At the centre of attraction; First-time buyers thrilled with deal that took them into heart of the city: new homes.

Byline: Raymond Hainey

Struggling to find their first home together, graduates Daniel Leeman and Katrina Basford were happy to strike a deal for a brandnew flat that let them personalise their new home with a massive choice of fixtures and fittings.

The property deal also got them an on-site gym, gated parking and a concierge service for added security.

Daniel has a degree in mechanical engineering and now works in the oil industry, while Katrina graduated in retail management and works for a bank.

Daniel said: "All of the properties we originally looked at were far more than our budget would allow.

"We both graduated last summer and felt the time was right to move in together. We really wanted a brand-new two bedroom property, but it wasn't looking good." The pair heard about a new Barratt development - and were bowled over after a visit to the show flats.

Daniel, 23, said: "It was perfect for us - the location is superb and we could tell everything was really high quality.

"Barratt were great and came up with an incredible deal which meant we were able to buy our dream home and pick a lot of the fixtures and fittings to make it our own even before we moved in." Daniel and Katrina, 22, bought at Barratt's luxury Citigait development in the north-east oil capital of Aberdeen.

With parking in the city expensive and hard to find, guaranteed off-street parking was a major plus point.

Daniel said: "It was important for us to be based in the city as we both work locally, so Citigait was ideal. It's only a five-minute walk to the heart of the city centre, so we can both also get around easily without using our cars." The flats at Citigait all feature fully-fitted designer kitchens and bathrooms and modern fixtures throughout.

Daniel said: "We heard through word of mouth that Citigait had a great reputation so we went to see it, even though we expected it to be well outwith our price range." The site - a mix of new build and refurbished Victorian commercial properties - features a range of two and three bedroom flats.

Daniel said: "The customer care we received throughout the whole process was second to none and the sales team were in touch throughout, checking how we felt about the service.

"Thanks to Barratt, we couldn't be happier in our new home." Flats at Citigait start at around pounds 178,000.

More information on 01224 572620 or visit www.barratthomes.co.uk

CAPTION(S):

Daniel and Katrina at Citigait Daniel and Katrina made flat their own