Saving money and spreading joy
Kehinde and Ifedolapo
05 Dec 2024

Keen to make their budget spread as far as possible, Kehinde and Ifedolapo have moved into an energy efficient home at Hartshead View in Oldham - just in time for Christmas. 

For nurses, Kehinde (31) and Ifedolapo (27), finding a way to make home life more affordable was essential.

“With a one year-old daughter to provide for, we’d become frustrated with the energy bills we were paying in our rented property and began looking for a more energy efficient, new build home,” says Kehinde.

The homebuying wish list

Both based at a local hospital, their search brought them to Hartshead View in Oldham, a development by Countryside Homes, where they’re now the proud owners of a beautiful, brand new, three-bedroom, detached home. 

“The development is close to the hospital we work in and has good schools nearby, so it already ticked a lot of boxes for us - and the size, layout and standard of Countryside’s homes in particular really stood out. But it was the huge energy savings we’d make that sealed the deal.” 

Substantial energy savings

With an EPC rating of A (which is the best rating a home can have and means it is exceptionally energy efficient), the family’s new home has multiple energy saving features, including an A-rated boiler, low energy LED lighting and advanced insulation - it even comes with solar panels. 

Energy bills for new build homes are 58% cheaper (on average) than older properties so homeowners can expect to see savings of £2,400 each year.

What’s more, Kehinde and Ifedolapo found they were eligible for a Green Mortgage, a type of mortgage now offered by the majority of lenders on A or B rated properties, which typically have lower interest rates and more affordable mortgage payments.

Kehinde adds: “We knew we wanted somewhere spacious and didn’t want to carry out any renovations, so a new build was perfect for us, but we also needed somewhere that was energy efficient. 

“Keeping our bills down was a big priority, for both now and in the years to come, and we’ve saved even more than we realised was possible. It gives us real peace of mind and we’re able to just get on and enjoy life in our beautiful new home.”