One-on-one interview: Karen Heywood-Cann of Cavanna Homes

Rebecca Burns talks to Karen Heywood-Cann, sales manager at Cavanna Homes, a leading regional housebuilder in the southwest of England, based in the seaside town of Torquay.

Your name and your business title

Karen Heywood-Cann, Sales Manager.

Where is your firm developing new homes?

We build developments in some of the most sought-after locations across the West Country, and our current portfolio includes developments in Plymouth, Torquay, Seaton, Bodmin, Bideford and Lee Mill near Ivybridge. Coming soon we also have further new developments in Dawlish and Brixham.

What types of properties are Cavanna Homes building?

Our developments offer a wide range of properties ranging from one- and two-bed apartments to spacious, detached five-bedroom houses, with everything in between. Each development has a distinct character, and each offers a good variety of house styles and sizes to suit different buyer needs and tastes.

How much does a Cavanna home cost to buy?

Cavanna Homes has properties to suit a wide range of budgets - of our current developments, homes cost anything from £92,995 for a one-bedroom apartment up to £495,000 for a five-bedroom detached house.

What makes a Cavanna home stand out from the crowd?

The quality of build, and the high standard of specification. We also offer a wide variety of house designs and finishes.

Have you noticed any particular buying trends recently?

Yes - a lot of our buyers are looking for flexible accommodation well-suited to family living, particularly with many children living at home for longer, or elderly parents joining the household. We've also noticed a lot of investors purchasing our properties, especially two-bedroom homes with excellent rental potential.

Is your company currently offering any incentives or discounts to homebuyers?

We have various incentive package deals and discounts available, including the government-backed NewBuy 5% deposit scheme. We tend to tailor our packages to suit the needs of individual customers, so it's always worth talking to one of our sales team to ask what we can do to help.

Which Cavanna Homes development potentially offers the best property investment prospects?

Of our current list of developments, 504k in Plymouth offers superb investment potential. Its location - just six miles from Plymouth city centre, and close to both Derriford Hospital and University College Plymouth St Mark & St John (UCP Marjon) - makes it very attractive to hospital and college staff and students, as well as commuters - giving it plenty of rental and investment potential.

What is Cavanna Homes' USP?

We're a family-owned and -run business established in 1923, and we genuinely care about our customers. Our team prides itself in building homes rather than houses, and offering a friendly, approachable service to all our customers. We also specialise in energy efficient properties, many of which incorporate features such as uPVC windows, excellent insulation and solar panelling. And our "Lifetime Homes" are specially designed to offer accessible and practical accommodation that makes life as easy as possible for as long as possible.

Which development would you put forward for a What House Award?

We would put forward Parish Green for the What House? Best Development Award. Parish Green recently won an NHBC award and, with its lovely setting and good range of property styles and sizes, it has a genuinely wide appeal. It's ideal for house-buyers who are looking for a new home in a quiet, rural setting less than two miles from Dartmoor National Park, with good local amenities nearby, and within easy commuting distance of Plymouth and other key towns across the region.