Lifelong Londoners move out of capital and feel right at home in Halstead, Essex
Publication Date: 27-01-2026 09:00
Lifelong Londoners move out of capital and feel right at home in Halstead, Essex
A couple who have moved out of London to Halstead in Essex after living in the same house for 39 years felt instantly at home in their new Bellway house as soon as they moved in.
Ann and Kevin Young have no regrets about leaving their three-bedroom 1930s terrace house in Highams Park, Waltham Forest. They even say they never felt quite so ‘at home’ in their old place as they do now in their new-build property at Bellway’s Oakfields Park development.
Ann, 65, a self-employed bookkeeper and Kevin, 67, who retired from his job as a driver with the London Borough of Waltham Forest this summer, moved into their new four-bedroom detached house in September.
Ann said: “This feels like home, which we didn’t feel about our old house. We bought it 39 years ago after we had sold our little flat. We bought it because it had a huge garage and a nice garden and it suited our needs, and because of work and parents we stayed there."
The couple have many friends and connections in that area of London – Kevin grew up in Highams Park and Ann not far away in Walthamstow. However, living on a fairly busy road, and with the area itself getting ever busier, they decided to move somewhere quieter and leave the hustle and bustle of the capital behind.
Ann said: “Highams Park was very good and it’s a popular, busy area with lots going on but it’s for the next generation. So, for that generation it’s great but we are coming out the other side of that.
“Now friends have come up to see us here and they say it’s just so much quieter and a really pleasant area. They can see what drew us here. I do go back once a month to meet friends and go to a flower club, or visit clients, but I don’t have any reservations or regrets about moving.”
They initially started thinking about relocating to this part of Essex to be nearer to Kevin’s mum, in Braintree. She sadly died in December 2024, but the couple were still keen to settle in the area. They liked the feel of Halstead as a town, and they have some good friends who moved to the area during the pandemic.
Ann and Kevin looked around at houses for sale but did not find anything suitable. Then their friends heard about Bellway’s Oakfields Park development and suggested they pay it a visit.
Buying a new build made sense as they did not want to move somewhere that needed a lot of repairs, DIY or remodelling.
They went to Oakfields Park on the launch day in January 2024, and were shown around the showhome, which was in Bellway’s four-bedroom Sculptor house style.
“As soon as we walked into the showhome we knew it was something we really liked and felt at home,” said Ann.
The modern layout features an open-plan kitchen/dining room, downstairs cloakroom, and en suite to the main bedroom and these were all things they did not have in their old home.
They decided that was the style of house they wanted, but as the sale of their own home took some time with an initial buyer having to pull out, they could not reserve the plot they wanted until a year later.
In January 2025 they reserved their home on the edge of the development and were able to follow its build progress and choose the flooring, and the kitchen and bathroom fixtures and fittings.
The couple received an incentive of £7,000 from Bellway which paid almost half of their Stamp Duty costs. Bellway also included in the package flooring, a shower over the bath, some tiling and a wardrobe for the main bedroom. Ann and Kevin bought the house outright for £515,000 having sold their old home for £645,000 and are mortgage free.
They were pleased and impressed with the customer service they received from the sales and site teams, especially sales advisor Estelle Taylor and Site Manager Mark Watson.
“We were very grateful for the team we had working with us at Bellway. We have had so much support from them, so a big thank you to them,” said Ann.
“Estelle has been an absolute treasure and a delight. She and Mark have been the kindest and most efficient and loveliest people you could wish to meet. They have been super.
“Estelle kept in touch throughout to see how we were doing and how our sale was progressing. She was excellent. She chased the solicitors and kept in touch with our estate agents and did a fantastic job.”
The couple moved into their home, along with their Old English Sheepdog Toby, in September and are enjoying their new location, where there are plenty of routes for dog walking.
They are also finding it’s a friendly place.
Ann said: “In Highams Park you just about know your immediate neighbours and people tend to keep their heads down, but here everyone is so different and so friendly. You actually talk to people and especially having a dog it means you meet a lot of people.”
Living in a new-build home for the first time has been a positive experience. Ann said: “It’s nice to be the first people to live here and put your own stamp on it. This house is so light and it’s lovely being the first owners.”
