New Braidwater homeowners Nathan Sweeney and Kirsty Doherty recently completed a life-changing step by moving into their first home together and they ‘couldn’t be happier!’
Nathan and Kirsty pictured outside their new home at Beech Hill View.
For this couple, together now for over 10 years, it was a dream come true after years of waiting.
‘It’s been a dream for years, and now it’s finally real!’ shares Kirsty, a nurse at Altnagelvin Hospital.
The pair, from the Waterside and Eglinton, had been living with their parents before they decided, last year, that the timing was right. Taking that first step of getting their finances in order was significant, and they met with John Duffy from Smart Mortgages to guide them.
‘We were new to it all, but John really helped us through each step,’ says Nathan, who works for Fintru, ‘and he made everything feel easy. Before we knew it, things were moving.’
When they walked into Donnybrook to enquire about a home, they found themselves third on the list.
‘Only two homes were available, and we were so disappointed,’ Kirsty recalls.
But within a week, they received an unexpected call saying a home had become available.
‘It felt surreal – it was like it was meant to be’ added Nathan.
For the happy couple, moving into a Braidwater home held special meaning as Kirsty explained: ‘We would always drive by Beech Hill View and would say to each other how it would be lovely to live there in one of the beautiful red-brick homes.’
‘‘After reserving our plot, we were able to see our house go up from the foundation level all the way through to completion. Seeing it come together, piece-by-piece, made it feel like ours before we even moved in.’
Their journey didn’t stop there; they took full advantage of Braidwater’s upgrade options.
‘It was incredible to be able to select everything ourselves and anytime we wanted to make changes or add something, Braidwater was so accommodating.’
The happy couple pictured relaxing in their new kitchen.
Finally, on move-in day, Nathan and Kirsty experienced the joy they had been waiting for.
‘The day we got the keys was unreal. We even stayed that first night with no blinds up because we just couldn’t wait,’ Kirsty recalls, laughing. ‘It was the best feeling, finally having our own space, our own home.’
2024 has been a whirlwind year for the couple. They got engaged in February, applied for the mortgage, and received the keys to their dream home by June.
‘Everything just fell into place,’ Nathan reflects. ‘We now come home after work to our own place and we couldn’t be happier with our new Braidwater home!’
Braidwater is proud to have been a part of Nathan and Kirsty’s journey, from the initial steps of planning to the moment they opened the doors to their first home. Another remarkable journey, helping to turn a long-held dream into reality.