Online shopping taken to new level as woman buys new home in Northumberland without having been to county

With the click of a mouse, she bought a Northumberland home she had never seen in a place she had never been to.

With the easing of travel restrictions, Rachel, who has lived near Tring in Hertfordshire for the past 21 years, drove the 276 miles to visit her new home near Druridge Bay this week.

Fortunately, she loved it and cannot wait to move in when the contemporary, barn style property at West Chevington Farm, is completed by developer, Platinum, in the late summer.

Rachel said: “For as long as I can remember, I have watched Grand Designs on TV and always dreamed of having my own place like that one day.

“After 30 years of holidaying in Devon and Cornwall, that is where I searched for the right property for the past year.

“There have been one or two candidates but nothing was quite perfect and having sold my old home a week before lockdown, I decided to widen the net.

“I went online and searched for ‘new build barns’ and up popped West Chevington.

“The quality of the design, the very high specification interiors and the proximity to a stunning coastline was everything I wanted.

“I had never been to Northumberland but people have raved about it.

“So I Google-toured the area to see amazing scenery and coastlines. It just seemed perfect for long dog walks, relaxation and getting away from it all.

“I suppose it was a huge leap of faith to reserve a home I have not seen, in a place I do not know but it felt so right I could not sleep until I had paid the reservation fee and secured the property. Now that I have seen it and explored the area a little, I know I was right.”

Sonali Craddock, marketing director with Platinum Assets, added: “It’s fantastic that Rachel had so much faith in our development just from looking at the plans online. I am sure she will be very happy here – although she and her dogs may need better coats for the winter beach walks.”

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