Underfloor heating and a high specification helped attract 52-year-old Jackie Taylor Smith to a two-bedroom apartment at Explore Living's New Meridian Village, Ramsgate.

When she moved to Thanet in 2007 as a manager, she decided to rent at first, but after three years in the job she decided to take the plunge and get on to the property market.

Jackie says: "When I was offered the job of district manager I was delighted as I had always wanted to live on the coast. I moved to Thanet in 2007 but decided it would be best to rent as I didn't know how secure my job would be.

"After three years I decided it was time to get on the property ladder. I had a look online to see what was available in the area and when the New Meridian Village popped up I decided to visit and I thought it was perfect."

The development is a collection of one and two-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom houses, which boast arguably the highest internal specification in the Thanet area.

Each home offers innovative features including under-floor heating, optional integrated sound system with iPod docking station, flat-screen TVs and solid concrete floors and staircases to eliminate squeaking floorboards and reduce sound transfer.

Jackie says: "I love my new apartment; it is of a high specification and has been finished to an excellent standard. I have plenty of space plus two parking spaces, which is perfect for guests or if my two grown-up children visit."

With a large number of landscaped green spaces, the development has been designed to provide a safer, greener and altogether better environment for children and adults alike, and encourages a strong sense of community between home owners.

New Meridian Village is in the £90 million prime regeneration area of Ramsgate town, which also now benefits from the new high-speed rail link allowing commuters to travel into London in 76 minutes.

Prices for the two-bedroom houses in the Seattle collection start from £162,995 and prices for the three-bedroom houses in the Portland collection at New Meridian Village start from £172,995. For more information ring 0845 872 1004.