New homeowner finds the perfect house in Houghton Regis – and the ideal location to expand her business

Sandra Abbo is a director of The Lash Lounge, a salon that specialises in lash and brow treatments as well as beauty, nails and make-up. It has branches in Watford and Hemel Hempstead and now Houghton Regis

Sandra had decided to buy a new-build home at Bellway’s Linmere Gateway development and in conversation with the sales advisor during the homebuying process, she became aware there was a unit available at Linmere’s business hub at The Farmstead – and she realised that it would be the perfect for location for a new branch.

The new salon opened in February, with Sandra moving into her new home the following month.

She said: “The reason I found a place for our new salon is because of Bellway. If it wasn’t for the Bellway sales advisor, I wouldn’t have known there was a unit in The Farmstead available.

“The customer service from Bellway has genuinely been incredible. The sales advisors have been so helpful. They are always there to answer any questions and are just a phone call away.

“Their attitude has been so professional throughout the process, and they have been as excited for me as if they were buying their own home.”

Sandra was drawn to Bellway because she had previous experience of one of their properties when she lived at a friend’s house for two years.

In fact, as soon as she saw the images of Linmere Gateway and the three-bedroom Thespian house online, she knew it was the right place for her without seeing the price or even setting foot in the house.

More recently she had been renting an older house in Hemel Hempstead and she was keen to move to somewhere that had more green space around it. Buying a new build was also a priority as she doesn’t have time to renovate and redecorate a property.

She looked at several developments, but none of the others felt like home. Once she saw the Bellway scheme the decision was made.

She appreciates the layout of her new home and its location within the development. “I love that it’s double fronted and detached, and I especially like how when I look out of my front room I see greenery,” she said. “It’s the perfect place to come home to after working long hours. I can completely shut off and relax.”

Sandra chose elements of the interior finish such as flooring and kitchen fittings, so that she could make it more personal to her taste – and making the move to homeowner has worked well for her.

She said: “You get more for your money this way. I am paying the same amount as renting, but I get an extra bedroom and an en suite shower room in addition to the bathroom and downstairs cloakroom.”

The Bellway development is part of the wider Linmere neighbourhood on the northern edge of the town, and Sandra took one of the new business units within the scheme, at The Farmstead, where there’s also a café. It’s the perfect location for a third outlet for The Lash Lounge, which employs more than 30 people across all three sites.

Linmere Gateway suits Sandra’s working week, because, as well as being so near to the new salon, it is only around 20 minutes from the Watford and Hemel Hempstead outlets.

Sandra says it felt surreal when she was handed the keys and the property became hers, but once she moved her things in, it felt like home.

The neighbours in the properties either side of her have not yet moved in, but she is getting to know people on the development as new residents have been coming to her salon.

“I feel very lucky to have had the experience I’ve had buying my new home. I would always recommend Bellway to friends and family,” she said.

There are currently two-bedroom apartments and three and four-bedroom houses for sale at Linmere Gateway, with prices starting from £235,000.

To find out more about the development visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/northern-home-counties/linmere-gateway or call the sales team on 01582 228117.