A FIRST time buyer from Chatteris has got grand designs for his new house after winning a �5,000 home makeover.

Twenty-three year old Karl Walker, who lives in Meadow Close, Chatteris, won the prize after he secured his first mortgage from the Cambridge Building Society during a promotional campaign it ran in June.

Karl, an Operations Controller for gas and power operations company GMSL, in Cambridge, moved into his new home at the start of September.

He will be using the money to completely re-decorate the house, including brand new doors throughout, a custom built fitted wardrobe, new carpets and blinds.

“I’m absolutely delighted”, said Karl. “Not only did the Cambridge Building Society help me get a mortgage to buy my first home, but it’s also put me in a better financial position and given me the opportunity to blitz the house and have it decorated and furnished with brand new fixtures and fittings. It’s the perfect start.”

The home improvements will be carried out by specialist property development consultants, B Stimson Property Solutions in St Ives, and are set to commence within the next couple of weeks.

The Cambridge Building Society, which has 19 branches in and around Cambridge has currently set aside �30 million to help boost the local housing market and help people buy homes in its latest mortgage campaign.

Mark Smitheringale, Head of Sales and Marketing at the building society, said: “We have mortgages available across the board for every type of borrower, and each application is considered on its own individual merits by one of our experts, rather than a computer.”

“With house prices in some parts of Cambridgeshire beginning to stabilise, now is a good time for first time buyers and we were particularly delighted to be able to help Karl take his first steps on the housing ladder and would like to congratulate him on winning our home makeover prize draw.”