer service I received from the team at Apsley Quay, they were fantastic.

"At one point I worried I was bothering the Bellway team with too many questions, but they were all so accommodating and attentive towards me.”

Apsley Quay is a development of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, which enjoys a scenic canalside setting in Apsley, just two miles away from the town centre.

Samantha’s new home has an open-plan kitchen/living/dining room, with modern fitted appliances and a balcony.

She said: “I had been looking at new builds for a number of years and when I saw Apsley Quay, it stood out to me the most.

"I noticed that it had a lovely outdoor space and communal gardens. This drew me in the most as I am hoping it will offer a friendly and sociable community to live in.”

The apartments, which have been highly popular among first-time buyers and commuters, are also just 10-minutes’ walk from Apsley train station, providing regular services to Watford Junction and London Euston in around 30 minutes.

Samantha said: “I like that I am conveniently close to the train station, so I can easily get into central London to see friends, or commute into the office.

“It’s the best of both worlds – beautiful green spaces, a brand-new home, good amenities and shops close by - all with great access to transport should I need it. It’s a no brainer!

“I am one of the many people over the last year who has looked to move to greener surroundings.

"I hated living and working in the concrete jungle of London City and found myself going on peaceful walks whenever I visited family who live in greener areas.

“Besides falling in love with the peaceful atmosphere of being outside London, the pandemic also taught me the importance of being closer to family, which is another reason why I chose to live here.”

Explaining what her new life is like in Hemel Hempstead, Samantha said: “Since moving in, my mental health is so much better as I finally have some independence and stability, which means the world to me.

"I love going for walks along the scenic canal and being near the countryside, but also love how close I am to the shopping centre should I need anything”.

“I can also put much more time into my freelance work now that I have a permanent base.

"Hertfordshire has plenty of wedding venues, so I am looking forward to finding more work and building up my wedding photography business.”

Describing what she has enjoyed most about living in her new home, Samantha added: “Being able to nail a piece of art to my wall was a truly monumental day for me – being a homeowner has given me that freedom to do small, but meaningful things like that.”

There is a range of one, two and three-bedroom apartments currently available at Apsley Quay. For more information, visit bellway.co.uk or call the sales team on 01442 331285.