Brooke and Bradley's Gleeson journey!
Buyers: Brooke, 19 and Bradley, 20
Date of purchase: July 2025
Development: Bracken Park, Louth
Purchase price: £119,696
Mortgage cost: £524 per month
House type: 2 bedroom, semi-detached, Cork
Scheme and/or offers: First Homes Scheme
For young couple Brooke and Bradley, buying their first home together was always a dream, and in July 2025, that dream became a reality when they picked up the keys to their beautiful two-bedroom Cork home at Bracken Park, Louth.
Brooke, who works as an Accommodation Cleaner, and Bradley, a Ground Worker, had been living together at Brooke’s parents’ home before deciding it was time to take the next step. “We never considered renting,” Brooke explains. “We always knew we wanted to buy our own home rather than pay rent to someone else. We saw an advert for the Cork house style at Bracken Park late in May, and we went to view it the next day. After a bit of paperwork and the usual checks, we chose the perfect plot and reserved it straight away. The whole process was so easy and quick, it took less than a month and a half from seeing the advert to getting our keys. It was perfect for us as we’re not the most patient!”
The Cork house style immediately stood out as ideal for their needs, a cosy, affordable two-bedroom home that offered everything they were looking for. “It was perfect for our budget, especially being available as part of the First Homes Scheme,” Brooke says. “We loved that it was a blank canvas that we could make our own, without needing to do lots of work or spend loads of money on renovations.”
The First Homes Scheme was the key that made their dream possible. This government-backed initiative helps first-time buyers purchase a new-build home at a discount of at least 30% compared to the market price, making homeownership more achievable for local people. “The First Homes Scheme made our home even more perfect and affordable,” says Brooke. “Getting 30% off the price of our home meant we could afford something we didn’t think was possible at our age. It gave us the boost we needed to get on the property ladder.”
For Brooke and Bradley, affordability, location, and timing were the three most important factors when choosing their new home, and Bracken Park ticked every box. “I wanted to stay close to family, and we honestly couldn’t get any closer if we tried!” Brooke shared, “It also felt like the right time. After living together with my parents for a couple of years, we were more than ready to have our own space.”
Since moving in, life has changed in all the right ways. The couple have already celebrated milestone moments in their new home, including Bradley’s 21st birthday, and they’ve loved creating a space that’s truly theirs. “We’ve enjoyed the quiet, the freedom, and the feeling of independence,” Brooke says. “It’s been amazing being able to make our own decisions and just go with the flow.”
They’ve also been pleasantly surprised by how energy-efficient their new home is. “Our energy bills have been really affordable,” says Brooke. “We’ve especially noticed how warm the house stays without ever needing to put the heating on, which is great.”
The couple has already embraced some of the sustainable features that Gleeson offers new homeowners. “We’ve made use of the bug hotel from our welcome pack, it’s outside with our plants,” Brooke explains. “We haven’t planted our wildflower seeds yet as it’s not the right season, but we definitely will in the future once our garden’s finished.”
Living at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, Brooke and Bradley love the peacefulness of their new community. “Everyone seems friendly, and because we don’t get any through traffic, it’s lovely and quiet,” Brooke says.
Reflecting on their experience, the couple says they would highly recommend Gleeson to anyone considering buying their first home. “Our advice would be, do it! Everything was very quick and straightforward,” Brooke says. “We’d definitely buy another Gleeson home in the future, but next time we’d start the process earlier so we could personalise it a bit more.”
With only a few minor issues since moving in, all resolved quickly by the Gleeson team, Brooke and Bradley couldn’t be happier with their first home. “Everything has been perfect, buying with Gleeson has been such a positive experience from start to finish, and we’re so proud to finally have a place that’s completely ours.”
Feeling inspired by Brooke and Bradley's story? With a range of 2, 3, and 4 bedroom homes available throughout the Midlands and North of England, your journey to finding your dream home could happen sooner than you think. Find your nearest Gleeson development and enquire with our Sales Executive today.
