But for tenants in a corner of Elland, the dream has suddenly become a nightmare.
Out of the blue 40 householders were told homes in the Springfield area would be demolished after many had spent thousands of pounds on their properties.
Pennine Housing dropped the bombshell on tenants living in the bungalows at Elland Lane, Whitwell Grove and Heathfield Avenue.
They were told their homes were outdated and didn't meet future needs.
The bungalows are occupied by elderly people with most having moved into them during the last few years, as reported in yesterday's Courier.
Patricia and Terence Wilcock, of Elland Lane, fitted new bedroom wardrobes just two weeks ago and have bought a new shower.
"I'm gutted to be told they are pulling down our home," said Mrs Wilcock, 62.
"We had no expectation of this, none at all."
Neighour Eileen Fawcett, 73, is devastated.
Her husband, Raymond, recently moved into a care home, which had already left her upset.
"Now this has turned up. We spent thousands on our home. I'm gutted," she said.
"The family did the garden for us, putting up the decking and providing space to grow vegetables."
Another neighbour, Joan Stockings, 66, said: "I cracked up when I heard and am really upset.
"We are all absolutely dreading it." Maureen Sadler, 68, said her 73-year-old husband Roy, kept greyhounds in the garden.
She said: "My husband is not happy. He will have to get rid of the dogs. That is what keeps him going at his age."
Susan Montey, 60, of Whitwell Grove, has spent thousands of pounds on her home.
She said: "Everybody is gutted. This is distressing and stressful."
Dorothy Williams, 67, of Heathfield Avenue, will be sorry to move. "A lot of people do not want to move and I'm settled."
Ward councillor Pat Allen (Lib-Dem, Elland), is devastated for those affected and said it was surprising because there was a shortage of bungalows.
"Pennine do not consult first, they tell you later," she said.
"This is a separate community which is being moved and there will have to be some compensation for tenants."
A spokesman for Pennine Housing said it met the tenants to outline its plans, which will include replacing the bungalows with new housing.
"Over the coming year Pennine Housing will be carrying out significant investment to properties in the area," he said.
"However we will need to do much more than our usual refurbishments to bring the 40 bungalows up to modern standards that will meet the needs of older people in the future.
"The bungalows are outdated and were built in the late 1940s and 1950s."
Pennine added it would be over a year before any homes were demolished and reassured tenants there was no immediate need for them to be rehoused.
"Over the coming months we will be visiting each tenant to discuss with them their housing requirements."
The meeting with tenants was held at the Spring Gardens Pub - Pennine Housing demolished the community centre in Elland Lane last year.