First Home = Forever Home for Family Buyers at Hareshill

Veronica and her husband Mark lived in Hong Kong and Toronto before finding their dream home at Hareshill in Crookham Village, Hampshire. Housewife Veronica (40) and Mark (41) – a financial advisor with his own business - had rented for years, but took under two hours to reserve their property off-plan when they discovered Hareshill, from luxury housebuilder Berkeley.

“We reserved our home at the very start of the second phase of the development at Hareshill,” recalls Veronica. “It was just a site map, a floorplan and a patch of land at that point – but we had fallen in love with the area and knew that Hareshill would perfectly meet our needs in terms of property size and quality.”

Hareshill is a community of beautifully designed, traditional homes in the idyllic village of Crookham, just a five-minute drive from the centre of the popular Hampshire town of Fleet. Surrounded by rolling green countryside, Hareshill combines a picturesque setting with a family-friendly location, just a short walk from the beautiful Edenbrook Country Park. Edged with native trees and encompassing an ancient copse and four beautiful ponds, Hareshill provides homes nestled in the midst of green pathways, nature and play areas. 

Veronica and Mark reserved a four-bedroom, detached home at Hareshill in March 2022. It was the family-friendly appeal of the area that encouraged Veronica and Mark to put down roots for themselves and their seven-year-old daughter, after renting locally for the past five years.

“We rented a three-bedroom semi-detached home just two minutes from Hareshill for a number of years,” explains Veronica. “We love how welcoming the area feels and our daughter is very settled in school here. The local schools are excellent, from nursery all the way through to secondary.”

After years in a rented home where the bedrooms were rather small, the family are now enjoying the sense of space and luxury for which Berkeley’s homes are renowned. Their new, four-bedroom property provides plenty of space for a guest room and a home office, which is ideal for Mark, who runs his own business and is based at home. 

Veronica and Mark had already considered Hareshill when they first began their property search, but as all the homes in the first phase had sold out due to popularity, their only option was to wait for the next phase. As soon as the second phase of homes launched, the couple dived in and reserved their dream home. 

“Buying off-plan at such an early stage meant we could experience the entire process of the house being built,” comments Veronica. “Berkeley was just commencing the groundworks when we reserved. We drove past the site every day on the school run, so we saw our house take shape from the very first brick.”

Reserving early meant the couple could choose kitchen and bathroom options, ensuring the house turned out to be precisely aligned with their tastes. Veronica recalls: 

“It turned out just as we imagined. It felt strange – in a good way! – when we first walked into the built property and saw the high quality of all the hard work that had gone into it. Berkeley were very good throughout the process. It was all very easy to reserve our home and they kept us wonderfully informed throughout the build process. The service was very attentive and accessible, as is the after sales care. And the fact that our home is so well-crafted means we don’t have any maintenance or DIY worries, which is a major bonus.”

Reserving at the start of the second phase meant the family had their pick of the available properties. They chose a home overlooking one of Hareshill’s pretty ponds – a feature that Veronica loves. She comments:

“Our view is exceptional. We were drawn to the setting as soon as we looked at the plans and it’s absolutely stunning, especially at sunset when the water catches the light.”

Veronica and Mark moved into their home in September 2023 and are loving being part of the Hareshill community. 

“Everyone is friendly,” remarks Veronica. “We just feel so comfortable here. Hareshill is a really lovely, welcoming place. We’ve got to know our neighbours and they keep an eye on the house for us when we’re away – it’s a great community to be part of.”

Homes at Hareshill range from one to five bedrooms, with prices starting from £475,000. The homes are just five minutes’ drive from the shops and restaurants of Fleet, while direct trains reach London Waterloo in as little as 40 minutes. 

For further information, please visit Hareshill.