Q&A session with buyers at Muirwood Gardens

20 May 2022

We hosted a Q&A session with 2 of our buyers in Muirwood Gardens to find out why Muirwood Gardens was their development of choice.

David and Pauline Dickson are retired and moved to the Juniper Residential Muirwood Gardens development in Kinross in September 2021. Previously they lived in a village in northeast Fife.

How did you find out about Muirwood Gardens?

PD: Our family are now in the wider Edinburgh area, and we wanted to be nearer to them. We’ve always lived in a village-type setting, near a town.

DD: We looked far and wide, even in Edinburgh.

PD: We’re familiar with Kinross and what was the Windelstrae Hotel, so when we were passing through the town and saw the Juniper signs we decided to park the car and have a look around. The house we are in now was nearly finished. So that is what sparked our interest. On the day we were looking around last summer there was a hot air balloon going overhead which felt very special – it was really beautiful.

 

What was the main thing that appealed to you about moving here?

DD: For us it was about future-proofing, which was very important to us. In this style of house there is a downstairs bedroom and shower room. If you reached a stage where stairs are difficult you have a nice big shower room that’s not going to cause lots of difficulty.

PD: The houses in Muirwood Gardens offer flexibility for the years ahead and that is what we were looking for.

DD: The other thing is that we do know a few people who have been caught up putting in offers for houses in this market – especially if you are looking somewhere like Edinburgh – so the fixed price is really appealing.

 

Did Muirwood Gardens’ proximity to town centre of Kinross play a role in your decision?

PD: Proximity to the town centre was very important. We can walk to the library, butchers, doctors, chemist, supermarket, bakers, cafes, restaurants –

DD: And there’s four pubs within a very short walking distance!

 

Do you have any favourite local cafes or restaurants?

DD: We’ve not yet experienced the full range of eating places within Kinross and the surrounding area but there are many to choose from. Everyone’s tastes are catered for. Others here at Muirwood Gardens have gone to different places and we like hearing their recommendations.

DD: We’re not golfers but the golf clubhouse is just behind the development. For £30 a year you can be a non-playing member and the catering is very good.

 

What do you think the club lounge might be used for?

DD: People have obviously been very careful at this time but when more residents move in, the use of the club lounge will naturally evolve and will offer great flexibility for socialising.

 

Are there any features of the development that stood out to you?

PD: The layout of the development and pavements is great and it’s clear a lot of thought went into the design. We were also attracted to the large windows and the amount of light coming into the properties.

DD: We like the fact that the front garden is kept and you do have a bit of garden but it’s not going to be a burden.

PD: We also like the quality of the build. We looked at a number of new houses with different building companies. We were attracted to Juniper because Cruden is a well-established developer.

DD: I was brought up in Edinburgh and I remember Cruden developing there 50 or 60 years ago.

PD: We also like the personal alarm system that is offered as an add-on.

DD: The burglar alarm that came with the house was also an appealing factor.

 

What is your favourite day out?

DD: For a short day out, one of our favourite walks is about 3 miles from here along Loch Leven to the Loch Leven Larder which is a really lovely café, deli and restaurant.

PD: There’s lots of walks locally but we’re quite country-orientated so we also get in the car to places like Glenfarg to walk through the glens or Dunkeld for lovely walks by the river.

DD: The arterial roads are excellent. 2 minutes and you’re on the motorway, so we can get to the Gyle in Edinburgh in 30 minutes and Perth in 20 minutes. We didn’t know Perth very well before we moved here but we’re quite taken by it.

PD: Perth is a lovely place to go for a coffee and to explore.

DD: Also there is a transport interchange next to the motorway so basically any bus that’s coming down from Aberdeen, Dundee or Perth comes in there so you can get to Edinburgh quickly, and one of the benefits of being over 60 is that you can use your free bus pass!

 

Did you have any reservations about the move?

DD: We had no reservations. The idea of living in an age-exclusive community was new to us but was very appealing and has been a positive experience.

 

Now that several households have moved into Muirwood Gardens, is there a sense of community building here?

DD: From the beginning there’s been a community but never the feeling that people are on top of each other. People have made the effort to get to know each other and there has been a lot of information sharing. There’s be a lot of helpful conversations about things like where to get a good garden hut and contacts for good local tradespeople. The Kinross Community Newsletter has also been very good for local tips. Once Covid eases, we’re looking forward to getting involved in more things locally within the town.

PD: We have exchanged numbers with a few people locally and we have found the community in Kinross very welcoming. Once everyone has moved into Muirwood Gardens it will be great but there is already a core group and community. There is a mix of couples and singles, and also a mix in terms of where people have come from. Some were local or from within the general area, while others have moved up from much further afield including England. Everybody’s made an effort to connect.

 

Are you expecting to have many visitors coming to stay?

PD: One of the nice things about the house is that we’ve got family and they can come back here and stay over, and the local area offers all the things you always hope to do with family.

DD: We are going to become grandparents in July and there’s plenty of space for that next exciting chapter in our lives. If we do have a full house, the guest suite at the club lounge is another plus for the development.