We bought this apartment as a new build in 2017. It's been the ideal place for us to start our lives together.What struck us about the property when we first saw it was the build quality, the light, the high ceilings and the outdoor space.

It has floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room and bedroom and a large second-floor balcony. Over the years, we've filled this with plants, and it's a lovely place to sit and bask in the afternoon and evening sun.

The balcony is also a great place for people watching, being right next to Lower Sydenham station. It's much quieter than facing the road, and we barely hear the trains. The other benefit of being so close to the station is that we can get into central London very quickly: you can close the door to the flat and be at London Bridge in about 15 minutes or Charing Cross in about 25 minutes. Trains run every 15 minutes.

The living space and kitchen are open plan. We have a lounge and TV area, a dining area and, since COVID, a workspace area. The layout works really well for us, and it's highly adaptable, but the time has come for us to upsize, as we're thinking about starting a family.

We'll miss it! The kitchen has amazing storage, more than enough for a two-person household. It's been filled with everything from large gin collections to enough canned food to survive for months.

It also has high quality Bosch appliances, which we were really drawn to after our time renting!Speaking of storage, there's a very large utility cupboard in the hallway, which has become a gear store for all of our outdoor hobbies. If you're into cycling, there's a secure cycle store downstairs with space for a few bikes each.

It's been great not having to store these in the flat.Downstairs is also a secure underground car park. The flat comes with one parking space. We've really valued this, as not many flats we saw came with parking!As for the bedroom, it's spacious enough for a king-size bed as well as bedside tables.

There are large built in wardrobes in there too.Outside, in the centre of the development, there's also a communal garden. There are lawned and planted areas, and it's a nice place to sit with a book in summer.Possibly the best thing about our time here has been the nearby Beckenham Place Park.

It's a 10-minute walk away but feels like the countryside. It's got ancient woodland, a weekly farmers' market, vintage fairs, a swimming lake, a couple of excellent cafés, a great Park Run route... I could go on. It's the biggest park in Southeast London. People travel a long way to visit, and it's been amazing having it right on our doorstep. If you have a dog, this is by far and away the best place to take them for a walk. (On that note, dogs are allowed in this flat.

The freeholder just requires you to fill in a registration form.)What's also been great about living here is the community. There are lots of young couples and young families in the development, and everyone is always happy to stop and chat - or even invite you over for drinks!You're also located between Beckenham and Sydenham high streets.

It's a lovely walk into Beckenham in particular, where the high street has some more great cafés and independent shops. It feels less like London and more like a market town, which we've really loved. To be able to choose between theatre and cocktails in London or a relaxed night at one of Beckenham's thriving restaurants is pretty hard to beat.Beckenham has a Waitrose and M&S. Nearer the flat, Sainsbury's, Aldi, Pets at Home and other shops are a walkable distance away, or just two minutes in the car.