Catherine’s story

Click here to listen to Catherine’s story.

“Hallmark’s approach was really fresh. We actually had no intention of buying when we first stumbled across the display home; we were just going for a stroll on a Sunday afternoon and we thought it might be a little bit of fun. Going through, we were actually presented with an option of a very attractive land package and a plan from the Hallmark range that fitted perfectly, and they were very innovative in helping us not only come in at an entry level price that we could afford, but they showed us where we could save. Seeing that, we actually went and then did some research and compared with other builders who, when we had seen the presentation from Hallmark, seem to be bored. The other builders were also more expensive for a small house on the same block, and they couldn’t offer anywhere near as much flexibility as Hallmark did.”

“The salesman listened to us so closely that he understood where our needs were. So we were very impressed and felt reassured when we did decide to go with them.”

“Hallmark were really flexible in what we could add, and they gave us really good advice and insight. Being first home buyers, we didn’t know what to expect when building and it’s hard to judge off the plan when you’re not an architect yourself. Our sales consultant showed us where we could add value to our property just by upgrading small things that didn’t cost very much but really enhanced the finish.”

“Right from the front door we modified a lot of things in our home. It’s only a small home on a small block, but we wanted a big door and that wasn’t a problem. They didn’t charge us anything extra above what it actually cost them to put it in and it was clearly outlined, so any time that we made a modification, we were only charged for the extra materials. We weren’t charged over and above the expenses. They actually went the extra mile, we were set on a twin basin in our bathroom, and they actually pointed out design issues that would come up if we didn’t change the door to be a sliding door, and they made sure that we had enough space for everything.”

“I love our Hallmark home. What we really appreciated is that, as part of our covenants we had to go with high ceilings, but Hallmark didn’t just give us high ceilings, they gave us high windows and high doors, so when we’ve compared our property with the one next door, our house looks actually in proportions compared to the little stumpy windows that the builder next door put in.”

“Walking through other display homes, you get really excited seeing stone bench tops, and you think “Oh this is the house that we’re looking at”, and then you take a closer look at the brochure and realise that what’s been quoted isn’t what’s on display at the other homes, whereas when you walk through a Hallmark display home, you can actually rest assured that there aren’t any upgrades that you’re going to have to worry about. What you see is what you get.”

“We’re in a new estate, and I fell like our Hallmark home is the best looking and I know that it was the best value as well.”

“When we have visitors they come through and they love our home, we regularly get “Oh this is beautiful”…”

Catherine Wood-Johnson, North Lakes