Nine out of ten househunters now start their search for a new home online by researching the area they want to live in, rather than first visiting estate agents or housing developments, according to housebuilder David Wilson Mercia.

As a result, the company is launching an informative online service that promotes the benefits of the locations where it is building, together with a fresh approach to choosing a new home and a helpful mortgage calculator.

Homebuyers thinking of moving to Meriden, for example, can find out about the features, amenities and attractions of the area, including up-to-date information about the performance and quality of local schools - particularly useful for families looking to provide their children with the best possible education.

Potential residents are able to get the lowdown on shopping and where to spend their leisure time.

The new service includes a mortgage calculator to indicate monthly payments on a particular home. This is now one of the most widely searched online services by homebuyers wanting to know what they can afford.

There is also a step-by-step guide for would-be buy to let investors. 

Carole Ashworth, Sales Manager for David Wilson Mercia, said: "Home movers will be able to find everything they want using this new service.  We'll have lots of information about the area, but customers will also be able to think through exactly what their requirements are and then match them against what's on offer.

"Meriden is a great place to live and we want to promote that as well as the benefits of buying a new home from us.

"Whether you are a first-time buyer, or moving for the second or third time, house hunting is a big deal for customers - this new service makes it as easy as possible to match what people want with what's on offer." 

David Wilson Homes currently has three-, four- and five-bedroom properties for sale at its Meriden Gate development priced from £250,000. For more information, please contact the sales centre on 01676 522360 open daily from 10am to 5pm.

For more information please call the sales hotline on 0844 811 3322 open seven days a week from 8am to 9pm or log on to www.dwh.co.uk/

David Wilson Mercia has been confirmed as meriting the maximum five star official rating from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) for the third year in a row. The news was announced after more than 20,000 new home buyers across the country took part in this year's HBF customer satisfaction survey.

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NOTES TO EDITORS: 

1)    For further information about David Wilson Mercia please contact Hannah Elwell, Director of PR or Sophie Redman, PR Account Executive on 0116 247 1777 or Hannah@unsworthsugden.co.uk or sophie@unsworthsugden.co.uk

2)    David Wilson Homes is part of Barratt Group, which sold 11,171 homes in the last financial year, making it the biggest housebuilder by volume in Britain.

3)    Barratt Group was named Housebuilder of the Year at the Housebuilder Awards 2011.

4)    Barratt Group was awarded a maximum five star rating for the second consecutive year in the 2011 Home Builders Federation Customer Satisfaction Survey.

5)    In 2011 site managers working for Barratt Group won the highest number of NHBC Pride in the Job Quality Awards for a record seventh consecutive year.

6)    Barratt Group is the only housebuilder to provide a five year warranty on the fixtures and fittings in its new build homes, at the time of purchase.

7)    Barratt Group is also one of Britain's foremost sustainable housebuilders.

8)    Images of a selection of developments are available to the media at

http://www.barrattdevelopments.co.uk/barratt/en/media/mediakit/lib