Lockdown results in Bridge of Don family finding forever home in Grandhome

For the MacKenzie family, lockdown kick-started an unexpected house move to their forever home in Grandhome.

Erin MacKenzie, her partner Billy, two young children and dog lived in Bridge of Don and were aware of the new community of Grandhome, located on the outskirts of the area, but hadn’t considered a move. It wasn’t until lockdown last year that they recognised the need for more space for the increasing amount of time being spent at home. After browsing photographs of the AJC showhome in the community later that spring, Erin was blown away by the property and lifestyle opportunities available in the community and convinced Billy to take a look.

Speaking of the move, Erin said: “We weren’t really considering a move, but with the lockdown earlier in the year we were spending so much time at home and with two young children and a dog in a two bedroom property, we knew we needed much more space.

“Most of our family and friends live in Bridge of Don, and the children’s nursery is there, so it was important to us that we stayed local. As soon as we saw the AJC home and got a feel for Grandhome, we didn’t consider moving anywhere else. Grandhome provides the extra family living space for us, while still being close to all of our important facilities.

“After visiting the showhome, we had narrowed down our choice to two plots and opted for the Glenfinnan housetype which already had flooring and fixtures installed, but many other aspects such as tiles and worktops could be chosen based on our preferences. It was really exciting to have a really good quality new build home but also a blank canvas that we could make our own.

“Our two kids were also really excited about the move and couldn’t wait to visit their new home. Their bedrooms were the first rooms to be decorated, going with the themes of their favourite films, including Toy Story and Frozen.

“As a young family, it made sense for us to move at this point in our life and Grandhome was the place for us – we knew we would benefit from the vast amount of green space and parks, the friendly community and close proximity to town and country. There are lots of younger kids living around us, and a friend of mine recently moved in next door whose children are of similar age.

“Despite lockdowns, we’ve already had a great experience living at Grandhome. There’s plenty of green space and the Davidston Square pavilion really helps bring it all together. The Christmas light display at the pavilion really helped bring a festive feel to the community, and we’re looking forward to the day when community events can be held there.

“Last year was a particularly difficult time but the process of buying a new home couldn’t have been more straight-forward, thanks to the AJC team. From providing us with initial information when we were thinking of buying the home, to easing worries when we were moving, AJC made everything really easy. We had a mortgage advisor, Alaina from McLean Financial Services, who spoke directly with the housebuilder, and both were really accommodating.

“Lockdown introduced some hurdles in the process, but from first seeing the property on Facebook in May, we went on to reserve the home in July and put our house up for sale right away. We moved into the new home in November and have loved every minute since.”