We took a fast-lane way to move house

Jun 1 2008 Raymond Hainey

Truck driver John Anderson and wife Mary got fed up being on the road, so they upped sticks to a new bungalow.

The pair were among the first to take advantage of a new part-exchange scheme from builders Drumbow - meaning they moved into their three-bed home four weeks after signing on the dotted line.

John, 47, said: "We got the house we wanted with the right package. Moving was easy because of the part exchange.

"They got our old house surveyed, made an offer, I accepted and that was the last I heard of it. I didn't have to go through selling my house or pay legal fees."

HGV driver John and Mary, 53, a customer adviser with Sky TV, are delighted with their Mulberry-style home.

John said: "We wanted to buy for the long term - we've lived up and down stairs all our lives and wanted to live on one level."

The couple had lived in Airdrie but moved to Livingston, where Mary works, because she was fed up with the commuter grind every morning. But they didn't settle and started looking for somewhere convenient for both of their jobs and close to friends and family.

The Drumbow site at The Meadows, in Blackridge, West Lothian, ticked the boxes.

John said: "Blackridge is between Livingston and Airdrie so Mary doesn't have to travel that far.

"There's also a train station being built so the village will be on the main Edinburgh-to-Glasgow line in 2010 and that will help future property values.

"We didn't mind being further out as it's closer to where we're from. Blackridge is quite a small village and I like the idea of being out in the country."

John added: "The house is great - it's well laid out and room sizes are good compared to other builders we looked at.

"The build quality is above average - the house is well-finished and there were no major snagging issues."

Prices at The Meadows range from £92,995 for a one-bed flat to £230,000 for a four-bed detached villa. Call 01501 753574 or log on to www.drumbowhomes.co.uk