Newlyweds Lauren Docherty and Paul Carruthers have had the year of their lives with their beautiful wedding and the purchase of their first family home at Calderwood Village.
Lauren and Paul had been living in Paul’s flat for four years and with their May 2019 wedding less than 12 months away, they felt ready to move into a proper family home together. Lauren, 26, and Paul, 33, are local to Coatbridge and were hoping to stay in the area. With a focus on new developments, as owning a new build home had long been a dream of Lauren’s, the couple visited Dundas Estates’ Calderwood Village development and knew straight away it was where they wanted to buy.
Lauren, a civil servant, said: "We wanted to buy somewhere that was modern, homely and had a nice, welcoming feel to it. We looked at other developers but Dundas Estates was far superior in our opinion. I think our initial visit to the show home, where we met the sales advisor, Gail, made our minds up instantly. Many of the other developers didn’t really show an interest in us, and they weren’t interested in answering our questions, which for me was crucial. This was such a big decision and we wanted to make sure we were buying the perfect home for our future together!"
Once Lauren and Paul decided on Calderwood Village, they needed to choose which house was right for them. Gail discussed the options based on their budget and lifestyle and they landed on the three-bed, detached Carnegie. Downstairs, the house has a generous lounge with double doors leading out to the garden, and a well-proportioned kitchen/diner. Upstairs, the master bedroom has an en-suite shower room and his and hers built-in wardrobes.
Lauren commented: “The Carnegie house type was our first choice so we were thrilled it was available. I loved the idea of having a kitchen/diner on one side and a living room on the other and all of the rooms are so spacious and let in lots of natural light in, which is a must for me!” The couple were also able to personalise their home, which made the process even more special for them. “We opted for the white high gloss upgrade in our kitchen. I think it just looks so classy against the dark grey worktops and is really easy to keep clean, which is a bonus. The personalisation in our home is something we are really proud of and we get so many comments on how it looks both outside and in,” added Lauren.
Homeowners know buying can be stressful, but fortunately Dundas supported Lauren and Paul through the process and made the experience a positive one. Lauren said: “The experience with Dundas was 10/10 and the process of buying our house was completely seamless! Although Paul had bought before, I was a first-time buyer so I was expecting to be totally overwhelmed but Dundas, the lawyers and mortgage advisers were with us every step of the way. We have built a lovely friendship with Gail and for that we are really grateful. We received weekly updates and we knew that Gail was only ever a phone call away and was willing to help with anything and everything.”
The busy couple have been in their new home since January and they have loved every minute of it.
Lauren said: “Paul works in the energy sector and I do make-up part time as well as my full-time job, which I love because of the social aspect and getting to meet new people. We’re busy with work and spending time with friends and family, so having our home to relax in is really special.
“My husband and I worked so hard to save up for our dream home and now that we are finally in, it makes it all worthwhile. There are so many great reasons to own a home of your very own that you can’t put a price on. For one, it leaves you feeling empowered and independent, and it also gives you a place to safely raise a family, and be a part of a community.”
“Calderwood Village is near a retail park and a number of other shops, and the motorway makes it a lot easier to get to work in the morning. As you drive into the Village, it just looks amazing and has such a nice feel to it. Now that we’re married and have our house, we’re just so happy and can’t wait to create a lifetime of memories.”