A retired couple have swapped the Surrey countryside for the Sussex coast as they move into their first new build property after almost 60 years of homeownership.

Richard and Colleen Rutter, who have been married for 58 years, recently downsized from their former four-bedroom family home in Ash to a brand new three-bedroom Eaton home at our Minerva Heights development in Chichester.

The move resulted in a trio of firsts for the couple, who completed their purchase and moved into their new home in January this year.

Colleen, 78, explained: “This is our first new build home purchase in all our years of owning a home, while it is also our first move away from Surrey, where we’d lived in various locations for the past 58 years together, and our first move into a smaller home than our previous one, having always moved up the ladder to larger properties until now.

“Richard and I are now both retired, and with the thought of futureproofing ourselves we’ve decided to move into a smaller home with less maintenance required, while also being within walking distance of the nearest shops, which was an important factor for us when choosing an area to move to.

“We both love Chichester as an area, and it also falls almost equidistant between Whiteley and Shoreham where our daughters and their families now live with our grandchildren.”

The Rutters purchased their first home – an apartment in Woking – 58 years ago, priced at £6,000. House moves to both Farnborough and latterly Ash followed, where the couple raised their two daughters, while the pair continued to work in Surrey right up until retirement.

A new build home at Minerva Heights, Chichester

Their latest move to the Minerva Heights development, off Broyle Road in Chichester represents the couple’s first new home purchase, almost six decades since they first stepped onto the homeownership ladder.

Colleen said: “We’d always owned older properties until now, but we decided to explore the new homes that Miller Homes were building in Chichester because we’d earmarked the area as somewhere we’d ideally move to.

“The team there were all marvellous with us, from Ellie the sales manager to Kerrie in customer care, and our dedicated site manager at the development. Whenever we had a question, they were there to answer it.

“Never more so than when we were shown the three-bedroom Eaton and its position which ultimately was to be the home we purchased, though we had originally committed to another home at the development.

“With our existing property already sold, we were very grateful to the Miller Homes team who helped us to pivot towards the Eaton, where thankfully for us someone else had just dropped out of the purchase of the exact plot we wanted – it was a real sliding doors moment, but we felt very fortunate with the end result!”

Miller Homes, houses for sale at Minerva Heights

Miller Homes is building a range of two to five-bedroom homes at Minerva Heights, where prices currently start from £325,000. Eaton house types are priced from £435,000.

Colleen said: “Minerva Heights is situated in an excellent location within Chichester. As we look out from our home, because of its location, is a more open view, and when all the work is finished, the landscaping around the development will look lovely.”

For more information check out the Minerva Heights development, or download our brochure.