A North Yorkshire couple are celebrating having got engaged and moved to the home of their dreams, both in a single day.
IT expert Ed Coghlan, 42, and his partner, mental health worker Laura Wood, 41, picked up the keys to their stunning, four-bedroom Salcombe home at Bishop’s Glade, Harron’s exclusive collection in the market city of Ripon, on 22nd July 2019.
Having previously lived in separate houses – Ed’s in Harrogate and Laura’s in Ripon – the couple had decided to purchase a bigger property to offer more space to their children, Chloe, 22, Daniel, 17, and William, seven, as well as their dog, Spud, and cat, Kitsen.
It was on the momentous day that the family were due to move into their new home at Bishop’s Glade, however, that Ed took the opportunity to ask for Laura’s hand in marriage.
“Ed handed me the keys, and as I looked at them, I suddenly realised that the keyring had the words ‘Will You Marry Me?’ written on it,” Laura recounts, “and before I knew what was happening, he was down on one knee.
“I honestly had no idea that he was intending to propose, so it completely caught me off guard, though I was of course delighted and said ‘yes’!”
“I’d been planning to propose for about a month,” Ed adds, “and felt as though popping the question on the day that we moved in would be the perfect moment.
“Naturally, I was very nervous, though I wanted to do the right thing by being traditional, and it couldn’t have been better.”
The couple are now setting their sights on tying the knot in 2021, and are more immediately planning to host an engagement party at their new home.
“What first attracted us to Bishop’s Glade was how well laid out the development is,” they explain, “and we felt that each property had its own, unique sense of space.
“The Salcombe itself was perfect for us as it is particularly spacious, and we loved the fact it has two sitting rooms, meaning the kids can get a bit of time away from us – and vice versa!
“On top of that, the house has great views onto the surrounding woodland, and the location is so convenient for our needs, especially Laura’s work, which is just around the corner.”
Set across two versatile storeys, the Salcombe boasts a light and airy living room, a dual-aspect kitchen/diner with French doors leading to the private rear garden, a dedicated family room, a handy utility room, and a guest cloakroom.
Upstairs is home to four good-sized bedrooms, including the luxurious en-suite master bedroom, which comes complete with its very own dressing area, and a stylish family bathroom.
In order to reserve the Salcombe, the family utilised the popular Part Exchange scheme, which allowed Ed’s existing property to be sold to Harron at an agreed price.
“The offer that Harron made to purchase the property was reasonable, and as a result, the whole deal was done and dusted within the space of three or four days,” Ed continues.
“This really took the stress away from the process of finding a buyer, and enabled us to focus on moving into the new house.
“It’s fair to say it felt like home almost immediately, and we’ve settled into life at Bishop’s Glade so well – William is even making friends with some of the other kids on the development, which is really lovely to see!”
Dinah Stephenson, Sales and Marketing Director for Harron Homes Yorkshire, said: “Moving to a new home is always going to be one of the most significant events of anyone’s life – and that’s even without getting engaged at the same time!
“We are delighted by Ed and Laura’s fantastic news, and are proud to have been a part of such a special day for them.
“On behalf of everyone at Harron, I would like to say a huge congratulations to them, and wish them all the very best for the future.”
There is currently a range of four and five-bedroom homes available to reserve at Bishop’s Glade, with prices starting from £359,995 and £534,995 respectively.
Bishop’s Glade is situated in Ripon, HG4 2TP, and the showhomes and Marketing Suite are open Thursday to Monday between 10.30am and 5.30pm, while the Sales team is contactable on 01765 600623.
To find out more about Harron Homes, go to www.harronhomes.co.uk.