Despite its growing prominence in our everyday lives, there’s still an air of mystery surrounding the property development world. With their open-door approach and incredible knowledge, we sat down with the team at Habourwood Homes – specifically Owners Steve Courtney and Dean Gaffikin – to explore the possibilities of property development, with the landowner in the proverbial driving seat.
Q: Why would a landowner choose you?
Dean: “Throughout every step of the process we make them our priority. Our years of trade experience allow us unique insight into the industry – making for quicker decisions and ultimately speedier turnarounds on developments. We are a small business – and proud – which means we can confidently deliver consistency, quality and good communication with every project”.
Q: What are your priorities when it comes to a project?
Steve: “Aside from planning, it has to be design. We don’t want to just churn out ‘box houses’, so we work with the best in the business to make exciting and unique properties”.
PICTURED ABOVE: Planning submitted for the redevelopment of an existing bungalow in Hordle to help the current housing shortage and strengthen the community
Q: What excites you about the development industry?
Steve: “We really enjoy seeing a project go from nothing to this amazing finished product and we love to help landowners. The way we work, everyone wins. They get a premium for their land, and we get a site to develop, and furthermore more property for the community”.
Dean: “Of course it’s always nice to get permission granted too. It’s really a testament to our team’s skill and attention to detail, when submitting planning and we often get the desired results
first time”.
Q: What additional benefits would you offer to someone for selling his or her land to you?
Dean: “We are incredibly open. There is a kind of grey cloud surrounding developers, with this idea that we’re all a bit devious, but we like to be honest and as transparent as possible. Where we are a small business, without huge overheads, we can generally offer that little more
monetary wise too”.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
Steve: “We have just submitted planning for a site in Hordle. We have purchased a bungalow on a large piece of land. We intend to demolish the existing property and make way for two chalet homes, and three bungalows. We have also – assuming we achieve planning – worked with the adjacent homeowner, to purchase a piece of his unused land to go towards to new site. He is thrilled because he doesn’t have to maintain the desolate land and he also get’s a healthy sum for it too. We’ve also offered to create a brand new footpath for all local residents to use, making
the road safer”.
PICTURED ABOVE: The Salts is an exclusive development of two luxury four bed detached houses situated in a unique part of Hordle village. For more information contact: Mitchells Estate Agents on 01425 616411 or Hayward Fox on 01425 638656
Meet The Team
Steve Courtney and Dean Gaffkin, pride themselves on their jargon-free approach to property development. With years of advantageous experience in their own respective trade businesses, the duo takes a careful and considered approach to each and every project – forever putting the needs of landowners (and the surrounding neighbourhood) first.
For more information about how Harbourwood Homes can help you please contact:
e. steve.courtney@harbourwoodhomes.co.uk
t. 01202 879 196
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