“At first, we considered a pre-owned home, but after experiencing a few issues and having constant work in our previous property, we opted to go down the new build route. New builds are so fresh and I find them much easier to keep clean too, which is ideal!

“We’re originally from South Africa where modern living and open-plan layouts are more common in a home, and new builds definitely offer that flexible style which really suits our taste.

“As we lived in Stonehaven, my husband and I decided to view Kirkwood’s showhome at Ury Estate - and we were hooked straight away! We did make a point of visiting a few other builders, but the quality homes and high internal specification on offer from Kirkwood was much more appealing. We also really loved the presentation of their show homes - they offer excellent styling ideas and interior design inspiration.

“Originally we were considering staying in Stonehaven, however the Sales Advisor recommended the Woodlands of Durris development, as it was only a short drive away and might be ideal for us.

“We went for a drive to see what the area was like and get a feel for the development, and we were so impressed - we thought it would be an absolutely beautiful place to live.”

“We had originally been looking at ‘The Craig’ which is a 3 bedroom detached home, but ultimately we ended up choosing ‘The Tummel’, a 4 bedroom detached home. We were completely sold on the open-plan kitchen/dining area, and the spacious yet cosy living room, which we love.

“It seems ridiculous having a 4 bedroom home for just the 2 of us, but we will have family coming to visit from South Africa, as well as our friends from Edinburgh or from down south in England.

“Ensuring we have enough room for family and friends was really crucial to us. We have already turned one of the bedrooms into an office to allow for working from home, and if we want to extend our own family eventually, ‘The Tummel’ will be big enough to do that, so it gives us a lot of options.”

“To name only a few: the views, the size of the main bedroom and the en-suite upstairs. Honestly, just the fact we have a bath is great as we only had a shower room previously.

“The finishes are also amazing, the doors and the windows are just beautiful and it’s very airy and light inside. The rooms are decent sizes and the bathrooms are just stunning. We love the second en-suite for when we have guests, and the garage is also well sized so we can actually fit the car in, which is quite rare nowadays.

“I love the quality German kitchen - it’s a generous size and perfect for entertaining. There is so much space in here, if I ever decide I want an island, there is plenty room for it. It’s very versatile and there is so much potential to really make it your own.”

“We had never lived in the countryside before moving here, so we saw this as an ideal chance to give it a go and we are loving it so far.

“We aren’t completely isolated as we still have neighbours and a sense of community, plus we are still close enough to Banchory, Stonehaven and the AWPR which is ideal for amenities and days out. But then we are also surrounded by beautiful forests and hills which we absolutely love.

“Living a little bit further from the city suits our lifestyle perfectly - we both have a total love for fitness so being able to go out for runs or take out the bikes in such amazing surroundings is a true blessing.”

“I like how Kirkwood designed the development to allow space between each home - and the plots are larger compared to other housebuilders that we have seen. There are only over 20 houses here, so it's the perfect size of development - not built up at all.

“We also have decent sized driveways, so everyone is able to park their cars outside their homes instead of parking on the street - it never looks cluttered outside, especially with spaces for visitor parking available.

“Of course, the views out the back and the front of our house are just breathtaking - all I see is woodlands when I look out my windows which is lovely!”

“Our Sales Advisor Michelle was excellent and really held our hand through the whole process. She was so professional and we quickly built a close relationship with her. She was very on the ball, arranged everything and was great at reminding us of little things we would have easily forgotten, like ordering our bins or changing over our internet!"