Having a property to sell proved no obstacle for Rob and Sarah Harris when they were looking to relocate to the South Coast to be nearer to family.

With two daughters under the age of three, they were keen to make a move from Crawley to Southampton so they could be closer to the support network provided by Sarah’s family.

Although they’d imagined moving before their eldest child reached school age, when they discovered their dream home at Taylor Wimpey’s Compass Point development in Southampton, they knew they’d have to be quick if they didn’t want to miss out on their perfect property.

“We really didn’t want to be at the mercy of a property chain, and so looked into Part Exchange, which we knew would save a lot of hassle,” says Rob.

“We weren’t sure how much Taylor Wimpey would offer for our old house, so we were delighted to find they bought it from us for the price we thought we’d get for it on the open market.

“The whole process went really smoothly for us. We first called in to Compass Point in November, paid a deposit on our new home in December and moved in when our new home was ready in June. We bought our home off-plan, and it was initially due to be ready to move into in September – so we were so happy when Taylor Wimpey managed to complete it for us a full three months early!”

Rob, Sarah, Olivia (two) and six-month old Georgia are now settling into life in their four-bedroom ‘Twyford’ townhouse, which offers them the space and flexibility they had craved.

“It’s a fantastic house,” says Rob. “The children have their bedrooms on the middle floor, and we have a lovely en-suite master bedroom on the top floor. “Having a spare bedroom is great because our daughters can use it as a dedicated playroom, which is really handy.”

Compass Point’s location is also finding favour with the Harris family, who already knew the area as Sarah’s relatives live five minutes down the road.

Rob says: “You’ve got all the shops you need on Shirley High Street nearby, there’s some good schools and nurseries in the area – and it’s just two-and-a-half miles to the railway station. I work in London and can get to Waterloo in an hour and 10 minutes on the train, or an hour and 40 minutes with the slower services, so the commute is very straightforward.

“Then you have easy access to the M27 and M3 for London, we’re really close to the New Forest, the beaches at Bournemouth and Poole are a short drive from home and we can get to places like Portsmouth and Chichester quickly.

“Southampton’s a great city, and it’s not far to get to the West Quay shopping centre, which has a John Lewis and an Ikea – the area’s just great for families.”

There’s a superb selection of high-quality homes now on sale at Compass Point, including one-bedroom apartments from only £122,000 and four-bedroom townhouses from just £240,000.

Those trading up to selected family-size homes using Part Exchange at Compass Point can relax in their own home until their new place is ready to move into, safe in the knowledge that Taylor Wimpey is the guaranteed buyer for their current property.

Part Exchange customers receive the market value of their existing property, based on the average of independent professional valuations, with the agreed sum deducted from the price of their brand new purchase.

Alternatively, the Government’s Help to Buy scheme means first-time buyers and those looking to move on from their existing property can secure their ideal home for just 80% of its full price, including a deposit as low as 5%.

Compass Point enjoys a convenient location in the established residential community of Maybush, just three miles from the centre of Southampton and only a short hop from the rural splendour of the New Forest.

There’s a choice of local supermarkets right on the doorstep while the West Quay Shopping Centre offers a wide selection of big name stores in the heart of the city.

Parents will appreciate the range of schools for children of all ages close by, including nursery and primary schools within walking distance and secondary schools, including Regents Park Community College, less than a mile from home.

For commuters, the nearby M271 offers quick access to the M27 and the region’s motorway network, while frequent rail services operate from Southampton station to London and all of the nation’s major cities.

To find out more about the new homes on sale at Compass Point, property-seekers can visit the Sales Information Centre, located off Romsey Road, Maybush, Southampton, SO16 4GU, and open daily from 10am until 5pm (Mondays from 1pm to 5pm), or contact the Sales Executive on 0238 001 9042.

Further information about Taylor Wimpey developments across the region is available by calling 0238 025 5288 or by visiting www.taylorwimpey.co.uk/southern