Buyers’ wait to move into first homes
IN NORMAL times, buying a house is one of the most stressful things you can do.
With the viewings, mortgage applications and inevitable delays it’s not an easy process.
But now young first-time buyers have been hit by the coronavirus lockdown, making the process even more arduous.
One young couple’s move into their new home has been pushed back by months.
Hannah Robins and partner Jamie Hopkins were about to exchange contracts for their first new home when the lockdown came into effect.
Hannah, 23, said: “We were just at the exchanging contracts stage and we were due to be completed by June or July.
“We were gutted and just felt let down. We were really excited. It’s a really tough process going through a mortgage application, and then this.”
Now the couple remain living with Hannah’s parents and are still unsure exactly when they can get the keys to their new home in Tonyrefail.
The pair were in the process of purchasing a property on the Parc Eirin development.
Developer Morganstone confirmed at the beginning of the lockdown that it would temporarily close its sites.
At the time managing director Ian Morgan said: “In light of the continued and growing threat of coronavirus, our main priority is to maintain and safeguard the health and wellbeing of our employees, clients, visitors to our sites and head office, extended workforce, supply chain and their families. As such, we have taken the unprecedented decision to temporarily suspend our operations.”
Hannah said they are still waiting to hear exactly when they will be able to move in, but they are looking at a two- or three-month delay once work starts up.
She said: “It’s all up in the air. It’s OK some days, everything feels fine and quite positive and then other days there’s a lot to think about and it’s harder.”
It comes as the pair are also planning their wedding, set to go ahead in Greece this August.
Meanwhile, Chloe Davies has never even seen the house she’s planning to buy due to the lockdown.
The 28-year-old was due to see her house in Radyr for the first time on March 18.
She said: “That was cancelled due to the virus. Therefore, as of this moment, I have never seen the house I am buying.
“I was due to view the house on a ‘hard-hat visit’ and then exchange. I believe the property had a couple of weeks’ work left, then we would have been working towards completion.”
On April 27, Redrow said it would start to reopen some of its sites from this week of May 11, with a phased return to work from next Monday.
Chloe was due to purchase a property at the Parc Plymouth development in Radyr.
Despite the setbacks, Chloe said Redrow, her solicitor, and her mortgage lender have kept her updated and the delays mean she can keep saving.
She said: “As a first-time buyer I am extremely excited about everything involving my new home. Even though it is frustrating as we were working towards an end-ofMay completion date (obviously now delayed) I am conscious of the pandemic we are facing.”
It comes after one major housebuilder announced plans to start a phased reopening on its construction sites, with preparation works starting earlier this week.
Barratt and David Wilson Homes said four sites across south Wales were reopening including Maes Y Deri in Cardiff, Chapel Field in Loughor, near Swansea, and St Michael’s Gate in Llantarnam, Cwmbran.
Also opening up again is the Barratt/David Wilson Homes site at Scholars Park in Dinas Powys, on the outskirts of Cardiff. Work is being prioritised on already-sold plots at advanced stages of construction.