Cambridgeshire couple ‘finds sense of belonging’ in Northstowe

Viswa Vijayakumar, 30, and her partner, Sankeerth, 29, bought their two-bedroom, Discount Market Sale house at Stirling Fields for £360,000 in 2024. Their previous rented properties, all older housing stock, were “absolutely riddled with issues, mould and cracks.”

Tired of the challenges of renting, the couple, both system engineers, set their sights on buying a new build. A visit to Stirling Fields sealed the deal, and the couple now pay £300 a month less for a mortgage compared to their most recent rented property.

After settling in quickly, making new friends and enjoying being part of a new community, the couple were excited to have a fully modern, kitted-out property with no snags or wear and tear problems.

Twelve months on, Viswa and Sankeerth have exciting news - they’ve chosen Northstowe as the perfect place to start their family. “When we bought this home, we knew it was where we wanted to put down roots, and now we’re preparing to welcome our first child in February 2026,” says Viswa.

“After years of renting older properties and dealing with issues, moving to a new-build felt like the natural next step,” she continues. “We purchased our home for 30% less than the average price in Cambridge, and the process was incredibly smooth.

“Sankeerth and I wanted to live somewhere with a genuine sense of community, and we’re delighted to have moved to an area where people are at similar life stages and share similar lifestyles.”

Like all 300 homes at Stirling Fields, Viswa and Sankeerth’s property includes integrated solar panels and an EV charger. The development features landscaped green spaces and connected transport links to Cambridge, making the couple’s commute quick and straightforward.

“Saving for a first home isn’t easy,” Viswa admits. “It took us four years of careful saving, including utilising investments, to secure a 20% deposit, so it’s important to be sure that the place you’re moving to is the one.”

Buying a Discount Market Sale (DMS) home

Viswa and Sankeerth bought a Discount Market Sale (DMS) home in Northstowe, designed to help first-time buyers get onto the property ladder.

DMS homes are sold at a discount to the Open Market Value. At Northstowe, this is a minimum 20% discount, meaning buyers pay up to 80% of the asking price.

To qualify, at least one purchaser must be a first-time buyer, the total household income must be no more than £100,000, and the home must be the buyer’s only or main residence.

Unlike some other affordable homeownership routes, DMS buyers own their home outright. For the first five years, the home must be lived in by qualifying first-time buyers, and if it’s sold during that period, it must be sold to another qualifying first-time buyer with the same percentage discount applied. 

For Viswa and Sankeerth, it meant a smoother route into homeownership and a place that already feels like home. With their first child due in February 2026, they’re looking forward to putting down roots in Northstowe and continuing to build new friendships in the growing community.

To find out more, visit: https://www.keepmoat.com/stirling-fields-northstowe