Hf march 2015 single page version

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AT T R A C T I V E , A C C E S S I B L E , A F F O R D A B L E H O M E S

MORTGAGE & MONEY MATTERS

Strengthen your credit

rating

Shared Ownership and Help to Buy

LOOKING TO BUY

YOUR OWN HOME?

SARAH BEENY‘Buying a house is still possible’

‘It really can help you get onto the property ladder’ says Alex and Nicola

Escape to the Country’s

MADE MORE AFFORDABLE

MARCH/APRIL 2015

ONE OF SIX £50 NATIONAL GARDEN

GIFT VOUCHERS

WIN

Building quality new homes and services across London, Essex & Su� olk to enable our customers to build better futures.

PRIVATE SALE - MARKET RENT - SHARED OWNERSHIP

WHO KNEW THERE WAS SO MUCHCHOICE?

HOMES TO FIT YOUR POCKET HOMES TO FIT YOUR NEEDSWe know how hard it is to get a foot onto the property ladder. It’s why we’re here – to help make that � rst step a little easier. Whether you’re looking to buy outright, for a partner to buy a share or a supportive landlord to rent from, Genesis can help. All of our properties are built to the highest standards and in a wide range of styles.

0800 954 0147genesishahomes.org.uk

Publisher’sComment

IT’S SPRING

Spring is here and by tradition, it’s prime moving season. Everything is conspiring to get you thinking about where and how you live. The days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer, flowers are blooming, and any time now, the clocks will be springing forward. No wonder that this is the time that the housing market springs into action. So what’s holding you back? Could it be house prices? If it is and you’re a first time buyer, then think about buying through shared ownership. It’ll not only get you started on the homeownership ladder, but could cost you less each month than renting from a private landlord.

Is it the size of deposit you’ll need? Then look for a Help to Buy property where a 5% deposit is acceptable or a shared ownership home where you only need 5% of the share you buy. It’s amazing what a difference a more manageable deposit can make to you.

If you can afford to pay a realistic payment to a mortgage lender each month, but can’t see how you’re going to save even 5% of the property’s price then maybe a Try before you Buy or Intermediate Rent plan will give you the momentum you need.

And don’t think you’ll be the first to look into it. Singletons, couples and families in all kinds of jobs and from all walks of life are now enjoying being in their very own home, thanks to initiatives that made home ownership affordable for them.

I hope that Springtime will energise your ideas to buy your own home and that Summertime will see you well on the way to having your own front door.

Happy home hunting

Jeffrey Gritzman • Publisher

ISSN No 1470-0360

ADVISORY PANELMaddie Cross LONDON BOROUGH OF BEXLEY

Dave Evans BE CREATIVE LONDON Tony Harker GENESIS HOMES

Dave Lakin GRAND UNION HOUSING GROUP Trevor Morley DIRECTION LAW

Yvette Ruggins AFFINITY SUTTON GROUP

Isabel Saville CONCORDIA HOUSING CONSULTANCY

Simon Scott ORIGIN HOUSING

Sharon Shaw MARTIN SHAW CONSULTING

Richard Stone CENSEO LTD

Helen Towner HOMES AND COMMUNITIES AGENCY

Greg Warner-Harris SPECTRUM HOUSING GROUP

Chris Winfield LONDON BOROUGH OF BRENT

EDITORAlex Randell

e-mail: [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTIONS & GENERAL ENQUIRIESJulie Baugh Tel: 01622 772407


PUBLISHER Jeffrey Gritzman Tel: 01622 772407


PUBLISHED BYGraid Publications, Kent House, Romney Place

Maidstone, Kent ME15 6LHTel: 01622 772407

DESIGN & PRODUCTIONJohn Eldridge Design Associates

Website: www.homefocus.co.uk

www.facebook.com/homefocus

www.twitter.com/homefocus

homefocus

Supports the aims of homefocus

So it must be time to start house hunting!

homefocus • MARCH/APRIL 2015 3

From house hunting

to house warming

3422

28

Hot properties 12 South West A selection of affordable homes in the south west region of the country – as defined by the Homes & Communities Agency

16 South And some from the south

20 Midlands Affordable properties in the midlands

24 East & south east And some from east & south east region

28 London Finally, find affordable homes in the Capital

Before and after 32 Preparing to buy Intermediate rent helps you save for the deposit you’ll need

46 What happens when you’re ready to move on? Selling your share

ContentsMARCH/APRIL 2015

Buyers’ Guide 6 Time to make your move How to play the home ownership game.

8 Land on the right propertyA brief comparison of the available schemes

10 Snakes and laddersThe ups and downs of buying a shared ownership home

44 Regeneration There are lots of winners when you buy with an eye to the future

50 Finding your place on the ladder Low cost home ownership brings buying opportunities to all kinds of people

Just for you 3 Publisher’s comment Time to start home hunting

Celebrity Status 34 In Conversationwith property expert and TV presenter Sarah Beeney who says that buying a house ‘is still possible if you really want to’

Where next? Homefinder DirectoriesOr search affordable homes at www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-homes-near-you

54 Introduction

55 Shows and Events

56 Property Listings

60 East and South East

61 South West

62 London

64 Midlands

65 South

66 Legal Directory

4 homefocus • MARCH/APRIL 2015

Contact us... E-MAIL: [email protected] PHONE: 0845 474 4734

MAIL: homefocus magazine, Kent House, Romney Place, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6LH

Lifestyle 36 Spring GreensGreen is a soothing and rejuvenating colour that can add balance and energy to any room

40 Kitchen EssentialsYour style reflects your personality. Homefocus offers some suggestions that will suit any budget

Great Advice 38 Money Money MoneyHow to help yourself to get the best possible mortgage

42 Moving Checklist Who to tell you’re on your way

48 Ask the Experts You’ve decided to go for low cost home ownership (LCHO) but what do you do next?

Competition 52 CompetitionWin one of six £50 National Garden Gift Voucher

homefocus

18 52

50

29

WIN36

40


F ed up with playing austerity Monopoly? Going round and round the board desperate to buy a home and wondering

when your luck will change so you can finally afford to get a place of your own?

Maybe you’re still living at home, or perhaps you’re already renting, stuck paying someone else’s mortgage and living with someone else’s décor. Wouldn’t it be great if you could get a foot on the ladder? Well, it could be possible. We can’t give you £200, but we can help you at least get past ‘Go’…

Sounds too good to be true?Not so. There are schemes that allow you to buy just a

percentage of your home, and still move in – and you don’t have to rob a bank to do it so there’s no chance of needing a ‘get out of jail free’ card! Collectively, the schemes are called low cost home ownership (LCHO) and are a great opportunity. And they’re affordable, which means you not only do you get your own property but you’ll have something left over each month, just in case you get caught on the electric company card!

Community chest…So if you want to put down roots and be part of the

community by buying your own home, LCHO is a bright idea. For a start, it makes buying a home an affordable option. It means you need a smaller mortgage and a smaller deposit too. In many cases, it works out cheaper than renting a similar property privately.

Playing the game…Once you’ve found your own place through LCHO, it’s flexible enough to change with you when your circumstances alter. You can buy more of your home until you own it outright – this is called staircasing. If you have a shared ownership home, in

most cases you can staircase until you own 100%. For equity loan schemes, you can pay off some or all of the equity loan. And when you come to sell, your Local Help to Buy Agent will have a ready-made list of people who are hoping to buy through LCHO in your area. People who are in the same position you’re in now - keen to become home owners for the first time.

It’s also secure. The majority of the schemes are backed by the government so you can be sure that the help you receive is there for the long-run. So unlike renting privately, where your landlord could end your tenancy even if you’ve paid your bills on the dot, LCHO means your home will always be there for you.

Pass Go…The key to finding a home through LCHO is your Help to Buy Agent. These are organisations appointed by the government to promote and co-ordinate LCHO in a particular area, and there’s a list of them of page 54. Outside of London your Help to Buy Agent will process your application so you don’t need to apply to every housing association, and they have a list of every government-funded LCHO home in their area too. In London, things are slightly different, but there’s still a LCHO online portal to get you started. Wherever you are, Help to Buy Agents are the double six to get you started.

Two ways to playThere are two basic types of LCHO scheme – shared ownership and equity loans. Both will help you get a place of your own, and the scheme to go for depends on your personal circumstances. There’s no guarantee that both options will be available to you, although there are developments where both shared ownership and equity loans are available on the same

How to play the home ownership game...

TIME TO MAKE YOUR

MOVE


Sounds good? Check out the next two pages and see if one of the LCHO schemes is right for you. You’ll find examples of people that did throw double sixes and moved on to home ownership throughout the magazine.

Buyer’sGuide

development. There are more details of the specific schemes on the next two pages, but essentially they are:

Shared ownershipAlso known as part buy/part rent. This works by allowing you to buy a share of your home and pay a subsidised, capped rent on the remainder, which is owned by a housing association. You’ll be expected to buy the largest share you can afford – but don’t worry, the key word there is ‘afford’, so you’ll be able to discuss what share is right for you.

Equity loansYou own 100% of your home, but only have to cover a percentage of the cost initially with your mortgage and deposit. You can defer the rest for a while as it’s covered by an equity loan. There’s nothing to pay on the equity loan for a few years, and the scheme you choose will determine whether you pay any interest after this and when you have to pay the loan back.

Can anyone play?You may have already heard of LCHO but thought ‘it’s just for people with specific jobs or it’s social housing by a different name.’ Well, you couldn’t be more wrong! It’s home ownership, and you’ll take on all the responsibilities, and have all the benefits, that go with it. LCHO is designed for a whole range of people who’ve been otherwise priced out of the market.

Who is the winner?For the schemes such as shared ownership and resales, it’s all first time buyers with a household income of less than £60,000 (£66,000 if you’re looking for one or two bedrooms in London and £80,000 for three bedrooms or more). And for Help to Buy, the criteria is even wider.

You COULD be eligible for the schemes if…• You’re a first time buyer• You’ve owned a home in the past but don’t own one now • You need to buy a home of your own for the first time, for example after a relationship breakdown• You own your own home but it’s far too small for your needs – for example you have two children in a one-bedroom flat and you can’t afford to buy somewhere bigger • You can’t otherwise afford to buy a suitable home in the area you need to live in

• You’re working even though it’s not full time (you’ll have to show that you earn enough to cover your housing and living costs though. And you might be able to count long-term benefits towards your income)• You’ve got a large chunk of money to put down (for example if you have equity from a previous home after a relationship split and use that towards buying your share outright. Again, you’ll have to show you have enough coming in to cover your housing and living costs)

You’re NOT eligible for shared ownership if...• You already own a home that you’re living in and it’s adequate for your needs• You can already afford to buy a suitable home of your own in your area

You’re NOT eligible for any affordable home ownership scheme if...• You want to buy a property to rent out. LCHO funding is there to help people to buy a home, not to become a landlord• You already own a home and now want to help your adult child or children to get on the ladder. You can help them with their deposit BUT it’s your children who would have to apply and be eligible. • CCJ’s or a bad credit rating make it unlikely that you can pass financial assessments

How to play the home ownership game...


Scheme type Shared ownership Help to Buy offers Try before you buy Discount offers

Scheme name New Build Resales Help to Buy Equity Loan Mortgage Guarantee Rent to Buy Discounted Market Sale

Intermediate Market Rent

RULES OF THE GAME You buy the share of your home you can afford (between 25% and 75%) and pay a subsidised rent on the remainder. You can buy more shares over time until in most cases you own 100% of your home. You may see shared ownership referred to as part buy/part rent.

These are properties that have already been bought through shared ownership in the past, and where the owners are now looking to sell their share and move on. You buy the share they are selling and pay a subsidised rent on the remainder. You might see resales referred to as ‘existing shared ownership’.

Available on newly built properties up to a value of £600,000. You buy 100% of your home but only have to pay for 80% initially. The rest is covered by an equity loan from the government. There’s nothing to pay on the equity loan for the first five years, after which there’s a small interest charge.

Designed to make 95% mortgages available to a wide range of people. More importantly it means that you only need to raise a 5% deposit. These mortgages will be available on new and older properties costing up to £600,000.

This is available on selected new developments and gives you the opportunity to rent the home you wish to buy at a reduced rate, on the understanding that you’ll buy it through shared ownership within a specific time. In London there’s a similar scheme called Rent to Save, ideal if you want to buy a home in the city.

Allows you to buy a new build property at a discount against market value. For example, the purchase price may be 50% of current market value (the precise discount changes property to property), but when you sell, the same discount is applied to the current market value. So the discount percentage is carried forward forever.

Offers you the chance to rent a brand-new or refurbished home or a home that is being re-let for a reduced rent. The rent charged is usually around 80% of the rent that you would expect to pay if you were renting from a private landlord

RIGHT MOVE Ideal if you live in an area where prices are high as you only need to buy the percentage you can afford (just as long as it’s over 25%). This means you need a smaller mortgage. It’s also perfect if you don’t have much in the way of savings as you only need to find the deposit for the share you’re buying.

Not limited to recently-built homes so properties are likely to be in established communities and you may have a wider choice of styles. There could be more flexibility with regards to who is eligible.

Great if you can almost afford your home but don’t have a thumping great deposit to start you off. You only have to find a 5% deposit. Not restricted to first time buyers, and doesn’t have the same income restrictions as shared ownership, so you can use the scheme to move to a larger home or one in a more expensive area.

It’s perfect if you can afford a mortgage for 95% of your home, but don’t have a large deposit. And as it’s available on existing properties as well as new ones, you can still benefit even if you want to live in an older home or somewhere that’s seen no new homes for a while.

Perfect if you can demonstrate that you could afford to buy 25% of your home, but are not in a position to do so straight away – for example you earn enough for a mortgage but don’t have a deposit saved. It gives you a chance to put down roots and move into your new home sooner.

Ideal in really high value areas such as central London. Particularly helpful if you can’t afford to buy on the open market or aren’t keen on paying rent.

Great if you’re looking to rent for the short term whilst building a deposit to buy your first home.

CHANCE CARD As with the most of the schemes on these pages, the properties are all new-builds, which might not be to your taste. If you’re looking for period features, though, you might find a shared ownership home that’s a conversion of an older building.

You’re unlikely to be able to buy a smaller share than the previous owners are selling, though it may be possible to buy more. And you’re buying someone else’s taste in décor – though it’s fun to change it!

You still have to be able to afford 80% of your home with your mortgage and deposit, so if you live in a very expensive area house prices could still be out of reach.

You still have to be able to get a mortgage for 95% of your home, so might not be right for you if you want to live in an expensive area.

There are very few Rent to Buy properties available, and no more are planned outside London. You have to be disciplined to use the discount on your rent to save for your deposit.

Only available on a small number of new-build properties. The scheme is still in its infancy and the number of lenders and the choice of mortgage products is limited.

This is a shorthold tenancy agreement only, initially covering just 6 months, after which the agreement can be extended.

BUY FROM JUST 25% WITH A SMALL DEPOSIT

WIDE CHOICE NOT JUST FOR FIRST TIME BUYERS

FOR HIGHER WAGE EARNERS

SAVE TO BUY THE NEW HOME YOU’RE LIVING IN

OPENS UP PRICE RESTRICTED AREAS

TYPICALLY 20% LESS THAN MARKET RENT

WANT MORE INFORMATION? Call homefocus on 0845 4744734 or e-mail [email protected]

There’s more than one way to play the low cost home ownership game! This page gives you an at-a-glance reference to all the schemes on offer, so if you find a home you like, you can check out the key points of the scheme...

TIME TO MAKE YOUR

MOVE


What percentage of the home you need do you think you could buy with your deposit and mortgage?

Finding the right LCHO scheme can be a bit daunting, so focus on this question...

Scheme type Shared ownership Help to Buy offers Try before you buy Discount offers

Scheme name New Build Resales Help to Buy Equity Loan Mortgage Guarantee Rent to Buy Discounted Market Sale

Intermediate Market Rent

RULES OF THE GAME You buy the share of your home you can afford (between 25% and 75%) and pay a subsidised rent on the remainder. You can buy more shares over time until in most cases you own 100% of your home. You may see shared ownership referred to as part buy/part rent.

These are properties that have already been bought through shared ownership in the past, and where the owners are now looking to sell their share and move on. You buy the share they are selling and pay a subsidised rent on the remainder. You might see resales referred to as ‘existing shared ownership’.

Available on newly built properties up to a value of £600,000. You buy 100% of your home but only have to pay for 80% initially. The rest is covered by an equity loan from the government. There’s nothing to pay on the equity loan for the first five years, after which there’s a small interest charge.

Designed to make 95% mortgages available to a wide range of people. More importantly it means that you only need to raise a 5% deposit. These mortgages will be available on new and older properties costing up to £600,000.

This is available on selected new developments and gives you the opportunity to rent the home you wish to buy at a reduced rate, on the understanding that you’ll buy it through shared ownership within a specific time. In London there’s a similar scheme called Rent to Save, ideal if you want to buy a home in the city.

Allows you to buy a new build property at a discount against market value. For example, the purchase price may be 50% of current market value (the precise discount changes property to property), but when you sell, the same discount is applied to the current market value. So the discount percentage is carried forward forever.

Offers you the chance to rent a brand-new or refurbished home or a home that is being re-let for a reduced rent. The rent charged is usually around 80% of the rent that you would expect to pay if you were renting from a private landlord

RIGHT MOVE Ideal if you live in an area where prices are high as you only need to buy the percentage you can afford (just as long as it’s over 25%). This means you need a smaller mortgage. It’s also perfect if you don’t have much in the way of savings as you only need to find the deposit for the share you’re buying.

Not limited to recently-built homes so properties are likely to be in established communities and you may have a wider choice of styles. There could be more flexibility with regards to who is eligible.

Great if you can almost afford your home but don’t have a thumping great deposit to start you off. You only have to find a 5% deposit. Not restricted to first time buyers, and doesn’t have the same income restrictions as shared ownership, so you can use the scheme to move to a larger home or one in a more expensive area.

It’s perfect if you can afford a mortgage for 95% of your home, but don’t have a large deposit. And as it’s available on existing properties as well as new ones, you can still benefit even if you want to live in an older home or somewhere that’s seen no new homes for a while.

Perfect if you can demonstrate that you could afford to buy 25% of your home, but are not in a position to do so straight away – for example you earn enough for a mortgage but don’t have a deposit saved. It gives you a chance to put down roots and move into your new home sooner.

Ideal in really high value areas such as central London. Particularly helpful if you can’t afford to buy on the open market or aren’t keen on paying rent.

Great if you’re looking to rent for the short term whilst building a deposit to buy your first home.

CHANCE CARD As with the most of the schemes on these pages, the properties are all new-builds, which might not be to your taste. If you’re looking for period features, though, you might find a shared ownership home that’s a conversion of an older building.

You’re unlikely to be able to buy a smaller share than the previous owners are selling, though it may be possible to buy more. And you’re buying someone else’s taste in décor – though it’s fun to change it!

You still have to be able to afford 80% of your home with your mortgage and deposit, so if you live in a very expensive area house prices could still be out of reach.

You still have to be able to get a mortgage for 95% of your home, so might not be right for you if you want to live in an expensive area.

There are very few Rent to Buy properties available, and no more are planned outside London. You have to be disciplined to use the discount on your rent to save for your deposit.

Only available on a small number of new-build properties. The scheme is still in its infancy and the number of lenders and the choice of mortgage products is limited.

This is a shorthold tenancy agreement only, initially covering just 6 months, after which the agreement can be extended.

BUY FROM JUST 25% WITH A SMALL DEPOSIT

WIDE CHOICE NOT JUST FOR FIRST TIME BUYERS

FOR HIGHER WAGE EARNERS

SAVE TO BUY THE NEW HOME YOU’RE LIVING IN

OPENS UP PRICE RESTRICTED AREAS

TYPICALLY 20% LESS THAN MARKET RENT

WANT MORE INFORMATION? Call homefocus on 0845 4744734 or e-mail [email protected]

Between 25% and 75%

Shared ownership could be right for you

Around 70% or more

Consider Help to Buy or an equity loan

100%, but I can only afford a 5% deposit Check out the mortgage guarantee schemes

I haven’t got enough for a deposit yet Time to start saving! Or take a look around for a try before you buy option

Buyer’sGuide



Shared ownership homes are just tiny starter flats. Some of them may be starter homes, but they’re not tiny… In fact, they have to meet higher standards of

space, storage and eco-efficiency than typical new-builds, so you’re actually getting more home for your money.

You have to be a big earner to cover the cost of a mortgage.Well, buying a home does cost... but then so does renting. In many cases, the cost of buying through

shared ownership could cost you less per month than privately renting a property of similar size in the same area.

But there’s an income ceiling so you can’t earn too much.Shared ownership is designed for first time buyers, specifically those that can’t stretch to buying the

SNAKES & LADDERSTHE UPS AND DOWNS OF BUYING A SHARED OWNERSHIP HOME...Nothing in life is perfect! It’s no different when you’re buying a property, there is often a price to pay for getting the home you want. But buying a shared ownership home might mean that the ladders take you higher and the snakes are less slippery than you thought.


home they need without a little leg up on the ladder. So you’ll need to earn enough to cover a mortgage and other household outgoings, but earn less than £60,000 per year. You can earn more in London and still be eligible, reflecting London’s higher prices.

Don’t you need to show that you’ve got lots of savings?You’ll need to have enough to cover removal costs, setting up home costs and of course, a deposit. That’s

the case when buying any home. But here’s something. With shared ownership you only need 5% of the price of the share you’ll be buying – not the full price of the home.

Aren’t lenders making it harder than ever to get a mortgage?It’s no harder to get a mortgage for a shared ownership property than it is any other. Especially since the recent

Mortgage Market Review has laid down guidelines for anybody getting any sort of mortgage.

Rent AND mortgage – isn’t that more expensive?Not really, that’s why we refer to it as Low Cost Home Ownership (LCHO)! If you buy through shared

ownership you’ll have a mortgage on the share you buy, and pay a subsidised rent on the share you don’t, so it generally works out less per month than renting privately, and definitely less than buying the full 100% of your home.

Shared ownership? Does that mean sharing with someone else?No! Although you can, if you want to! You’re sharing the ownership of your home with the housing

association, and you’ll pay them rent on the share you don’t own. Plenty of people buy their shared ownership home with a friend or sibling though. But no one from the housing association will move in with you, it’s the ownership you share, not the living space.

Isn’t there a whole load of repetitive form filling to do. Well perhaps, but the result is being able to find a home of your own. Outside of London, you will have

to register with a Help to Buy Agent and what this means is that you don’t have to track down and register with every housing association in your area. You just fill in ONE set of initial registration forms, undergo ONE basic affordability and eligibility check, not the same thing over and over again.

In London, things are a bit different, less centralised. But

HomeOwnership

it’s perfectly usual to register with Rightmove and Zoopla and every estate agent they redirect you to. So if you’re in the market to buy, you’ll be used to form filling.

They tell you how much you can afford and what share to buy! Yes, housing associations have always given their buyers an affordability check and it helps make sure

that they don’t over-stretch themselves financially and try to borrow more than they can pay back.

You have to live or work in the same borough as the property you want.New-build shared ownership properties are often made available first to local people. But after quite a

short period of time, it is opened up to others. Anyone may apply for an existing or resale shared ownership property.

Housing associations won’t let me keep a pet. What do I do?That’s the case for most leasehold properties, shared ownership or not! In some circumstances, if the

property is a house or a ground floor property with a garden/patio a small pet would be allowed.

Buying shared ownership is more complicated.Buying any property isn’t easy. That’s why there’s a whole industry of conveyancing solicitors and

independent mortgage advisors (IFAs). Fortunately, some specialise in shared ownership transactions. And you’ll find a number of them advertising on pages 66 & 67.

They make buying easy but what about when I want to sell. Shared ownership reflects the market. When the market is good, it’s good for all properties - when it’s

bad, then it will be bad for shared ownership too. The one difference is that your housing association will have first opportunity to find you a buyer. When the market is good, they’ll have a ready-made list of those people wanting to apply and in difficult times, they are still honour-bound to try to find you a buyer in a few (usually 8) weeks.

* Approximate figures only, assuming a 25 year mortgage at 5.5%. **Assumes rent is charged at 2.75% of the share you don’t own, per year.; *** Help to Buy property, interest on the equity loan starts in year 6. Please note: monthly outgoings do not include service charges

Burton Property is releasing brand new apartments at Quay West in the heart of Poole – available with Help to Buy.

Quay West comprises a select collection of 27 one and two-bedroom apartments and penthouses. There is allocated car parking for all of the apartments, together with additional visitor spaces. All of the homes above the ground floor have balconies and, even though Quay West is in the heart of the town, some of the upper floor apartments have sea views.

The four-storey Quay West building is

stylish and each home has an open-plan layout of the living/dining/kitchen area to create a light, airy space. The designer kitchen is well equipped with integrated appliances, including a hob, oven, microwave, fridge/freezer and washer-dryer.

From Quay West it’s just a short walk to the Old Town, sea front and lively Poole Quay and just minutes from the

Starting to think that you can buy your own home? Could buying in the south west be more cost effective than renting? Then take a look at this selection of low cost home ownership (LCHO) homes. There are more listed on page 59 and helpful contacts on our South West directory on page 61. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-homes-near-you.

QUAY WEST One-bedroom apartments from £124,000 for 80%

South West

Want to know more? Then email [email protected] with the name of the development that interests you in the subject line and don’t

forget to include your contact details.

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £155,000 • Minimum equity: 80% • Cost of equity: £124,000 5% deposit: £7,750 • Mortgage on 80% equity*: £714 • Total costs: £714***

High Street, Dolphin Shopping Centre and a choice of bars, restaurants and entertainment.

One-bedroom apartments start from £155,000 (£124,000 with Help to Buy) and two-bedroom apartments from £225,000 (£180,000 with Help to Buy). The homes will be ready for occupation from late summer 2015.

www.homefocus.co.uk/Quay-West


South West Properties


CRANBROOK Exeter from £131,996 for 80%

Taylor Wimpey is offering Help to Buy on a selection of two, three, four and five-bedroom houses on their Cranbrook development, located eight miles from Exeter. Illustrated is the four-bedroom ‘Welford’ detached house and there are plenty of other styles available.

Cranbrook is a brand new community of eco-friendly homes and is the first new town of its kind in Devon. There’s a choice of new primary and secondary schools in the area and a health centre and a central shopping street are being created as part of this new development.

Junction 29 of the M5 is just minutes away for journeys to Exeter and Bristol and a new railway station will be built offering direct services to London Waterloo.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £164,995 • Minimum equity: 80% • Cost of equity: £131,996 5% deposit: £8,250 • Mortgage on 80% equity*: £760 • Total costs: £760

Interested? Email [email protected] with “Cranbrook” in the subject. Remember

to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Cranbrook

THE OLD COAL YARD Sparkford from £66,000 for 40%

With completion expected at the end of the year, Stonewater is offering two and three-bedroom homes for shared ownership at The Coal Yard in Sparkford.

These are traditionally designed houses with their own private garden and parking, and feature stylish kitchens with integrated oven, hob and chimney-style extractor hoods along with attractively designed bathroom suites and fitted carpets throughout. A unique design feature is an opened-up roof-space providing extra accommodation with a Velux roof window to allow more natural light into the house.

Set within stunning rural countryside with good road and rail transport links, The Coal Yard is close to Yeovil which offers excellent schools, healthcare, shopping, business and leisure facilities.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £165,000 • Minimum share: 40% • Cost of share: £66,000 • 5% deposit: £3,300 • Mortgage on share*: £385Rent on remaining share**: £227 • Total costs: £612

Interested? Email [email protected] with “The Old Coal Yard” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details.

Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/The-Old-Coalyard

PARC HENDRAWNA Two, three, and four-bedroom houses in Perranporth, prices to be confirmed for 80%

With a selection of two, three and four-bedroom properties, Taylor Wimpey is making Help to Buy available at their Parc Hendrawna development in Perranporth, Cornwall.

Parc Hendrawna is a stylish collection of 120 properties off Liskey Hill which enjoys a fabulous location on the north coast of Cornwall, seven miles away from Truro.

The town benefits from a selection of shops, pubs and restaurants, and the local Perranporth Community Primary School, which neighbours the development, was rated good in its latest Ofsted inspection.

For commuters, there is easy access to the A30 for journeys to Truro, just a 15-minute drive away, and beyond, and Truro railway station offers services to Plymouth, Exeter and London Paddington.

Interested? Email [email protected] with “Parc Hendawna” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details.

Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Parc-Hendrawna


Will this story inspire you to become a homeowner? See the list of low cost home ownership (LCHO) properties on pages 56-59. Or go to www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-homes-near-you. Or email [email protected]

Back in the summer of 2012, Nicola had bought one of the apartments in the

first phase of St Modwen’s development at Locking Parklands just ten minutes from Weston-super-Mare. Not only was it a lovely property but they made lots of really close friends over the two years. So when it came time to purchase their first home together, Alex said ‘we didn’t really consider anywhere but Locking Parklands’.

More and more people are citing community spirit as a major reason for choosing a home and location, and the recently married Alex and Nicola were able to stay in the community where they had put down roots and purchase a three-bedroom ‘Maple’ house at Locking Parklands, thanks to Help to Buy.

Alex continues, ‘The high ceilings, big open spaces and large windows in

the houses all helped to really make the properties stand out to us, it just seemed so spacious compared to other new build homes. We purchased the house using the Help to Buy scheme which meant we only needed a deposit of 5%. I’d recommend the scheme to anyone looking to buy a new home as it really can help you get onto the property ladder.’

Alex and Nicola Previous situation: Home owners on the same development

Scheme: Help to Buy

Location: Weston-super-Mare

Provider: St Modwen Homes

Help to Buy Agent: www.helptobuysw.org.uk

‘it really can help you get onto the property ladder’


Heathfield Gardens in the village of Monkton Heathfield, has a range of two and three-bedroom homes available via shared ownership from Yarlington Homes. Monkton Heathfield has good road links, being close to the A38 and M5 and the main station at Taunton is on the London-Penzance line.

The village is fine for local shopping and enjoys a real community feel and for more serious shopping and entertainment, Taunton is ‘on the doorstep’. And to make sure that Heathfield Gardens fits nicely into the community feel, careful attention has been paid to architectural features and building materials, to make sure that the new homes complement their surroundings.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £175,000 • Minimum share: 50% Cost of share: £87,500 • 5% deposit: £4,375 • Mortgage on share*: £511Rent on remaining share**: £200 • Total costs: £711

Interested? Email [email protected] with “Heathfield Gardens” in the subjectRemember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Heathffield-Gardens

HEATHFIELD GARDENS Taunton from £87,500 for 50%

South West Properties

* Approximate figures only, assuming a 25 year mortgage at 5.5% ** Assuming rent at 2.75% of the share you don’t own, per year *** Help to Buy property. Interest on equity loan starts after 6 years

DUKES RISE Shepton Mallet from £123,960 for 80%

Bloor Homes is offering a range of two, three and four-bedroom homes under the Help to Buy scheme in Cannard’s Grave Road, Shepton Mallet.

The properties all boast large open-plan living areas, high quality fitted kitchens and spacious double bedrooms. Each of the homes has a landscaped garden at the front and a single/double garage, carport or driveway.

Shepton Mallet is full of history, with a variety of listed buildings, a beautiful Parish Church and evidence of a Roman settlement. The town centre provides a mix of shops, restaurants and cafes, with an excellent selection of well performing schools, supermarkets and health services. The M4 and M5 are within easy reach.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £154,950Minimum equity: 80% • Cost of equity: £123,9605% deposit: £7,748 • Mortgage on 80% equity*: £714 • Total costs: £714***

Interested? Email [email protected] with “Dukes Rise” in the subjectRemember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Dukes-Rise

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How about this for choice? Two housing associations are offering shared ownership on one and two-bedroom apartments at Centenary Quay in Woolston. Both Spectrum and Radian have announced a new phase at the stunning new development on the east bank of the River Itchen, a stones throw away from Woolston town centre.

All apartments have been built to a high standard with a range of fixtures and fittings that include a fully fitted kitchen, built in oven, gas hob, and cooker hood and washer/dryer.

Kitchens have a vinyl floorcovering as do the bathroom areas whilst the rest of the apartments are carpeted throughout. And for security, there’s a video entry system to all communal areas.

Centenary Quay is part of the vibrant waterfront area of Southampton but the

city centre with its wider shopping experience, is easily accessible via the nearby Itchen Bridge.

Starting to think that you can buy your own home? Could buying in the South be more cost effective than renting or commuting? Then take a look at this selection of low cost home ownership (LCHO) homes. There are more listed on pages 58 & 59 and helpful contacts on our South homefinder, page 65. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-homes-near-you.

CENTENARY QUAYWoolston from £45,500 for 35%

South


forget to include your contact details. Or you can visit www.homefocus.co.uk.


www.homefocus.co.uk/Centenary-Quay

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £130,000 • Minimum share: 35% • Cost of share: £45,5005% deposit: £2,275 • Mortgage on share*: £265 • Rent on remaining share**: £224 • Total costs: £489


South Properties

THE CEDARS Reading prices to be confirmed from 35%

MAYFLOWER MEWS Southampton from £124,000 for 80%

Southern Home Ownership is offering shared ownership at their new development, The Cedars, in Reading. The 14 one and two-bedroom apartments, and the 3 three-bedroom houses all have a bright, modern, high spec finishes.

The Cedars is sited in a leafy, green suburb of Reading, off Tilehurst Road, with easy access to Reading town centre, and the good news for commuters is that Reading’s main railway station will get you to London Paddington in less than half an hour. Being just off of the M4, there’s also great road links to London and the South West. And a half hourly coach service will get you to Heathrow Airport in around 40 minutes.

All Saints Junior School is just three minutes from The Cedars and Prospect Park is lose by.

Interested? Email [email protected] with “The Cedars” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details.

Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/The-Cedars

One and two-bedroom apartments are on offer at Lovell’s Mayflower Mews development in Sholing, Southampton – and Help to Buy is available on all of them!

The apartments are sited in the development’s attractive gated courtyard, and provide a high specification and quality finish. The show apartment provides an illustration of open-plan living with the spacious kitchen/dining room and living room plus Juliet balcony, creating an impressive and flexible space for cooking, entertaining and relaxing.

Mayflower Mews is only three miles from the M27 and just under four miles from Southampton Central railway station. The city centre, with its shops, bars, clubs and restaurants is only a short drive away along the A3025.

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £155,000 • Minimum equity: 80% • Cost of equity: £124,000 • 5% deposit: £7,750 • Mortgage on 80% equity*: £714 • Total costs: £714***

Interested? Email [email protected] with “Mayflower Mews” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details.

Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Mayflower-Mews

WESTERN RIVERSIDEBath from £86,000 for 40%

Bath Riverside is Bath’s newest residential quarter. When completed it will be a vibrant community with around 2,000 homes, a new primary school, student accommodation and a choice of cafés. And Curo Homes is offering one and two-bedroom apartments on a shared ownership basis.

Each kitchen provides an electric oven, hob and cooker hood, plumbing and space for a washing machine or washer dryer and dishwasher. The bathrooms offer a white bathroom suite with shower over the bath and shower screen and both kitchen and bathroom have vinyl flooring. Selected apartments benefit from allocated parking and a balcony.

The Bath Riverside development is a five minute walk from a supermarket and ten minutes from Oldfield Park railway station.

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £215,000 • Minimum share: 40% • Cost of share: £86,000 • 5% deposit: £4,300 • Mortgage on share*: £502Rent on remaining share**: £296 • Total costs: £798

Interested? Email [email protected] with “Riverside” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Riverside



Turning 39 made IT specialist Paul Beverley think seriously about

buying a home. He had been renting a house in Ash Vale and says, ‘I’d never been able to afford to get on the property ladder. I know it’s a common theme, but approaching 40 really made me stop and think. I realised I’d paid £100,000 in rent over ten years and had no equity to show for it.’

Determined to buy a home, he contacted a mortgage broker. ‘He assessed my finances and it was clear that I couldn’t borrow enough to buy a

home – so I was in trouble!’ said Paul. It was finding out about shared

ownership that made all the difference. Paul had spotted some resale or existing shared ownership properties being offered locally by Thames Valley Housing and called to find out more. The result was that Paul bought a two-bedroom mid-terrace house in Church Crookham, where he grew up, on the popular Zebon Copse development. The full market price was £205,000 and Paul bought a 50% share from the current owner who was ready to move on.

The process was much easier and quicker than he anticipated. He says: ‘I was told that it would take six months from enquiry to exchange, but in fact it was all dealt with incredibly fast and was completed within four months.’

Paul’s mortgage costs £568 per month, and the rent and service charges he pays on Thames Valley Housing’s half share of the home come to a further £356. He says: ‘In total, I’m paying £924 each month, which is only £149 more than I was paying in rent. What’s more, it’s my own home and I’m building equity.’


‘I’d paid £100,000 in rent over ten years and had no equity to show for it’

Paul Beverley

Previous situation: Renting

Scheme: Shared ownership

Location: Church Crookham

Provider: Thames Valley

Help to Buy Agent: www.helptobuysouth.co.uk



THE LARCHESBracknell from £308,000 for 80%

WATERLOO HOUSEWalton-on-Thames from £118,500 for 50%

Taylor Wimpey is offering Help to Buy at The Larches, a collection of three, four and five-bedroom detached houses. It’s part of the Parks development in Bracknell.

All new homes at The Larches at The Parks are finished to a high standard specification, including energy-efficient central heating, double glazing and a fitted kitchen with integrated oven, hob and hood.

The Larches is only a mile from Bracknell town centre and well placed for a wide selection of supermarkets and leisure amenities, including Princess Square Shopping Centre.

Three-bedroom house: Full value: £385,000 • Minimum equity: 80%Cost of equity: £308,000 • 5% deposit: £19,250Mortgage on 80% equity*: £1,773 • Total costs: £1,773***

Interested? Call 0845 4744734 or email [email protected] with

“The Larches” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details.

Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/The-Larches

Thames Valley Housing is offering shared ownership at Waterloo House, a collection of 26 one and two-bedroom-apartments in Walton-on-Thames.

The homes are just over a mile from the town centre and a short stroll from Walton-on-Thames train station, giving commuters an easy journey to London Waterloo.

Sited on Mayfield Road, Waterloo House is an attractive four-storey building characterised by soft red brick and cream render, and set in landscaped grounds.

Each home features an open-plan living/dining/kitchen area that maximises the space. The smart kitchen is very well equipped with fully integrated appliances including a hob, oven, fridge/freezer and washer/dryer.

One-bedroom apartment (without parking): Full value: £237,500Minimum share: 50% • Cost of share: £118,750 • 5% deposit: £5,938Mortgage on share*: £693 • Rent on remaining share**: £272 • Total costs: £965

Interested? Email [email protected] with “Waterloo House” in the

subject. Remember to include your contact details.

Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Waterloo-House


South Properties

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Midlands


Staffordshire Housing Group offers shared ownership at Uplands Mill, a range of high quality two-bedroom homes at Biddulph in the Staffordshire Moorlands. Each home has a family-sized kitchen, living room with dining area, two bedrooms and a family bathroom. All homes have off-road parking, uPVC double glazing and gas central heating.

Uplands Mill is well-placed for local shops and Macclesfield’s Grosvenor Centre, just thirteen miles north, has

more than thirty High Street and independent stores. Stoke-on-Trent is only a twelve mile drive and offers great city centre shopping.

Young families will find four first schools within a mile of Uplands Mill, taking pupils from aged three to nine

years old, with two middle schools for pupils aged nine to thirteen. Biddulph High School takes thirteen to eighteen year olds and there are a further four 6th form centres in a five mile radius.

Biddulph has many pubs, restaurants and cafes, its own Biddulph Valley Leisure centre and a huge choice of community clubs and associations.

Starting to think that you can buy your own home? Could buying in the midlands be more cost effective than renting or commuting? Then take a look at this selection of low cost home ownership (LCHO) homes. There are more listed on pages 58 and helpful contacts on our Midlands homefinder, on page 64. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-homes-near-you.

UPLAND MILLSBiddulph from £61,650 for 50%



Two-bedroom house: Full value: £123,300 • Minimum share: 50% • Cost of share: £61,650 • 5% deposit: £3,083 Mortgage on share*: £360 • Rent on remaining share**: £141 • Total costs: £501


www.homefocus.co.uk/Uplands-Mill

Midlands Properties


HIGHAM FERRERS Northampton – prices tbc for 80%

THE LEYS Wellingborough from £39,750 for 30%

Westleigh Homes has begun to transform a former factory site on Midland Rd, Higham Ferrers, by building a mix of two and three-bedroom semi-detached houses and three and four-bedroom detached properties.

The properties will be built to a high specification, offering a variety of layouts including kitchen/dining rooms and en-suite bathrooms and all of the homes will be made available on the Help to Buy scheme.

The development is located just a short walk from the village centre and also benefits from good transportation links with the A6 and A45.

Interested? Email [email protected] with “Higham Ferrers” in the subject.

Remember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Higham-Ferrers

Metropolitan is offering attractive two and three-bedroom family houses in Wellingborough, available through shared ownership.

All of the light and airy homes feature fitted kitchens, incorporating integrated Bosch and Smeg appliances and oak worktops. The fully fitted bathroom has a heated towel rail and each home comes with a downstairs w.c, carpet and tiles throughout. The living/diner leads into a rear garden and outside, is allocated parking (two spaces for the three-bedroom homes).

Wellingborough provides a number of good schools, a wide selection of shops, bars and restaurants, as well as The Castle Theatre.

Rail links from Wellingborough will get you to into London St. Pancras (47 minutes), Nottingham (65 minutes), Corby (20 minutes) and Leicester (30 minutes).

Two-bedroom apartment: Full value: £132,500 • Minimum share: 30% • Cost of share: £39,750 • 5% deposit: £1,898 • Mortgage on share*: £221Rent on remaining share**: £213 • Total costs: £434

Interested? Email [email protected] with “The Leys” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/The-Leys

ELLIOTT SIDESelly Oak from £61,250 for 35%

Singles, couples and small families can find affordable homes at Selly Oak, where Midland Heart has a few two-bedroom homes available under the shared ownership programme, at Elliott Side.

Each home offers spacious rooms, parking and all the extras such as carpets, oven, hob, washer/dryer and fridge/freezer come as standard.

Elliott Side has a variety of amenities with local supermarkets, pubs and restaurants and is only a stone’s throw from Birmingham City Centre. It is also close to major public transport links with easy access to London, Coventry and Leicester.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £175,000 • Minimum share: 35% • Cost of share: £61,250 • 5% deposit: £3,063 • Mortgage on share*: £357 Rent on remaining share**: £261 • Total costs: £618

Interested? Email [email protected] with “Elliott Side” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Elliott-Side

homefocus • MARCH/APRIL 2015 21homefocus • MARCH/APRIL 2015 11

Helena Cooke and Ricardo Whyte from Arnold in Nottingham

were both living with their parents but dreaming of finding a home they could call their own. The young couple were keen to get on the property ladder but were struggling to afford the right house in the right location.

Then Helena, a customer service advisor at TSB spotted a two-bedroom house online. It was nearby, just what they were looking for and affordable, offered

via Nottingham Community Housing Association on a shared ownership basis.

The couple openly admit that when they first came across the term shared ownership they had no idea what it meant. Ricardo, who is studying film at Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies in Nottingham, said, ‘None of our friends and family knew what it was. Everyone thought it was moving in with other people!’

Helena and Ricardo were delighted to learn that they could become home

owners sooner rather than later. Helena commented, ‘We wanted to move out but didn’t want to rent as this seemed like dead money, not allowing us to grow. Thanks to shared ownership we’ve got our first home and are already investing in our future.’

Now happily settled in their new home, the couple are inspiring others to consider home ownership. ‘Even our friends have started saving so they can get their own place too!’


Helena Cooke and Ricardo Whyte

Previous situation: Living with Parents


Location: Worcester

Provider: Nottingham Community

Help to Buy Agent: www.helptobuymidlands.co.uk‘We wanted to move out but didn’t want to rent as this seemed like dead money’


Midlands Properties

* Approximate figures only, assuming a 25 year mortgage at 5.5%. **Assumes rent is charged at 2.75% of the share you don’t own, per year.; *** Help to Buy property, interest on the equity loan starts in year 6

POPPYFIELDS CLOSE Matlock from £35,000 for 25%Waterloo Homes is offering shared ownership on a handful of two-bedroom terraced houses near Matlock.

The homes have been built to high energy efficient standards with one double and one single bedroom. They also feature a living room, downstairs toilet/cloak room, together with a stylish bathroom and a quality fitted kitchen to include oven, hob and extractor.

Outside is a turfed rear garden with shed and water butt, security alarm and satellite dish, plus a parking space and visitor parking.

The nearby town centre has a good variety of shops, supermarkets, public houses and leisure facilities, as well as primary and secondary schools.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £140,000 • Minimum share: 25%Cost of share: £35,000 • 5% deposit: £1,750 • Mortgage on share*: £204Rent on remaining share**: £241 • Total costs: £445

Interested? Email [email protected] with “Poppyfields-Close”

in the subject. Remember to include your contact details.

Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Poppyfields-Close

KINGS MEADOWWingerworth prices tbc for 80%

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Interested? Email [email protected] with “Kings-Meadow” in the


Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Kings-Meadow

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East & South East

The Apex building in St Peter’s Road, part of the prestigious Oaklands development in St Albans has two properties offered for shared ownership by Hightown Homes. The first is a two-bedroom ground floor apartment with ensuite to master bedroom; the second, a one-bedroom lower ground floor apartment with its own patio. Each property comes with an allocated parking space and access to the residents’ private gym.

Starting to think that you can buy your own home? Could buying in the east and south east be more cost effective than renting or commuting? Then take a look at this selection of low cost home ownership (LCHO) homes. There are more listed on pages 56 & 57 and helpful contacts on our East & South East homefinder on pages 60 & 61. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-homes-near-you.

THE APEX St Albans prices and shares tbc


www.homefocus.co.uk/The-Apex

Just minutes from the centre of St Albans, Oaklands is a unique place to live - a stunning urban parkland setting, combining ultra-modern new buildings with distinctive listed buildings beautifully restored.

The mainline St Albans city railway station is within walking distance of Oaklands and has direct services to London St Pancras in less than 20 minutes. For road commuters, St Albans has easy access to the A1M, M1 and M25.


East & South East Properties

GRAYLINGWELL PARK Chichester from £62,500 for 25%

Affinity Sutton is offering shared ownership on a selection of two and three-bedroom houses at Graylingwell Park in Chichester.

Set within 85 acres of parkland less than a mile from the city centre, Graylingwell Park will provide 750 new and converted homes from one-bedroom apartments up to five-bedroom houses.

Graylingwell Park has been designed for a carbon-neutral lifestyle that will help to protect the environment for generations to come. So every home will

EMPIRE REACH Medway Riverside from £40,500 for 30%

Empire Reach is a collection of one and two-bedroom waterside apartments located in the heart of Medway Riverside. And Golding Homes is offering shared ownership on the 21 apartments there.

Finished to a high standard, these apartments offer open plan living with built-in appliances. All of the apartments have a private balcony or roof terrace with stunning views across the River Medway.

Empire Reach is located close to shopping, dining and entertainment facilities. It has excellent travel

reliable train services to the capital for commuters.

The apartments are named after the Empire Theatre which previously stood on the site.

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £135,000Minimum share: 30% • Cost of share: £40,5005% deposit: £2,025 • Mortgage on share*: £238Rent on remaining share**: £232Total costs: £470

Interested? Email [email protected]

with “Empire Reach” in the subject. Remember to

include your contact details.

Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Empire-Reach

connections by road and rail. Chatham and Rochester railway stations are both within walking distance and provide fast,


integrate green technologies. Heating to all homes will be supplied by a central heating and power plant within an on-site energy centre and the homes will use 33% less water than usual. Other environmentally-friendly features include bus and cycle routes to key local areas plus a car and cycle club.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £250,000Minimum share: 25% • Cost of share: £62,5005% deposit: £3,125 • Mortgage on share*: £365Rent on remaining share**: £430Total costs: £795


with “Graylingwell Park” in the subject. Remember

to include your contact details.

Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Graylingwell-Park

RED HOUSE PARK Milton Keynes from £65,000 for 50%

Lea Valley Homes is offering 12 two-bedroom apartments in Redhouse Park, Milton Keynes under the shared ownership scheme. All apartments come with one allocated parking space and gas central heating. They also include carpets to the living areas with vinyl flooring to the kitchen and bathroom.

Red House Park provides a wide range of traditional and contemporary homes and is set to become part of the landscape amongst existing trees, lakes and bridleways.

Central Milton Keynes is only 4 miles

is closer still, less than a mile away. For commuters to London Euston and

Birmingham, the train station is under 5 miles from the development and junction 13 on the M1 less than 4 miles away.

Two-bedroom apartment: Full value: £130,000Minimum share: 50% • Cost of share: £65,0005% deposit: £3,250 • Mortgage on share*: £379Rent on remaining share**: £149Total costs: £528


with “Red-House-Park” in the subject. Remember

to include your contact details.

Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Red-House-Park

away with a range of shops, restaurants, bars, theatre and The Center MK. The thriving market town of Newport Pagnell


Garry Hill works for a charity that supports people with severe

epilepsy to attain their own goals in life and has now achieved a dream of his own - a new home at The Cranes in Cranleigh, Surrey.

Having spent some time living in his family home in the village, Garry, 41, was keen to get on the property ladder and have his own space in which to spend quality time with his four-year-old son, who stays with him every other weekend.

With high house prices locally but not wanting to waste money on renting, his search was proving difficult. That was until he found Affinity Sutton’s The Cranes, where a 25% share of a two-bedroom apartment cost him £56,250.

‘I really wanted to find somewhere I could call my own, and when a friend recommended this development to me it all just clicked into place – it was brilliant!’ says Garry. ‘I’m a local lad so staying close to my family and friends

was very important, The Cranes ticked all the right boxes.’

Garry put down a hefty deposit so pays just £260 for his mortgage and a rent of £420 each month, far less than he could expect to pay renting in the area. And Garry’s new home gives him ample space to entertain his son. Although his family home was larger, privacy was hard to come by so Garry comments, ‘The new home has really enhanced my life, it’s given me a space to spend quality time with my son.’

Will this story inspire you to become a homeowner? See the list of low cost home ownership (LCHO) properties on pages 56-59. Or go to www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-homes-near-you. Or you could call 0845 474 4734

Garry Hill

Previous situation: Living with family


Location: Cranleigh

Provider: Affinity Sutton

Help to Buy Agent: Helptobuyese.org.uk‘The new home has really enhanced my life, it’s given me a space to spend quality time with my son’


East & South East Properties

ESCALA Wickford from £121,596 for 80%


STOKE QUAYIpswich from £29,375 for 25%

Escala in Wickford, Essex, is a development of one and two-bedroom apartments within a 40 minute or so commute from London and Bellway Homes is offering Help to Buy to make it affordable as well as commutable.

Wickford has plenty to offer with its mix of independent shops and high street favourites, as well as three markets every week in the town centre. There’s also plenty of nightlife, with a range of bars and restaurants to choose from and the nearby town of Basildon, just ten minutes away.

The apartments at Escala provide open plan living and dining area, fitted with modern kitchen and laminate worktops, integrated appliances such as a fridge/freezer, Washer/Dryer, and a Zanussi stainless steel single oven.

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £151,995 • Minimum equity: 80% • Cost of equity: £121,596 • 5% deposit: £7,600 Mortgage on 80% equity*: £700 • £700***

Interested? Email [email protected] with “Escala” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Escala

Genesis is offering shared ownership on modern homes in a historical setting at Stoke Quay on the River Orwell Marina. A collection of one and two-bedroom apartments is available as part of the regeneration of Ipswich docks.

These waterfront homes are designed to a contemporary specification for spacious living. Most apartments have balconies, many of which enjoy riverside views. Kitchens in all properties boast fitted units including integrated appliances such as an oven/hob and washing machine.

Parking, pram and bike storage is also available at Stoke Quay providing all the essentials for modern living.

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £117,500 • Minimum share: 25% • Cost of share: £29,3755% deposit: £1,469 • Mortgage on share*: £171 • Rent on remaining share**: £202 Total costs: £373

Email [email protected] with “Stoke Quay” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Stoke-Quay

WEST GATE Maidstone, prices to be confirmed

Heart of Medway is developing 37 one and two-bedroom apartments on the site of the former Maidstone Borough Council offices in Tonbridge Road, for completion in the Autumn.

Marketed as West Gate, 12 of the homes will be set aside for shared ownership. Heart of Medway plan further developments in the area and will include Buckland Hill, near Maidstone Barracks and a former factory site in a riverside location in Eccleston Road, both due for completion in 2016.

Interested? Email [email protected] with “West Gate” in the


Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/West-Gate


Lime Walk, a collection of one, two and three-bedroom apartments situated just around the corner from Wembley Stadium, is available on a shared ownership basis from Network Living.

It’s also just a five-minute walk from the buzzing leisure and retail hub of Wembley Park, and yet it is situated down a leafy, tree-lined avenue and surrounded by landscaped communal grounds. Families are particularly well catered for with the provision of no less than six dedicated play areas across the development.

Internally all apartments feature open-plan living spaces and a high specification,

an hour, where overground trains head into Marylebone in 14 minutes.

Families have a choice of nearby independent and state schools including the Ofsted rated ‘outstanding’ Byron Court Primary.

Starting to think that you can buy your own home? Could buying in the Capital be more cost effective than renting or commuting? Then take a look at this selection of low cost home ownership (LCHO) homes. There are more listed on pages 57 & 58 and helpful contacts on our London homefinder, pages 62 & 63. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-homes-near-you.

London

LIME WALK Wembley from £98,000 for 35%



One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £280,000 • Minimum share: 35% • Cost of share: £98,0005% deposit: £4,900 • Mortgage on share*: £572 • Rent on remaining share**: £417 • £1,189


www.homefocus.co.uk/Lime-Walk

including white gloss or cashmere grey kitchen cabinets with integrated SMEG fridge/freezers and washer/dryers, while bathrooms feature Hansgrohe brassware.

Transport links from Lime Walk are fantastic offering excellent access into central London. Wembley Park tube station – serviced by the Metropolitan and Jubilee underground lines – is a five minute walk away; trains to Waterloo take 23 minutes while the service to Kings Cross takes just 19 minutes. Wembley Stadium station can be reached by foot in less than a quarter of


London Properties

PEARMAIN HOUSE Harrow from £77,000 for 35%

GREENGATE LODGE Plaistow from £49,125 for 25%

Pearmain House comprises 25 one-bedroom and 13 two-bedroom apartments, beautifully designed and arranged across seven floors. Each apartment comes with its own outdoor space/balcony and is fully kitted out to a generous specification, with fitted kitchens and bathrooms, parking and bike storage as well as a 10 year NHBC guarantee. And Metropolitan is making them affordable by offering them on a shared ownership basis. The homes at Pearmain House are located in a quiet retreat in an established residential area with access to plenty of local green space and leisure amenities.

Pearmain House is just five minutes walk from Rayner’s Lane London Underground station which serves the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines.

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £220,000 • Minimum share: 35% • Cost of share: £77,0005% deposit: £3,850 • Mortgage on share*: £449 • Rent on remaining share**: £328 • Total costs: £777

Interested? Email [email protected] with “Pearmain House” in the subject. Remember to include

your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Pearmain-House

Less than two miles from the hub of Stratford, Genesis’ brand new development Greengate Lodge in Plaistow, E13, is available for shared ownership.

Located off the Barking Road between Canning Town and Barking, Greengate Lodge offers one and two-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom houses. Situated in a peaceful residential area, just minutes from the high street, Greengate Lodge is in a commutable

THE POINTCroydon from £72,000 for 40%

Affinity Sutton is offering shared ownership at The Point in Croydon, an eight-storey landmark building incorporating a glass tower on one corner of the building. 35 one and two-bedroom apartments will be available.

The apartments will be modern and contemporary, many will have their own balconies, and all will come with an allocated parking space.

The development is close to local amenities, with a Tesco Express nearby. West Croydon Train Station is around a 15-minute walk away, and offers services to London Bridge in as little as 19 minutes. The nearby A212 offers good access to the wider road network and the M25.

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £180,000 • Minimum share: 40% Cost of share: £72,000 • 5% deposit: £3,600 • Mortgage on share*: £420Rent on remaining share**: £248 • Total costs: £668

Interested? Email [email protected] with “The Point” in the subject.

Remember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/The-Point

location in an up and coming area. All of the homes offer wooden floors,

modern brushed stainless steel finishes and gloss kitchen units inclusive of integrated appliances such as fridge/freezer and dishwasher, full height tiling to bathrooms and fitted wardrobes to master bedrooms.

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £196,500 Minimum share: 25% • Cost of share: £49,1255% deposit: £2,457 • Mortgage on share*: £287 Rent on remaining share**: £338 • Total costs: £625


with “Greengate Lodge” in the subject. Remember

to include your contact details. Or visit

www.homefocus.co.uk/Greengate-Lodge



GREENWICH MILLENNIUM VILLAGE (GMV) Greenwich from £77,500 for 25%

ERITH PARKErith from £63,000 for 35%

Greenwich is a stunning place to live with bars and restaurants overlooking the Thames and the O2 providing an amazing centre for events.

And making it affordable to live within striking distance of all the excitement is shared ownership offered by Moat on a range of one and two-bedroom apartments.

The apartments at GMV have been thoughtfully designed with a high internal specification and just one mile away is North Greenwich station on the Jubilee Line, making commuting to central London fast and easy. Other transport options include local bus routes and riverboat services.

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £310,000 • Minimum share: 25% • Cost of share: £77,5005% deposit: £3,875 • Mortgage on share*: £476 • Rent on remaining share**: £533 Total costs: £1,009

Interested? Email [email protected] with “GMV” in the subject. Remember to include

your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/G-M-V

Orbit is offering one, two and three bedroom apartments at Erith Park through the shared ownership programme. Smart and modern, these energy efficient homes are low-cost to run and many of them enjoy their own outdoor space/balcony.

Erith Park has been designed to give an established community feel and Orbit’s development is close to the shopping centre, library, sports centre and public transport links.

Just north of Erith Park is The Dell, a small woodland area that is being enhanced and transformed into an ecology hub for all to use and enjoy. And nearby Danson Park is another popular outdoor area, often the setting for community events like fireworks displays.

Two-bedroom apartment: Full value: £180,000 • Minimum share: 35% • Cost of share: £63,000 • 5% deposit: £3,150 • Mortgage on share*: £368 Rent on remaining share**: £268 • Total costs: £636

Interested? Email [email protected] with “Erith Park” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Erith-Park


PARKSIDE PLACE Wembley from £192,000 for 80%

Countryside is making Help to Buy available at Parkside Place, a collection of stylish one, two and three-bedroom apartments in Wembley. Situated opposite Barham Park, Parkside Place combines a great location, convenient transport links and all of the benefits of buying a high quality new-build home.

The apartments are set across a series of buildings and come in a variety of thoughtfully planned layouts that make the most of space and natural light. All of the homes have private outdoor space in the form of balcony or terrace, many

overlooking the park, while ground floor properties have enclosed gardens for a bit more space.

The apartments come with fully fitted kitchens featuring composite quartz worktops, contemporary gloss units and energy efficient integrated appliances.

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £240,000 Minimum equity: 80% • Cost of equity: £192,000 5% deposit: £12,000 • Mortgage on 80% equity*: £1,005 • Total costs: £1,005***

Interested? Email enquiries@homefocus.

co.uk with “Parkside Place” in the subject.

Remember to include your contact details.

Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Parkside-Place


London Properties

Elzbieta and Rafal had been renting privately with their 2½ year old

daughter Lena in Hounslow. When their landlord served notice on them they were keen to make the next move and own their own home.

But having looked around, they soon realised that many properties in their area were out of their price range.

Initially the family worried about leaving the area they knew and Elzbieta said ‘We had been looking to buy our own home but property prices were quite high so there were fairly few places in our price range available to us. Then we heard about some properties that the London Borough of Hounslow had, not too far from our rented home, and we decided to take a look.’

They saw and bought 45% of their new home and after putting down a £5000 deposit, their monthly outgoings on mortgage and rent come to around £880 – less than on their previously rented property.

‘Our new home is a stunning, spacious two-bedroom apartment on the top floor with dual aspect that gives us beautiful views. We have felt homely and settled since we first moved in, it is just fantastic.’

Elzbieta also says that buying has given them a real boost. ‘Owning our own property has really helped our self-esteem. There was a time when we thought we would never be able to do that, but shared ownership has made it come true. We are in a new phase of our lives now and are investing in ours and our daughter’s future, one that we feel secure and in control of.’

Will this story inspire you to become a homeowner? See the list of low cost home ownership (LCHO) properties on pages 56-59. Or go to www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-homes-near-you. Or you could call 0845 474 4734

Rafal and Elzbieta

Previous situation: Renting


Location: Hounslow

Provider: London Borough of Hounslow

‘There were fairly few places in our price range available to us’

CANNONROAD

92 HOMES FORINTERMEDIATE RENT IN TOTTENHAM Ambrose Court, Beachcroft Court and Mallory Court are partof the transformation of Tottenham comprising of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments for Keyworkers and Intermediate Rent

Priority for the these homes will go to Keyworkers or those that live or work in the London Borough of Haringey

Apply on our website: www.newlonlettings.org.uk/intermediate-rent/beachcroft-court

Tel: 020 7613 8080 (8am – 5pm)


IF ONLY I HAD A DEPOSIT!If you’re paying out a substantial amount in rent, you may find that buying through shared ownership means that you won’t have to pay out any more each month than you already do. But you will have to put down a deposit.

We spoke to Kimberley Whitehead, who saved some money on an intermediate rent programme and was then able to move onto shared ownership.

What brought you to Tottenham and the intermediate rent programmeActually I can’t remember – I may have heard through my employer, the NHS, otherwise probably through a newspaper like the Guardian. I like reading the Money section etc.

As a result, I rented from Newlon in Hale Village in Tottenham for about 12 months, taking advantage of ‘intermediate rent’, meaning that I was paying less than I would have expected to pay to a private landlord. During this time I got to know the area, the transport links, and had made some friends locally, so I wanted to stick around. But I also wanted to own my own home.


IntermediateRent

What made you decide to ‘move on’ to shared ownership I didn’t have enough in savings and couldn’t see how I’d ever get a full deposit, but Newlon had some shared ownership apartments coming up right behind the Tottenham Town Hall and I felt that I might be able to put together a deposit for a 50% share on a home there. My reduced (intermediate) rent left me with a little over each month to add to my savings, but even then it was going to be a struggle. But a sad event gave me some good fortune: my Grandma left me some money in her will. I was settled in Tottenham, had made friends and felt committed to staying here long-term. Also I was living in a new-build rented flat at that stage, the first new-build I’d lived in, so I knew that I liked the layout and the feel of a new-build, plus it was so much warmer and more economical than the Victorian terraces I’d lived in before.

How did you find out about the specific shared ownership development you moved toThrough the First Steps website which advertised it. I signed up to their e-mail update service. The development was being offered off-plan but I felt confident of the quality of the eventual flats because it was a development by the same people (Newlon) that had built my (intermediate rent) flat.

Has it made any difference to youI’m much happier in shared ownership. I feel like the flat is mine and I’ll be here for a long time, whereas since I was 18 I’ve never lived anywhere for longer than 2 years (I’m 29 now). So I’ve bought new furniture, fittings, put art on the walls etc so it feels much more personal and lived-in.

Has it made much difference to your monthly outgoings The outgoings are similar to when I was renting. In fact the mortgage offer I was given was based on the outgoings I could prove I could commit to and manage. However, now that I feel more committed to living here and generally in London long-term, I overpay my mortgage each month.

‘I might be able to put together a deposit for a 50% share’

Do you have any tips for others about how best to save for a deposit In truth, the inheritance from my Grandma made the difference. But in terms of how I save money generally, in order to overpay my mortgage:• I go to the cinema on weeknights and often do happy hour or ‘early bird’ drink or food deals• I try to see a handful of my friends on one evening. Not only does it mean I can introduce them to each other, it means that I’m not paying for several nights out to see each friend individually• I put money aside as soon as I get paid• I sign up to ‘offers’ listings, e.g. Time Out offers• I only buy clothes rarely and only in the sales and often buy food that’s on offer or reduced

If you’d like to know more about intermediate rent, contact www.homefocus.co.uk/Intermediate-Rent


BEENY

TV PRESENTER & PROPERTY EXPERT

SARAH


Inconversationwith...

Television presenter and property expert Sarah Beeny is best known for presenting programmes such as Channel 4’s Property Ladder and Double The House For Half The Money. More recently however she has put her property knowledge to another use, and set up an online estate agency. We asked Sarah to share her experience and thoughts with us about buying a home in the UK.

When did you buy your first home, what was it like, and what made you choose it?The most important aspect of the home is how it makes you feel - if you feel safe and secure then it is a no brainer. Your home should be a sanctuary and a place where you can relax and unwind. It should also help you to do all sorts of things you like, for example, give you space to entertain your friends, be near your family or walk to work if that’s important to you. What is your vision/opinion on the lack of affordable housing in the UK?There is an issue with the lack of affordable housing in the UK, but I also think that we are under the impression that there was a time when everyone was able to nip out and buy a house when they wanted one. In reality it has never been easy to buy a house, but it is still possible if you really want to. In my opinion we can’t

fix the affordable housing problems just by building new homes - the only solution is to loosen up planning controls on existing buildings in this country. Why not just make it easier for families to extend their homes and have more family members living there? Intergenerational living is another possible option where tax breaks can be rewards for those who live with more than one generation. This helps with care for children and the elderly as well as housing. It’s not for everyone but it’s definitely an option that I believe should be considered.

What advice would you give to those looking to purchase their first home?

For those who looking to buy their first home, my advice would be not to panic - there is nothing wrong

with renting a home for a while whilst you decide what will suit you best. However if you really want to buy I would suggest you think carefully what you can afford. It’s easier to save for a deposit and cover a mortgage with more than one of you - and

more fun as well. Head a bit further out of town and you may well find that you can afford more of

what you are looking for.

What are you currently working on and what’s next

for you?I’m pretty manic with my online

estate agency www.tepilo.com at the moment, as we have

been working on a new campaign over the last few

months. It’s an emerging market and I’m finding

it really exciting being involved in something that will genuinely shape how people sell their homes

from now on. I’m also still involved in

my dating site, My Single Friend and there’s always something exciting going on at Rise Hall, my wedding and events venue in Yorkshire - but my main mission is to try to free up a bit more time to spend with the children - though that has been the plan for a long time now!


Luxaflex metal venetian blindswww.luxaflex.co.uk

Spring Greens

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HomeStyle

Green is a soothing and rejuvenating colour that can help add balance and energy to any space. Whether

harnessing zesty lime for the wow factor, or selecting a deeper shade of mint for a more relaxed atmosphere,

green is the ideal colour for a living room, hallway, study, or bedroom. If you like the idea of a green room,

but don’t want to go as far as painting the walls then try introducing the colour through your furniture and

accessories. We’ve chosen a few of our favourite green items here to give you some ideas of where to start.

1 Birdy Thrush cushion £20 www.magpieline.com

2 Crystal pitcher £12.50 www.homecandy.com

3 Kenwood Kmix boutique jug kettle £59.99 www.amara.com

4 Stella love seat £399 www.furniturevillage.co.uk

5 Kallax shelving unit £30 www.ikea.com

6 Emerald green chandelier £140 www.frenchbedroom company.co.uk

7 Lulu footstool £159 www.made.com

8 Retro phone £55 www.berryred.co.uk

9 Birdhouse jewellery holder £13 www.retreat-home.com

10 Saga green mix floor runner £39 www.skandihome.com

11 Green wood double hook £9 www.tch.net

12 Apple green Swallow candle £12.50 www.berryred.co.uk

Luxaflex metal venetian blindswww.luxaflex.co.uk

Spring Greens

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MONEYMONEYMONEYThe budget planner on the right hand page will help you work out your income and outgoings each month so you’ll know how much you can afford to pay in mortgage (or mortgage and rent on a shared ownership property). And if you need to build up a deposit, it will also help you work out how much you can save to put towards it. But the rest of this page will help you get the best mortgage deal available by making sure your credit rating is as high as possible.

Credit ratingsA below average credit rating will affect the mortgage terms you’re offered or perhaps even lead to your mortgage application being turned down altogether. And there’s no way round it. When you apply for a mortgage, the lender will carry out a credit check which provides them with a breakdown of all historical financial transactions held in your name. This records how much you have borrowed and how you have dealt with each commitment, i.e. are you a good payer and have you paid on time? This check also provides a “credit score” to help the lender make a decision on your application. Unfortunately, the scoring systems aren’t published and differ lender to lender and product to product. But we do know that the higher your score, the better chance you have of obtaining a mortgage and being offered a good interest rate.

Easy steps to maximise your credit score • Obtain a copy of your credit report (the 3 major agencies are Experian, Equifax and Callcredit) and check the content. The reports can occasionally contain mistakes.

• Check with your council to see that you are on the electoral roll. Not being on the electoral roll reduces your chances of being accepted.• Try to pay off existing debts before you apply, or at the very least reduce them by as much as possible.• Don’t miss or make late repayments on any loan, credit card or utility bill. Missed or late payments can stay on your credit file for up to 6 years and can play havoc with your chances of obtaining a mortgage.• Keep within your bank overdraft limit and preferably keep in credit for at least 6 months prior to applying for a mortgage. Lenders will ask to see between 3 and 6 months of your most recent bank statements and if you have overstepped your authorised limit this is likely to lead to an automatic decline.• If you’ve never had credit before, it can be difficult for a lender to assess you. Consider taking out a credit card, make a couple of purchases on it each month and repaying them in full within the prescribed time limit. This will help to build a good credit history.• Having too much credit available can work against you. Close any accounts you don’t need or use anymore. • Lenders want to see a settled financial history so don’t take out any loans or new credit cards shortly before applying for a mortgage.• It’s not always easy, but avoid a job change immediately prior to submitting a mortgage application. Before agreeing to a loan most mortgage providers like a borrower to have held a job for a few months to show that a steady income is being received.

Before you worry about location, location, location, think about money, money money! Money for your deposit, money for your mortgage and money to get through each month.


BUDGETPLANNERGet to grips with your finances and plan to have a little left over each month to build a deposit or to buy those finishing touches for your home. Budget on a monthly basis, even if it’s an annual bill. This handy planner will be useful when your mortgage lender asks you about your outgoings. Go to www.homefocus.co.uk /Budget_Planner and download an electronic version to print off as many as you need.

MoneyMaestro

1 – Income

Wages or salary (net after deductions)

Partner’s wages or salary (net)

Tips, commission or overtime

Other earnings (net)

Maintenance/child support

Working Tax Credit

Children’s Tax Credit

Child Benefit

Any other benefit income

Interest on savings

Other income

TOTAL INCOME (BOX 1) £

2 – Housing and utilities

Mortgage payments

Rent

Other loans on your home

Council tax

Service charge and/or ground rent

Buildings/contents insurance

Life or redundancy insurance

Water and sewerage rates

Gas

Electricity

Other fuel costs

Other housing costs

TOTAL HOUSING COSTS (BOX 2) £

3 – Important expenditure

Telephone and internet (including mobiles)

Credit card payments

Loan repayments

Maintenance payments

Pension

TV licence

HP or rental payments (car, tv etc)

TOTAL IMPORTANT COSTS (BOX 3) £

4 – Everyday expenditure

Food & Drink

Housekeeping

Travel & fares

Car expenses (tax/petrol/servicing etc)

Childcare (nursery/minder/babysitter)

Children (pocket money, activities, events)

School meals

Pets (food, vet’s bills, insurance)

Cigarettes and other ‘vices’

Clothes and shoes

Household items (repairs etc)

Health costs (dentist, optician, prescriptions)

TOTAL EVERYDAY COSTS (BOX 4) £

5 – Other expenditure

Religious and charitable giving

Entertaining, eating out

Holidays

Hobbies (activities, gardening, books etc)

Gifts (eg birthdays)

Christmas or festivals and presents

Courses and professional fees

Catalogue/mail order payments

TOTAL OTHER COSTS (BOX 5) £

6 – Your budget

Total income BOX 1 £

Housing costs BOX 2

Important expenditure BOX 3

Everyday expenditure BOX 4

Other expenditure BOX 5

Total Outgoings

(add boxes 2,3,4,5 & 6) BOX 6 £

MONEY LEFT OVER (BOX 1 – BOX 6) £


Whether you’re a first time buyer looking

to set up a kitchen, or simply moving home and taking stock of what you have, there are certain small appliances that you can guarantee every home in the country will want. Here we’ve taken a look at the real essentials such as a kettle and toaster, alongside everyone’s favourite time saving device, the microwave oven. We’ve also considered a couple of luxury items for coffee lovers and budding chefs.

KITCHEN ESSEN TIALSMUST HAVE APPLIANCES TO SUIT EVERY BUDGET

Smeg KLF01 kettle £89.99 www.currys.co.uk

Morphy Richards Accents four slice toaster £60 www.debenhams.com

Breville VKJ596 kettle £49.95 www.johnlewis.com

Breville two slice toaster £35 www.tesco.com

Illuminated kettle £20 www.wilko.com

Two slice purple toaster £10 www.wilko.com

BEST BUY BEST BUY

GREAT VALUE GREAT VALUE

INVESTMENTINVESTMENT

Time For A Brew Kettles

Pop up Toasters


RoomFocus

KITCHEN ESSEN TIALSMUST HAVE APPLIANCES TO SUIT EVERY BUDGET

Gusto Microwave Oven with Crisp function £145.20 www.whirlpool.co.uk

Illy Frances Y3 coffee machine £149 www.espressocrazy.com

KitchenAid 5KFP0925BAC 2.1 Food Processor £139.99 www.currys.co.uk

Retro microwave 23L £70 www.wilko.com

Nescafe Dolce Gusto Jovia By De’Longhi £89.99 www.dolce-gusto.co.uk

Hotpoint FP1005AB0UK food processor £79 www.ao.com

Samsung ME711K freestanding microwave £49 www.ao.com

Krups Dolce Gusto Melody 3 hot drinks machine £49.99 www.currys.co.uk

Compact food processor £21 www.sabichi.co.uk

BEST BUY BEST BUY BEST BUY

GREAT VALUE GREAT VALUE GREAT VALUE

INVESTMENTINVESTMENT INVESTMENT

Speedy Solution Microwaves

Smell The Aroma Coffee Machines

Mix It Up Food Processors


Finally, after all the searching and dealing

with mortgage advisors and solicitors, you’ve

exchanged contracts and have been given a

date to move in!

And then you get to thinking… ‘Who do I

need to tell? What do I need to find out? What

about moving all my stuff?’

Supposedly, moving home is one of the

most stressful things you can do. But the actual

process doesn’t have to leave you sitting up in

bed at night, eyeballs out, panicking because

you haven’t told the library your new address!

So take a deep breath, make yourself a cup

of tea and have a quick browse through our

moving checklist. We’ve come up with all the

people you generally need to inform about your

move – if you have extra people we haven’t

thought of, we hope you remember to tell them!

Consider yourself reminded by homefocus…

Pack it in!It’s a fact of life that you ALWAYS have more

‘stuff’ than you ever believed possible! Now is

a good time to weed out things you don’t want

any more – if you think you might be able to

sell them put them all in a separate box marked

‘Sell’ so you don’t unpack it and put it all away

again when you get to your new place!

It goes without saying that you should use

strong boxes – and don’t make them too heavy

to lift! Use smaller boxes for books, photo

albums and other heavy items or they might as

well be bolted to the floor – and mark on top

that they’re heavy to stop you doing yourself an

injury when you try to pick them up. Label each

box clearly with the contents and which room

it’s to go in. Surprises are lovely, but unpacking

nineteen boxes the day you move in just to find

the TV remote is beyond the pale…

The MoveFirst of all, have a look at how much you have

in the way of possessions. If you’re in furnished

rented accommodation, or live with family and

aren’t taking much in the way of furniture it can

be cheaper to move everything yourself. Just

enlist anyone you can find to help, particularly

if they’ve got transport. A friend with a van is a

very good friend indeed when you’re moving. If

you don’t have this luxury, then renting a van is

likely to work out cheaper than a removal firm.

If you’ve got lots of furniture to move, then

professional movers are essential. Look for ones

that are members of the British Association of

Removers (BAR) which has a code of practice

that protects you and your possessions. Get at

least three quotes and make sure your contents

insurance covers moving – get it set up for your

new place to cover it if need be.

If you’ve got children or pets it can be less

stressful to have them looked after by someone

else on the day. Keep all the essentials (we’ve

called it your ‘First Night Kit’) in one box and

make sure you know where it is! If you make

sure your bed is one of the first things you put

together when you get to your new home you

can just collapse on it, exhausted, at the end of

the day – and leave all the unpacking until the

next morning!

CHECKLISTMOVINGPRACTICAL PLANNING FOR MOVING DAY


4 WEEKS BEFORE…n Complete a change of address form at the Post Office to re-route mail (www.royalmail.com)

n Inform magazine subscriptions and clubs of your new address and moving date

n Decide which items you’re keeping and which you can chuck or donate to charity

n Notify water, gas and electricity suppliers to have your services turned off at your present address

n Arrange for utility connections at your new home

n Contact your new local authority about schools and colleges in the area

n Notify schools, churches etc of your impending move

n Notify your own and research alternative doctors, dentists in your area and liaise with your hospital if you’re undergoing any regular treatment

n Check parking arrangements at your new home and apply for permits if necessary

n Get to know your new area and work out the best routes to work and school. Check out www.upmystreet.com to find out more

n Book removals company or arrange help from friends, van rental etc

3 WEEKS BEFORE…n Request packing materials from your removals company, or buy some if you’re doing it yourself

n Return things you’ve borrowed from friends

n Start to run down the contents of your freezer

n Arrange to transfer home insurance, or set up new policies to begin the day you move in. Arrange transit insurance if necessary

n Research car boot sales to get rid of stuff you’re not taking with you

2 WEEKS BEFORE…n Discontinue regular services such as newspapers, window cleaners etc

n Arrange to have your satellite dish moved to your new property if necessary

n Arrange to discontinue your phone service and broadband and have it installed at your new address

n Arrange to transfer your TV licence to your new address (www.tvlicensing.co.uk/moving)

n Complete the relevant section on your car registration document and licence and send them to the DVLA (more info at www.dvla.gov.uk)

n Call your vehicle insurance to keep cover valid. The price may change due to the new area, new parking arrangements and type of home you’re moving into

1 WEEK BEFORE…n Arrange to transfer bank and savings accounts

n Tell credit and store card companies your new address

n Finish up your frozen food supply or give it away

n PACK!

n Find and label keys

n Send out change of address cards, text messages and Facebook or MySpace alerts

n Notify relevant authorities in your old and new areas regarding council tax and electoral registration

1 DAY BEFORE…n Defrost and thoroughly clean the fridge and freezer

n Take down pictures, mirrors, non-essential curtains and blinds

n Disconnect your cooker, washing machine and dishwasher

n Confirm minders for children and pets

ON MOVING DAY…n Make sure you personally take cash and jewellery with you

n Lock all windows and doors when you leave

When you’re due to move there always seems like an endless list of things to do, people to inform, boxes to pack and things to organise, so here’s a helpful guide to make sure you don’t forget anything…

People to telln Friends and family

n Post Office

n Inland Revenue

n Schools and colleges

n Local councils

n House insurance company

n Electricity and gas suppliers

n Water and sewerage companies

n Telephone company

n Internet supplier

n Satellite/cable TV provider

n TV Licensing

n Banks and building societies

n Credit card/store cards

n Doctor

n Dentist

n Car insurance company

n DVLA

n Car breakdown company

n Library

n Milkman

n Newsagent/magazine subscriptions

n Sports and social clubs

n Church/place of worship

n Children’s clubs

First night kitn Kettle

n Mugs, cutlery, plates, glasses

n Coffee, tea, milk, sugar, water

n Washing-up bowl and liquid

n Rubber gloves

n Map

n Vacuum cleaner/dustpan and brush

n Tea towels and cloths

n Toilet roll

n Bin liners

n Towels/soap/shampoo

n Lightbulbs

n Candles and matches

n Fuses

n Screwdriver

n Local takeaway menus!

n Bottle of champagne

OnTheMove

If you’d like a copy of our moving checklist to help you tick off the organisations you’ll need to tell you’re moving, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk/Moving_Checklist and download a copy to print off and stick on your fridge!



If you’re looking for a home that will increase in value as well as be a great place to live, conventional wisdom says, look for the places where coffee shops are being planned, or boutique shops that’ll bring in a new trendy audience of shoppers, workers and residents.

We are all familiar with the local estate or an area that has been neglected or is simply no longer fit for the demands of today’s modern living. The aim of regeneration is to give places like this a facelift or even a wholescale regeneration depending on the job to be done and the funds available. The vision is to create something new that will last and that people will be proud of.

Depending on the scale of the regeneration, there may be an aim to attract inward investment, create more of a community,

KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THE

enhance transport; build a new school or a Doctors’ surgery and possibly create new places of work or retail areas. And common to regeneration areas is the opportunity to buy brand new quality homes with shared ownership or other affordable home ownership options alongside rent and sale.

Everyone winsResearch shows that residents of regenerated areas tend to

display a real sense of belonging to the new community and benefit from a reduction in crime and anti-social behaviour. There’s also a ‘halo’ effect which spreads to the neighbouring areas – they too benefit from an improved and attractive area. In fact everyone wins!

Roughly a third of the purchases at Crest Nicholson’s Park Central development in the regeneration area of Birmingham are made under an affordable home ownership scheme.

One first time buyer who used the Help to Buy option to buy a one-bedroom apartment at Park Central is Chris Bayliss, aged 27. Having previously rented for two years, Chris moved back into his parent’s home to save money for a deposit and then took the plunge and stepped onto the property ladder last year.

Chris said: ‘At first I was looking for a place to rent in the city centre which was within easy walking distance to work but, when I realised that I could purchase my own home with a deposit of just 5%, I discovered that I could actually afford to purchase my own home instead. By using the initiative I only had to save £6,600 for my deposit. Chris continued ‘I’d certainly recommend using the five per cent deposit schemes to other people, after all, without it I wouldn’t have been able to get onto the property ladder.’

‘I could purchase my own home with a deposit of just 5%’

FUTURE


Regeneration

Kidbrooke Village

Since building began in 2009, Kidbrooke

Village has established itself as a sought-

after place to live with a number of new

neighbourhoods already completed and

occupied.

In place is a Sainsbury’s Local, a First

Coffee, and an established David Lloyd Sports

and Leisure Centre. The planned ‘piazza’, with

additional shops, bars and restaurants, along

with new healthcare, community and sports

facilities will be delivered during later phases.

To accompany the 35-acre Sutcliffe Park

Chatham

Three sites are planned by Heart of Medway

Housing to help regenerate the Brook area

of Chatham. Building has already started

on a mixture of houses and apartments

at a garage site in Upbury Way, and a

to the south of Kidbrooke Village will be Cator

Park, a large section of which has already

been landscaped with its own new lake.

Viridian Housing is offering shared

ownership at two of the developments at

Kidbroke Village – Deering House and Wallace

Court

planning application for 50 new homes in

Cross Street has recently been submitted to

Medway Council.

Heart of Medway Housing plans to invest

over £10 million over the next three years,

delivering more than 75 affordable new

homes for local people.”

Additionally, 100 other homes in the

Brook area will be improved and Chatham’s

transport services have already benefited

from a new, modern, bus station less than

half a mile from the development.


For most people, shared ownership is simply the first step. For some, perhaps older people who’ve traded down, or

established families who won’t grow out of their homes, they will want to stay just where they are now ...and that’s fine, shared ownership will work for them as long as they want it to. But for most people, shared ownership is the first step to somewhere else.

So one of the first questions they ask when looking into shared ownership is ‘what happens when I want to move?’

Selling OnWell, for as long as it stays hard to get onto the home ownership ladder, there could be a whole queue of people looking to buy your share. They’ll be people in the same position you’re in now: keen to buy, but needing some extra help to become home owners. And it’s probable that your housing association and Help to Buy Agent will have a ready- made list of them to contact.

Better still, some of the potential buyers will be more interested in an established home than in a new-build

TAKING THE NEXT STEP

property. They’ll want to meet the current owners and ask their views as someone who really knows what it’s like to live there. So selling on your share to one of them will be your first option. When the time comes, ask your housing association how to go about it. They’ll help you value your share, advertise your property, line up buyers and assess their suitability to buy your share under shared ownership rules.

What if ...There are examples after examples when shared owners found no problem selling on. But just suppose that isn’t the case. Well, that happens sometimes and shared owners have to try something else. It’s usual for the housing association to be given 8 weeks (sometimes more, sometimes less - it’ll be logged in your documentation) to find the most appropriate buyer for your share. But after that you can go out to the market and offer your share through an estate agent or any other specialist. www.homefocus.co.uk/Sell-a-Home will tell you more.

YOU’RE READY TO MOVE ON...SO HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT IT?


BUCKWELL’S FIELD 50% of this two-bedroom apartment in Bengeo from Hightown Homes for £122,500

OTTER DRIVE 25% of this one-bedroom apartment in Carshalton from Affinity Sutton for £48,750

HAWKE HOUSE 25% of this two-bedroom apartment in Southampton from Affinity Sutton for £32,500

SCHOLAR’S COURT 40% of this one-bedroom apartment in St Albans from Hightown Homes for £100,000

Just a taste...Some current properties with the current owner’s share available to be resold.

‘We were really happy with how quickly our flat sold…’Knowing that there’s a ready-made market for resale shared ownership homes is reassuring, even when you’re buying your first place and have no plans to sell up again for a while. After all, it’s good to know that there will be people who are excited to buy your share when you come to move on.

That’s certainly how Shaun and Sarah Woodbridge felt when they decided to sell their home. The couple originally bought a 40% share of their one-bedroom apartment in Newbury (pictured above) from Sovereign. ‘Our flat was the first home we’d ever purchased, and back in 2008, shared ownership gave us the opportunity to buy a lovely, bright home in a complex with lots of character,’ says Shaun. ‘We’d never have been able to have bought here otherwise.

MovingOn

‘What attracted us to shared ownership in the first place was the affordability,’ he adds. ‘When we decided to sell, we thought others would think the same. And we welcomed all the help we could get. We had never sold a property before so it was all new to us.’Sarah and Shaun’s property sold soon after they put it on the market! ‘We were really happy with how quickly our home sold,’ says Shaun. ‘

I’ve heard enough about

shared ownership to know it’s the

most likely way for me to get

onto the housing ladder, but what

do I do next?Writes Carrie Short from Colchester

Process! Knowing something can be the right thing for

you is not the same as knowing how to go about making it

happen. So we asked some experts about

the next step.

Can we help?Got a question but don’t know anyone in the

know? Send it to us at [email protected]

and we’ll put it to our panel of experts. Or

maybe we’ll find someone who has personal

experience to answer your query. It could be a

legal question or a financial issue or a general

query about low cost home ownership. We’ll

do our best to find you some great advice.

I f shared ownership is for you and you live outside

London, the first step is to check you’re eligible by

applying to your local Help to Buy Agent (HtBA). If you

don’t know who your HtBA is, then go to www.helptobuy.

org.uk and look under the Equity Loan tab or go to page

54 of this magazine.

The HtBA will do a headline assessment based on your

current circumstances. You can apply electronically on

the internet, or request a hardcopy application form.

The agent then checks you meet the ‘headline’ eligibility

criteria for shared ownership.

Once you have headline approval, you can start looking

for a property. The Property Search facility on your local

HtBA’s website will have a selection of shared ownership

properties for sale. HtBA websites also market re-

sales: these are previously owned shared ownership

properties which are now being resold. When you find

a property you like, contact the housing association

marketing it, arrange a viewing and if you’re interested

in going ahead, the housing association will do a more

in-depth assessment. They will check you can afford the

purchase and are maximising your contribution to the

sale.

It’s a good idea to talk to an independent financial

advisor who will help broker a mortgage for you, if you

need one. You’ll also need to instruct a solicitor. And

then once you’ve completed on the sale, you’ll get the

keys to your new front door!

HELP TO BUY AGENT

ASK

TH

E EX

PERT

SMargaret SnookHead of Help to Buy Midlands


LONDON ONLY ADVICE CUSTOMER

All shared ownership and affordable home

ownership properties in London are advertised

at www.sharetobuy.com/FirstSteps, so you can narrow

down the search to the area and type of property that

you’re after and also the kind of deposit and budget

you’re able to afford.

Once you find something, register on First Steps and

contact the Registered Provider (RP) otherwise known

as a housing association that is selling it. The RP will

register your interest and check you meet any eligibility

criteria that may apply. You will then be invited to view the

scheme with a view to buy it on a shared ownership basis.

You will then need to have an affordability assessment

which can be arranged through an Independent

Financial Advisor (IFA), to ensure you can afford it and

that you have enough to cover the deposit and general

moving costs and that there are no restrictions on that

property to prevent you proceeding with the purchase of

your new home.

The RP will then guide you through the purchase, step

by step, even suggesting a panel of solicitors that have

experience in helping first time buyers buy their first

new home.

The RP will continue to be there for support and advice

for the long haul and will want to see your smooth

transition to homeowner, even making more shares

available to you through what is known as staircasing

when you can afford to buy them at a later stage.

David Loach, 54, had been living alone in a rented

bedsit with shared bathroom facilities. Having

decided that he wanted to invest in a property, David was

really pleased when he found a one bedroom apartment

on Dominion Road in Worthing, offered on a shared

ownership basis.

David had been ‘signed on’ with his local Help to Buy

Agent and regularly checked the website until the resale

(second hand or existing shared ownership) apartment

on Dominion Road came up. He contacted Affinity Sutton

(the housing association involved) and through them

organised two visits to the apartment before committing

to the purchase. David said, ‘The previous tenant showed

me round and was really helpful and spoke highly about

the development. It was great to hear from someone who

has experienced living there’.

The apartment was built in 2008 and it’s perfect for keen

musician David, as it is big enough to house his piano.

He says he is ‘a lot happier now and that my lifestyle has

improved. It’s my own home, I feel settled. I no longer have

to worry about someone increasing my rent and I’m no

longer cooking where I’m sleeping as if I were a student.’

David bought a 40% share for £48,000 and provided a

deposit of just over £6,000. David’s mortgage is £369

per month and the rent is £288 with all service charges

included.

David’s advice is to register with your local Help to Buy

Agent and keep checking their website!

ExpertAdvice

Simon ScottChair London Home Ownership Group

David LoachDavid Loach found the property he wanted in Worthing


Julie and Martin Moved back to UK after living abroad After living abroad for a few years Julie and Martin returned to their home town of Southampton and were renting privately when they came across an advert for Help to Buy South’s Open Day. And they were keen to find out what help was available to them.

‘It didn’t work out for us when we moved abroad, so when we returned we thought that we could no longer buy due to our age and how much working life we had left to accommodate a mortgage.’ said Julie.

At the Open Day they filled out their application form and were delighted to be accepted for the shared ownership scheme. ‘We knew that we could afford a mortgage but unfortunately we didn’t have enough deposit saved. We were thrilled when a two-bedroom resale (or existing shared ownership) house came available.’ said Martin.

Only needing a deposit at 5% of the cost of the share made it possible.

FINDING YOUR PLACE ON THE

LADDERLots of people think that low cost home ownership (LCHO) is a great opportunity but it can’t be for them…can it? Surely it’s only for council tenants? Or keyworkers? Well, you’d be surprised at the different sorts of people who climb onto the home ownership ladder thanks to shared ownership and Help to Buy.


ElizabethThought even a tiny studio was beyond her means Fed up with living in a shared house, Elizabeth decided it was time to get a place for her own. But she thought she’d have to break the bank just to get a tiny studio, until she heard about shared ownership

‘I’d been living in house shares for years previously, and although it was fun, I was getting tired of living with other people’s mess and not having enough space in the kitchen,’ she says

So Elizabeth decided to do a bit of research to confirm that buying a property in London was going to be hard. ‘I’d gone so far as to speak to some financial advisors and was really concerned about how I would manage to pay a mortgage that large each month,’ she admits. ‘On top of that, even by borrowing heavily I knew all I’d be able to afford was a small studio.’

Instead, she decided that shared ownership would be the right option for her, and is now the proud owner of a spacious A2 apartment just a stone’s throw from the River Thames in Wandsworth.

Tanya and ChrisAble to buy a three-bedroom First-time buyers Tanya and Chris found exactly what they were looking for when they began their search in Biggleswade.

Tanya and Chris who were both previously living with parents had been looking at two-bedroom properties in the area, but says Tanya, ‘when we saw Taylor Wimpey’s three-bedroom house in Bramble Walk, we knew that was the house for us. We wanted a new-build for our first house because we wanted to move in and not have to do any work, which is exactly what we’ve got!’

Taking the 20% Help to Buy equity loan meant they could buy a three-bedroom home of their choice.

BuyerProfile

TonyUnable to buy outright after a relationship splitFollowing the break up of his marriage, Tony was living in rented accommodation in Sherborne. As he and his wife share joint custody of their son, he wanted to remain in the town and ideally, buy a property of his own rather than continue to rent. But with high average house prices Tony

Will these stories inspire you to become a homeowner? See the list of low cost home ownership (LCHO) properties

on pages 56-59. Or go to www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-

homes-near-you. Or email [email protected]


Christina, her partner and babyLiving with parents in an over-crowded home After Christina and her long-term boyfriend found out that a baby was on the way, they moved into a private rent home in St Albans to be nearer to Christina’s parents and grand-parents. Unfortunately the property had a bad damp problem which became unbearable for them and their new born. So they had to move out, and ended up living with Christina’s parents, meaning there was suddenly a very full house with five adults and a baby.

Christina and her partner were keen to buy their own home, but despite a good job and a long time saving, house prices in St Albans were beyond them. But Christina saw new shared ownership homes being advertised by North Hertfordshire Homes just around the corner, filled in the Help to Buy Agent’s online application form and was delighted that they met the criteria. Christina says: “When we viewed the property, we were amazed. We couldn’t believe that we could afford it.”

wasn’t hopeful he would be able to find something he could afford.

Tony said, ‘After my marriage break-up, I didn’t have enough money to buy outright’, and then I heard about Raglan Housing’s shared ownership scheme in Portman Mews. I found out that I could buy 50% and pay Raglan a subsidised rent on the remainder. It seemed like a really affordable solution’

Tony continues ‘I thought my equity would be too much and I wouldn’t meet the criteria. It wasn’t the case, I’m glad I checked.’


homefocusCompetition

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To be in with a chance of winning one of six £50 vouchers simply answer the question below:National Garden Gift Vouchers are available in how many denominations?A: 2B: 5C: 4

How to enter:

Email your answer, along with your name, address, and confirmation that your are over 18 years of age to:[email protected] don’t forget to include ‘National Garden Gift Vouchers’ in the subject line. Or go to www.homefocus.co.uk/competitions

The six winners will be picked at random from correct entries.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS • The closing date is 10th May 2015• The Editor’s decision is final• No purchase necessary• There is no alternative cash prize• We accept no responsibility for entries not received

WIN

WhereNext

homefinderWHERE NOW? If you’ve got the feeling that affordable or low cost home ownership (LCHO) can help you, then here’s what to do next

Step 1 – Get registeredIf you want to buy through shared ownership or Help to Buy Equity Loan you should register with your local Help to Buy Agent. They’ll process your application to make sure you’re eligible for the scheme and provide you with a list of all the LCHO properties on offer in your area. It’s a little different in London but there’s still an online LCHO portal to point you in the right direction. Or you can go to www.homefocus.co.uk/register and be taken to just the place you need to be. The homefocus website will help minimise the amount of duplication you have to go through and offer all kinds of practical help.

Step 2 – Work out how much you can affordThere’s no point falling in love with a place only to find out that it’s way above your price bracket. Outside London, your Help to Buy Agent will take you through a basic financial check, just to confirm that you’re eligible for shared ownership and/or Help to Buy and will give you an indication of how much you’re likely to afford. The figures will be more closely reviewed later on in the process. In London, your housing association will go over the figures with you once you’ve found a home you like. No matter where you live, we advise that you go to a specialist financial advisor who understands the LCHO market inside out.

Step 3 – Home huntingNow for the fun part. Take a look at some of the affordable homes around, including the ones we feature in our regional property sections from page 12 of the magazine. There’s a fuller list on pages 56-59 or at www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-homes-near-you. Or you can go to www.homefocus.co.uk/Search where you’ll get directions to a full listing of LCHO properties in the region you’re searching.

Step 4 – DetailsGetting down to the nitty- gritty! Once you’ve found the home you want, and whether you live in London or not, you’ll formally apply for your home through the housing association or developer and they’ll give you a more detailed affordability check, often asking an independent financial advisor (IFA) of their choosing to find out how much you can afford.

Step 5 – Check the small printIf all goes ahead, then you’ll need to get in touch with a solicitor to take you through the legal side of buying a home. We advise using one with experience of LCHO transactions and you’ll find a list of them advertising on pages 66-67 of the magazine.

Step 6 – Get movingSorry, but there’s still more practicalities to go through before the excitement of moving into your own home, like telling DVLA to change the details on your driving license or registering with a new doctor, letting the bank know your new address and organising schools for your children. If you’d like a helpful checklist to make sure that you let everyone (who needs to know) that you’re on the move, go to www.homefocus.co.uk/Moving_CheckList and download a printable pdf.

Your steps to making all the right moves…


n London n South n South West n East & South East n Midlands

HERE’S THE KEY To help you on the way to getting the keys to your own door...

We’ve colour coded our development sections on pages 12-31 and our homefinder property listings on pages 56-59, to make finding a property in your area a little easier. The key is as follows:

WANT MORE INFORMATION? Call homefocus on 0845 474 4734 e-mail [email protected] or Facebook us at www.facebook.com/homefocus

LOOK FOR THE LOGO! For most of England, the government-backed schemes will have the Help to Buy logo - so wherever you see it, you’ll know that there are LCHO options available.

In London you should look for the First Steps logo!

Your local HELP TO BUY AGENT will have a comprehensive list of all LCHO properties in your area. That includes shared ownership new build, shared ownership resales and Help to Buy properties. You can visit their website as listed below, or if you’re not sure which is the correct one for you, go to www.homefocus.co.uk/Help_To_Buy_Agents and be redirected. homefocus will help make sure you get to the right place.

LONDON www.sharetobuy.com/firststeps

SOUTH www.helptobuysouth.co.uk

SOUTH WEST www.helptobuysw.org.uk

EAST & SOUTH EAST www.helptobuyese.org.uk

MIDLANDS www.helptobuymidlands.co.uk

REST OF THE COUNTRY Homefocus magazine doesn’t cover the north of England, but if you go to www.homefocus.co.uk/Help_To_Buy_Agents, then you will be redirected to the appropriate website.


ShowDiary

FORTHCOMINGEVENTS

Can we help?

Don’t forget you can contact homefocus if you’ve got a question about low cost home ownership or are interested in any of the properties we’ve featured. Just call us on 0845 474 4734

or e-mail us at [email protected] and we’ll do our best to help!

Until the next issue of homefocus… happy homehunting!

FIND OUT ABOUT EVENTS NEAR YOU!

Berkshire ShowFirst Floor GrandstandNewbury RacecourseRG14 7NZ11 April 2015

Gloucestershire ShowGold Cup and Festival SuitesCheltenham RacecourseGI50 4SH18 April 2015

Bristol Area ShowBristolBS1 5DB25 April 2015

Hertfordshire’s Help to Buy New Home ShowRamada HotelSt Albans Road West, Hatfield AL10 9RH16 May 10.30-4pm

Suffolk Help to Buy New Home ShowIpswich Town HallCornhill, Ipswich IP1 1DH23 May 2015 10.30am-4pm

The GatewayGatehouse RoadAylesbury HP19 8FF6 June 10.30-4pm

First Time Buyer Home ShowBusiness Design Centre52 Upper Street, London N1 0QH7 March 2015

FIRST STEPS Home Show Spring 2015This event is ticket only - You will not be permitted entrance if you have not registeredQueen Elizabeth II Conference CentreWestminster, London14th March 10am-5pm

Hampshire ShowThe Ageas BowlSO30 3XH14 March 2015


PropertySearch

Location Name of No of Type of Available Provider Development Units Properties From

EAST & SOUTH EASTwww.helptobuyese.org.uk Ashford Wellesley View 1 1 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonAylesbury Oasis at Buckingham Park 5 1 bed flats Now Hightown HomesBedford Aspire 9 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesBexhill on Sea The Point Phase 2 8 1 & 2 bed flats Now Orbit HomesBiggleswade Kings Reach, Biggleswade 9 1 & 2 bed flats 2014-2015 AragonBognor Regis Harrington House 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonBrighton Super B 53 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now Hyde New HomesBrighton One Hove Park 30 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now Hyde New HomesBrighton Alexandra Apartments 1 2 bed wheelchair chair adapted Now Affinity SuttonBrighton Portside Mews 8 2 & 3 bed houses Winter Affinity SuttonBroadstairs Hereson Place 5 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesBuxted Totease Mews 1 3 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonCanterbury Chantry Club 16 1 & 2 bed flats 2016 Orbit HomesChatham Upbury Way 3 2 bed houses Autumn Heart of Medway Chatham Theatre Royal 8 2 bed flats Now Heart of Medway Chatham Theatre Royal 2 2 bed flats Now Red Loft Chatham Admirals Place 8 1 & 2 bed flats, 2 bed houses Now Orbit HomesChatham St. Marys Island 24 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 & 4 bed houses Late 2015 Orbit HomesChelmsford St John’s 3 1 bed flats Now East ThamesChelmsford City Park West 11 1 & 2 bed flats Now Genesis Housing Chichester Affinity Sutton at Graylingwell Park 43 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 bed houses Spring 2015 Affinity SuttonChichester Bleaches Court 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonChigwell Grange Manor 3 2 bed flats Now East ThamesCrawley Down Woodlands Close 4 2 bed houses Summer Affinity SuttonCringleford Aura, Round House Park 6 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesCrowborough Sherlock Shaw 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonCroydon Hampton Mews 10 2 & 3 bed houses May Orbit HomesDover Church Lane 21 2 & 3 bed Feb-16 Orbit HomesDover Caesar Court 19 2 bed July Orbit HomesEast Grinstead Birch House 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonEastbourne Churchdale Road 1 3 bed house Now Affinity SuttonEastergate Brooks Nursery 4 2 & 3 bed houses Spring 2015 Affinity SuttonFaygate Kilnwood Vale 10 2, 3 & 4 bed houses Launch 2015 Southern HousingGillingham Amherst Heights 2 4 bed houses Now Heart of Medway Gillingham Amherst Heights 2 4 bed houses Now Red Loft Gillingham Hayter House 2 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonHailsham Arlington Road 14 2 & 3 bed houses Summer Affinity SuttonHalling St Andrews Park 11 3 & 4 bed houses June Heart of Medway Halling St Andrews Park 18 1 & 2 bed flats September Heart of MedwayHalling St Andrews Park 11 3 & 4 bed houses June Red Loft Halling St Andrews Park 18 1 & 2 bed flats September Red Loft Hassocks Affinity Sutton at Ockley Grange 2 2 & 3 bed houses Summer Affinity SuttonHastings Sycamore Chase 16 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesHastings Kingswood Gate 11 2 bed flats , 2 bed houses Now Orbit HomesHatfield Princes Gate 13 2 & 3 bed houses, 2 bed flats Now Affinity SuttonHatfield The Frythe 19 2 & 3 bed houses Winter Affinity SuttonHaywards Heath Butlers Green Road 3 3 bed houses Winter Affinity SuttonHorsham Novatis 25 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 bed house 2018 Orbit HomesHove New Church Road 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonHoveton Meadow View 11 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesHurstpierpoint Chalkers Vale 6 3 bed houses Spring 2015 Affinity SuttonIpswich Stoke Quay 57 1 & 2 bed flats Now Genesis Housing Kents Hill Bedgebury Place, Kents Hill 2 3 bed house June AragonLewes Yew Tree Court 10 1 & 2 bed flats Now Affinity SuttonLittlehampton Kingley Gate 8 2 & 3 bed houses Summer Affinity SuttonMaidstone West Gate Apartments 12 2 bed flats Early 2015 Heart of Medway

AFFORDABLE PROPERTIES

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LONDON

www.helptobuyese.org.uk Maidstone Ellipse at River Quarter 6 2 bed flats Winter Heart of Medway Maidstone Buckland Hill 12 TBA flats Mid 2015 Heart of MedwayMaidstone Fairmeadow 12 TBA flats Late 2015 Heart of Medway Midhurst The Old School Apartments 14 2 bed flats Spring 2015 Affinity SuttonMidhurst The Old School Apartments 14 2 bed flats Spring 2015 Affinity SuttonOxted Affinity Sutton at Meridan Square 2 2 bed houses Summer Affinity SuttonRamsgate Westwood Cross 78 TBC 2016 Orbit HomesSandy Sunderland Road 2 1 & 2 bed flats 2014-2015 AragonSeven Oaks Dunton Meadows 49 1 & 2 bed TBC October Orbit HomesShenley Brook End Garthwaite Crescent 1 3 bed house Late 2015 AragonSt Leonards on Sea Oakwood Rise 11 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesStotfold Beauchamp Mill 5 1 & 2 bed flats Now Hightown HomesThanet Weyburn Place 4 2 & 3 bed houses Soon Orbit HomesUpper Caldecote Biggleswade Road, 2 3 bed house, 2 bed bungalow 2015 AragonWadhurst Farthing Hill 1 1 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonWare Clarendon Court 2 2 bed end terr house, 3 bed det. house Now Hightown HomesWestcliff-on-Sea Salisbury Mews 2 3 bed house Now EstuaryYapton Emerald Gardens 4 2 & 3 bed houses Now Stonewater Homes

www.sharetobuy.com/firststeps Barking and Dagenham L&Q @ Barking Riverside IMR 52 1 & 2 bed flats Now L&QBarnet Axis 6 1 & 2 bed flats Winter Origin HousingBexley Erith Park 9 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit Homes Bow The View 4 2 & 3 bed flats Coming soon East ThamesBromley Archery Lane 1 1 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonBromley The Berry Fields 11 2, 3 & 4 bed houses Now Affinity SuttonBromley Krueger House 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonBromley William Petty Way 1 1 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonCanada Water Quebec Quarter 69 1 & 2 bed flats September L&QChingford Mayfield 6 3 bed houses Coming soon East ThamesColindale Zenith 6 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now Genesis Housing Croydon The Point 35 1 & 2 bed flats Summer Affinity SuttonCroydon The Deacons 7 2 bed flats Spring 2015 Affinity SuttonCustom House DNA 7 3 & 4 bed houses Coming Soon East ThamesDocklands New Providence Wharf 47 1 & 2 bed flats Spring Genesis Housing Ealing L&Q @ Liberty Quarter 11 1 & 2 bed flats Summer L&QEaling The Garden Court Apartments 2 3 bed flats Spring 2015 Affinity SuttonEaling The Garden Court Apartments 4 2 bed wheelchair accessible flat Spring 2015 Affinity SuttonEnfield Bolingbroke Park 50 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Early 2016 L&QEnfield Watermill Lane 30 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 bed maisonette Summer Newlon Home Ownership Epping L&Q @ Arboretum 4 3 bed houses Now L&QFitzrovia Cleveland Street@Fitzroy Place 14 1 bed flats Summer OctaviaForest Hill City Walk 1 1 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonFulham Farm Lane 16 1 & 3 bed flats Spring 2015 Affinity SuttonFulham Farm Lane 2 1 & 2 bed wheelchair accessible flats Summer Affinity SuttonFulham Fulham Riverside 3 2 & 3 bed flats Now Affinity SuttonGolders Green The Lexington NW11 4 1 & 2 bed flats Now Affinity SuttonGreenwich Ordnance Place 10 1 & 2 bed flats Autumn L&QGreenwich L&Q @ Greenwich Square 76 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now L&QGreenwich L&Q @ Greenwich Peninsula 34 1 & 2 bed flats Spring L&QGreenwich L&Q @ Platinum Riverside 14 1 & 2 bed flats Spring L&QGreenwich L&Q @ Enderby Wharf 46 1, 2 & 3 bed flats June L&QHackney The City Mills Phase 2 116 1, 2, 3 & 4 bed flats, 4 & 5 bed houses Spring L&QHammersmith Affinity Sutton at Ashlar Court 4 2 bed flats Now Affinity SuttonHarold Wood Kings Park 24 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 bed houses Now East ThamesHarrow Essence 12 1 & 2 bed flats Now Origin HousingHarrow Chandos 15 1 & 2 bed flats Now Origin HousingHarrow Pearmain House 38 1 & 2 bed flats Now Metropolitan Harrow Bridge Street 26 1 & 2 bed flats Now - Summer MetropolitanIsle Of Dogs Triangle E14 8 2 bed flats Now Gateway LivingIsle Of Dogs Parkland Place 5 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Coming Soon East ThamesIslington Harrington Court 14 2 bed flats, 3 bed maisonettes Spring L&QIslington The Fable Apartments at the Lexicon 70 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Winter Affinity SuttonIslington St Luke’s Centre 7 1 & 2 bed flats Winter Affinity SuttonKensington Grand Union Centre 22 1 & 2 bed flats Winter Affinity SuttonKensington The Kells 3 1 bed flats Spring 2015 Affinity SuttonKidbrooke SOKV 61 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now Viridian HousingLewisham Goldcrest House 29 1 & 2 bed flats, 2 bed duplexes Spring L&QLewisham L&Q @ Greenland Place 95 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now L&QLewisham Thurston Point 42 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Spring L&QManor House Woodberry Park 42 1 & 2 bed flats Now Genesis Housing New Cross Spark 30 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now Hyde New HomesNewham Chobham Manor 8 1 bed flat, 3 bed houses 2016 L&Q


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LONDON

MIDLANDS

SOUTH

www.sharetobuy.com/firststepsOrpington Amethyst Court 4 1 & 2 bed flats Now Affinity SuttonOrpington William Petty Way 2 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonPaddington Merchant Square 23 1 & 2 bed flats Now OctaviaPlumstead Kings Highway 30 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now Hyde New HomesPutney Putney Plaza 34 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Summer OctaviaRedbridge Westview Drive 9 2 bed flats Now-Summer MetropolitanRomford Victoria Road 24 1 & 2 bed flats 2016 EstuaryShoreditch Mondrian 2 1 bed flats Now Genesis Housing Southwark L&Q @ Trafalgar Place 26 1, 2 & 3 bed flats, 2, 3 & 4 bed dupexes Spring L&QSouthwark Harvard Gardens 27 1 & 2 bed flats Summer L&QSouthwark L&Q @ The Arc 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Early 2015 L&QSouthwark 169-173 Blackfriars Road 10 1 & 2 bed flats Summer Affinity SuttonStonebridge Spring 27 1, 2 & 3 bed flats September Hyde New HomesStratford Stratford Gate 52 1 & 2 bed flats Summer L&QStratford Stratford Plaza 22 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Coming soon East ThamesTottenham Rivers Apartments 65 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now Newlon Home Ownership Tottenham John Cameron Court 9 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now Newlon Home Ownership Tower Hamlets The Dockyard 23 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Coming soon East ThamesWaltham Forest Shernall Street 21 1, 2 & 3 flats Now-Summer MetropolitanWalthamstow Stadium Place 99 1,2 & 4 bed hses, 1, 2 & 3 bed flats, Summer L&Q 3 bed m’ettesWandsworth Spectra Apartments 19 1 & 2 bed flats Now OctaviaWembley Forty Avenue 2 3 bed maisonettes Spring/Summer OctaviaWoolwich The Liberty 98 2 bed flats - over 55s Summer Viridian HousingWoolwich Cannons Corner 24 1 & 2 bed flats Now Hyde New Homes

www.helptobuymidlands.co.uk Bedworth Milliner Court 10 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit Homes Bidford upon Avon The Waterways 5 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesBishops Itching Hendry Place 3 3 bed houses October Orbit HomesBugbrooke The Willows 8 2 & 3 bed houses Early 2015 Orbit HomesBurton Latimer Glade Gardens 8 2 bed houses June Orbit HomesBurton-upon-Trent Steeping Place 18 2 & 3 bed houses Autumn Orbit HomesHenley in Arden Henley Oint 1 2 bed flat Now Orbit HomesKenilworth Abbey End 1 2 bed house Now Orbit HomesKettering Waterside 11 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesKettering Westhill 4 3 bed houses May Orbit HomesLeamington Spa Fieldgate Lane 9 2 & 3 bed Jan-Jun 2016 Orbit HomesLeamington Spa The Priors @ Chesterton Gardens 17 3 bed houses June Orbit HomesLong Marston Beaufort Mead 29 2 & 3 bed houses, 2 bed m’ettes & flat Now Orbit HomesMiddleton Cheney Waters Lane, Middleton Cheney 6 2 & 3 bed houses March-May 2015 AragonNorthampton Booth Park 56 2 bed houses Now Orbit Homes Northampton Carey Fields 14 2 & 3 bed houses May-16 Orbit HomesNuneaton Viscount Place 6 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesPineham Butterfly Gardens 37 2 & 3 bed house Early 2015 Orbit HomesRadstone Fields Radstone Fields, Brackley 27 2 & 3 bed houses 2015-2016 AragonRugby Lower Street 76 TBC TBC Orbit HomesRushden Woollard Gardens 8 2, 3 & 4 bed houses August Orbit HomesRushden Nightingale Place 4 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesRushdon 17 Lawton Road 1 2 bed house Now Orbit HomesSouth Northants Stonecutters, Roade 10 2 bed houses Early/Mid 2015 Orbit HomesStratford-upon-Avon The Chapelry 15 2, 3 & 4 bed houses Now Orbit HomesThrapston The Sidings 28 1 & 2 bed m’ettes, 2 & 3 bed houses Spring 2015 Orbit HomesWarwick London Rd - Shipston on Stour 41 TBC 2015 & 2016 Orbit HomesWarwick Hawkes Meadow 18 2 & 3 bed houses June Orbit HomesWellesbourne Ettington Mews 19 2, 3 & 4 bed houses Now Orbit Homes

www.helptobuysouth.co.ukAldershot The Orchards 11 2 bed flats, 3 bed houses Now First WessexEastleigh The Hub 9 2 bed flats & duplex, 2 & 3 bed houses May First WessexEmsworth Redlands Grange 1 1 bed flat Now First WessexFarnborough North Farm Terrace 3 3 bed houses Now First WessexFreshwater IOW Freshwater Fields 14 2 & 3 bed houses Spring 2015 Spectrum Housing Glastonbury Chilkwell Street 3 2 & 3 bed houses Now Stonewater HomesGosport Alver Village 9 1 & 2 bed flats Now First WessexGosport Issac House 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonHavant Nursery Fields & Manor Farm 5 2 & 3 bed houses August First WessexLee-on-the-Solent Sea Crest Gardens 5 2 & 3 bed houses Now First WessexNewport IOW Pan Meadows 9 2 bed houses Autumn Spectrum Housing Portsmouth Guardians Gate 2 4 bed houses Now First WessexPortsmouth Southdown View 24 2 bed flats April First WessexPortsmouth Southdown View 10 2 bed flats April First WessexPortsmouth Graduate Court 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonReading The Cedars 17 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 bed houses Now Southern HousingSouthampton Montague Place 11 1 & 2 bed flats Now First Wessex



Interested in any of the properties listed?

Email [email protected] and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

SOUTH

SOUTH WEST

www.helptobuysouth.co.uk Southampton Mayflower Mews 9 1 & 2 bed flats Now First WessexSouthampton Queensway 12 2 bed houses, 1 ,2 & 3 bed flats Coming Soon Stonewater HomesSouthampton Centenary Quay 8 1 & 2 bed flats Now Spectrum Housing Southampton Centenary Quay 4 1 & 2 bed flats Now Spectrum Housing Southampton The Cloisters 8 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 bed house Now Affinity SuttonSouthampton Hawke House 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonStanford in The Vale Faringdon Road 7 2 & 3 bed houses Coming soon Stonewater Homes

www.helptobuysw.org.ukBournemouth Broadway Mews 9 2 & 3 bed houses Autumn Spectrum Housing Bristol Maytrees 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonPlymouth Maple Walk 9 2 & 3 bed houses Spring 2015 Spectrum Housing Poundbury South West Quadrant 4 3 bed houses Now Stonewater HomesShaftesbury Cranbourne Heights 3 3 bed house Autumn Spectrum Housing Sparkford The Old Coal Yard 6 2 & 3 bed houses Now Stonewater HomesTaunton Monkton Heathfield 3 3 bed houses Now Stonewater HomesWeymouth Pemberley 2 2 bed houses Now Stonewater Homes

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With energy bills on the rise, call us free on 0800 0014 706 or visit www.myhomeenergyswitch.org.uk today to find the best price for your gas and electricity.



homefinder East & South East


homefinderEast &South East

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Bedfordshire, South Northants &

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Grand Union Housing Group comprises: Aragon Housing Association,MacIntyre Housing Association and South Northants Homes


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homefinderSouth WestNeed a helping hand to get on the property ladder?

HampshireWiltshireDorset, DevonIsle of Wight

Call Today 0800 316 3316www.getmove-in.com

Affordable propertiesin various locations:

If you want to find out about your government funded housing options, contact your local Help to Buy Agent.

You can find out more details by going to: www.gov.uk/affordable-home-ownership-schemes

Homes for sale on a shared ownership basis across the South East

0300 100 0303affinitysutton.comemail: [email protected]

homefinder South West

homefinderLondon

www.octavialiving.org.uk020 8354 5601for more information please call

Developing homes in London

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homefinder London


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Viridian is now a major provider of shared ownership properties across leafy south west London, one of the

most desirable areas for first time buyers.

Award winning homes in North London and Hertfordshire

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Brand new homes across London and the South East

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Properties available now on ashared ownership basis.

0845 504 [email protected]

homefinder London

Homes for sale, for rent, for you

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409-413 Mile End RoadLondon E3 4PB

Providers of quality affordable homes

Homes for sale on a shared ownershipbasis across London

0300 100 0303affinitysutton.comemail: [email protected]


NEWLON WELCOMES INTEREST FROM ALL FIRST TIME BUYERS EARNINGUP TO £66,000 FOR ALL OF OUR ONE AND TWO BEDROOM HOMES

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NEWLON WELCOMES INTEREST FROM ALL FIRST TIME BUYERS EARNING

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0800 058 2544www.newlonhomeownership.org.uk

SALES & MARKETING CONSULTANCY AND AGENCY SERVICES

shared ownership homesin London & the South East

Find out more: 0844 225 3071 · www.redloftsales.co.uk



homefinderMidlands

homefinder Midlands



Milton Keynes





Milton Keynes




With energy bills on the rise, call us free on 0800 0014 706 or visit www.myhomeenergyswitch.org.uk today to find the best price for your gas and electricity.






homefinder South

Need a helping hand to get on the property ladder?

HampshireWiltshireDorset, DevonIsle of Wight

Call Today 0800 316 3316www.getmove-in.com

Affordable propertiesin various locations:

Don’t miss out...get the next 6 issues of homefocus delivered through your doorPublished every other month to keep you up to date with the latest opportunities in shared and affordable home ownershipJust £12.95 for the next 6 issues

n The latest affordable developments in your region

n Who to ask and where to find an affordable home

n Information about shared ownership, New Build HomeBuy,

FirstBuy, and all low cost home ownership schemes

nAdvice on legal and mortgage matters from specialists






homefinderSouth

Southdown View, Portsmouth

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legaladvice

Buying a new home requires essential legal

advice…contact a solicitor who specialisies in shared

ownership transactions

homebuyersGUIDE


• Shared Ownership

• Shared Equity

• First Buy

• Resales

• Staircasing

• Right to Acquire

Prince Evans has over 25 years experience in all types of housing association and private developer schemes.Our Specialist Team is ready to help you buy your new home.

HomeFocus ad-Shared Ownership_April13.indd 1 10/04/2013 17:00

Visit www.free-conveyancing-guide.co.ukto receive your FREE Guide to Conveyancing.

Please contact; Niki Sims or Sandra Thomas on 020 8567 3477, or email [email protected]

Put your conveyancing in

experienced hands

� Shared Ownership purchases� FirstBuy � Social HomeBuy � Right to Buy

� Right to Acquire � Staircasing� Shared Ownership resales

� Equity Loan redemption/remortgaging

Contact us for a friendly, no obligation quote:

London Office: 020 7158 0031Kent Office: 01227 812733

[email protected]

www.directionlaw.co.uk

legaladvice

Established over 60 years, Wiseman Lee has a dedicated department dealing with all Homebuy schemes, Resales, Staircasing and all Housing Association Schemes.

Please contact one of our team for further information, advice and a quote for costs and disbursements:

Janice Maskell 020 8215 1077 [email protected] Gary Gillespie 020 8215 1062 [email protected] Debra Rose 020 8215 5040 [email protected] Grant 020 8215 5041 [email protected]

9-13 Cambridge Park Wanstead E11 2PU (opposite Wanstead Station on the Central Line)

Tel: 020 8215 1000Web: www.wiseman.co.uk

HOMEBUY / STAIRCASING / RESALES

ALL HOUSING ASSOCIATION SCHEMES

RESIDENTIAL / COMMERCIAL CONVEYANCING





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Don’t miss out...get the next 6 issues of homefocus delivered through your doorPublished every other month to keep you up to date with the latest opportunities in shared and affordable home ownershipJust £12.95 for the next 6 issues

n The latest affordable developments in your region

n Who to ask and where to find an affordable home

n Information about shared ownership, New Build HomeBuy,

FirstBuy, and all low cost home ownership schemes

nAdvice on legal and mortgage matters from specialists






Lo nd on

HAMPSHIRE

HERTS

BERKSHIRE

EASTSUSSEX

Canada Water

Southampton

Haywards Heath

Yapton

SURREYHayes

Sutton

KingstonLewisham

Chichester

Cranleigh

IslingtonRavensbourne Park

WEST SUSSEXMidhurst

Kensington

Ealing

St Paul’s CrayBracknellSt Mary Cray

Barnham

Godalming

Lewes

Hurstpierpoint

Crawley DownOxted

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Hatfield

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Shared ownership:the affordable wayto get on the property ladder.

Fabulous apartmentsand houses for saleacross London and thesouth east.

ONLY

5%*

DEPOSIT

Terms and conditions apply and a mortgage from a 3rd party is required. You will alsoneed to fund stamp duty, legal costs and other costs associated with purchasing a home.Availability of this product is subject to eligibility and affordability assessments and criteria. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up with repayments onyour mortgage or rent/service charges. Affinity Sutton is one of the largest affordablehousing providers in England. It is not allowed to sell mortgages or give financial advice. Independent financial advice should be sought. The value of your home can godown as well as up.

*

Location of homes currently available

Your next step:Email sales@affinitysutton0300 100 0303

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