Young couple buy first home one year ahead of schedule thanks to help from Bellway

A young couple are excited to be taking their first step on the property ladder after reserving a new home at Bellway’s Chestnut Vale development in Wellingborough.

Jacob Southgate, 23, and Harmony Pearce, 26, are due to pick up the keys to their new two-bedroom semi-detached Joiner house this month (June 2026).

The couple, who have been living with Jacob’s parents in Sharnbrook for the past year, reserved the property in February – just two weeks after beginning the search for their own place.

They have been together for three-and-half years and rented a place together in Houghton Regis, where Harmony’s parents live, before deciding to move in with Jacob’s parents last year to help them save towards a deposit.

And after receiving a deposit contribution from Bellway, the couple were able to purchase their home almost a year earlier than would otherwise have been the case.

They already had a good idea of what they were looking for and it only took a couple of viewings inside a Joiner plot to convince them that this was the right house for them.

Jacob, who works as a sales advisor in the new homes industry, said: “We knew we wanted to be in this area because the prices are more affordable than Bedford. We also knew we wanted to buy new because of the convenience, the price, the incentives and the fact that no-one has lived in it before.

“We were thinking of either two or three bedrooms but when we looked at the plans for the Joiner we realised it had everything we needed. It was the layout that really appealed more than anything. The other two-bedroom houses had the living room at the back whereas the Joiner has the living room at the front and an open-plan kitchen-diner at the back which I really like. There’s a better flow to the house and in the summer we’ll be able to open up the French doors, get the barbecue out and have friends round.”

The couple are planning to use the second bedroom as a dressing room and potentially a study space, which will be particularly handy for Harmony who is currently spending a lot of time doing coursework for her job as a nursery practitioner.

“With the two of us currently living in one room, it’s quite hectic with clothes everywhere, so it will be really good to have that extra space,” said Jacob.

The couple purchased their new home for £265,000, receiving a deposit contribution of £12,500 from Bellway which enabled them to put down a 10 per cent deposit.

“The plan was always to put down 10 per cent so without the contribution from Bellway we would have waited as the monthly mortgage payments would have been too much. It would probably have taken us another eight to 12 months to save up what we needed so this has helped us to buy our own place much sooner.”

The couple also received free flooring, turf and kitchen appliances, including a dishwasher, washer-dryer, and fridge-freezer. “When we move in, it all will be there ready to use,” said Jacob.

While affordability was a major factor in the couple choosing to move to Chestnut Vale – “If we were to buy in Bedford, it would have been over £300,000,” said Jacob – there’s much more to the location than that. And the move will only add a few minutes to their daily commutes – to Bedford for Harmony and to Harlington for Jacob.

Jacob said: “It’s a 20-minute walk into Wellingborough town centre and there are good links to the A45 and the M1. There will be local shops within walking distance and there’s the country park which is part of the development. One place I’m sure we’ll be visiting a lot is Rushden Lakes which has got shops, restaurants and a cinema.”

Fitness enthusiast Jacob will be looking to sign up to a new gym in the town and is also toying with the idea of learning to jet-ski with nearby Nene Valley Waterski Club but admits he would need to buy a jet-ski first!

Jacob said the customer service they had received from Bellway sales advisor Paula had been excellent – all the way from their first appointment to look inside an incomplete Joiner plot to agreeing their incentives.

“She has been very helpful. She answered all our questions and really helped us understand everything.”

Jacob and Harmony have been to look at their new home four times now and the sense of anticipation is growing as it nears completion and their move-in date draws ever closer.

Jacob said: “I’m so excited. It will be a big moment and we’re counting down the days. We’re really looking forward to having our own space, somewhere that’s ours.”

A selection of two, three and four-bedroom houses are currently available to reserve at Chestnut Vale, with prices starting at £265,500 for a two-bedroom semi-detached Joiner house. For more information, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/northern-home-counties/chestnut-vale or call the sales team on 01933 558215.

Visit Bellway

Visit Ashberry homes