When interiors and lifestyle creator Claire, known as @scotlandhomeslifestyle, outgrew her two-bedroom apartment, she began looking for a home with more space, less maintenance and long-term flexibility. After viewing both older properties and new build homes, Claire chose a Cala new build home because of the spacious layout, energy-efficient design, established locations and move-in-ready finish. Cala’s Part Exchange service also helped make the move simpler by removing the uncertainty of selling on the open market.
Why Claire chose a new build Cala home
Claire says: “Although we’ve had positive experiences with new build homes in the past, we didn't limit our search. We viewed a wide range of properties, including older homes, determined to find the right fit regardless of age or style.
“However, time and time again, we found ourselves coming up against the same challenge. Many of the older properties we liked required significant work after purchase. For us, it never felt quite right spending a substantial amount of money to secure a house, only to face additional renovation costs and disruption once we'd moved in. We were also making offers on properties and being outbid.”
Why choose a new build home VS an older property?
For Claire, the main benefits of buying a new build home included:
• Part Exchange, a simpler way to sell their current home and reserve a new build.
• Energy efficiency, helping reduce running costs compared with many older homes.
• Lower maintenance, with no immediate renovation work or inherited DIY issues.
• Move-in-ready convenience, allowing the couple to settle in straight away.
• Modern layouts, with flexible spaces designed for contemporary family life.
These benefits aligned perfectly with what they were looking for as a family, with more benefits of buying a new build home versus an older property.
Soon, Claire started exploring showhomes in different local areas.
What made Cala stand out from other housebuilders?
Claire continues: “After viewing so many properties, Cala really stood out. We loved the layouts and overall design of the homes. The rooms felt spacious, practical and thoughtfully designed for modern family living.
“After seeing so many different developments, you begin to notice the details that signal genuine quality, and every Cala home we visited gave us that confidence.
“We were also instantly drawn to the local areas in which Cala were building, the developments were well thought out and in well-established communities, so you have plenty of amenities on your doorstep, instead of just homes in isolated places.”
Cala is proud to have been awarded the prestigious 5 Star rating from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) for the ninth-year running. This highly respected rating comes directly from the people who live in Cala homes.
In the HBF’s annual survey, more than 96% of Cala homeowners said they would recommend the homebuilder to their family and friends.
After making the decision to look only at new build homes and then choose their ideal development with Cala, Claire and her partner had to think about the logistics of moving and selling their current home.
How Cala's Part Exchange service simplified the move
Claire said: “We'd heard quite a few horror stories about people putting their homes on the market then buyers pulling out of sales and then potentially that property sitting on the market for months. We also didn’t want the opposite thing to happen where we sold our flat very quickly and then had to rent in between the move.”
The couple had a conversation with the Cala sales team which is when the idea of using Part Exchange was introduced. Simply put, Cala acts as a cash buyer for your current home, removing the stress of selling on the open market. Potential purchasers can then trade up and buy a brand-new Cala home without any risks of a chain, no chances of delay and saving on additional costs.
Claire adds: “Straight away we knew this was going to take away the stress of selling plus we had no estate fees or Home Report costs to pay. We got the keys early because there was no chain and it meant that we could take our time and actually enjoy moving into our new house.
“So, when we were offered Part Exchange, it was definitely a no brainer, especially when we were offered a fair price for our flat.”
Settling into a new build family home
Thanks to Cala’s Part Exchange service, the couple were able to focus on the house move and think about how they can transform this blank canvas into their new home.
Claire continued: “What surprised me most about our Cala new build was how quickly it felt like home. I thought it would take a while to feel homely, but that wasn’t the case at all and now I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
One of the benefits Claire mentions is the natural light throughout the house especially at the back of the home as well as the layout and design. The rear of the home is open plan and features her living and dining areas whilst she has a separate kitchen at the front of the home where they can just close the door after cooking. Not to mention the number of storage spaces but Claire said her last new build home missed.
She said: “There are so many different parts of the house that I’m so excited to style including the main bedroom, I’m looking forward to adding statement pieces of furniture. Having visited so many Cala showhomes has really given us so much inspiration for how we can style our home.”
Frequently asked questions about buying a new build home with Part Exchange
What are the benefits of buying a new build home?
New build homes can offer energy-efficient features, modern layouts, lower maintenance and a move-in-ready finish, plus the offer of Part Exchange means you can avoid the hassle of selling, with no frustrating chains or agent fees – we help take care of it all.
Is a new build home a good choice for upsizing?
For buyers moving from a smaller property, a new build can offer more flexible living space, additional bedrooms, private outdoor space and less immediate work after moving in.
How does Part Exchange work when buying a new build home?
With Part Exchange, the housebuilder buys your existing property, helping reduce the uncertainty of selling on the open market and removing the risk of a chain.
Can you move into a new build home more quickly with Part Exchange?
Part Exchange can help simplify timings because there is no onward buyer chain for your existing home, although timescales depend on the property and purchase circumstances.
Follow Claire’s home journey as they move into their dream family home on Instagram or TikTok.
To view Cala’s new build homes, visit www.cala.co.uk/homes-for-sale/.
