Hf may 2013 issue[1] by Lorna Evans

homefocus MAY/JUNE 2013

Grand Designs Guru

KEVIN McCLOUD ‘Public spaces are as important as homes…’

‘Buying through shared ownership has been one of the best decisions of my life...’says new home

owner Leila

YOU CAN BUY YOUR OWN HOME! Shared ownership and Help to Buy explained

IN THE KNOW

Great advice to get you on the ladder...

WI N THIS PIECE OF ORIGINAL ART AT T R ACT I V E , ACC E S S I B L E , A F FOR DA B L E HOM E S

5% T LY SI ON PO DE

Editor’sComment

homefocus ISSN No 1470-0360 ADVISORY PANEL Gail Davies EM HOMEBUY Jenny Colquhoun HYDE NEW HOMES Dave Evans BE CREATIVE LONDON Dave Lakin GRAND UNION HOUSING GROUP Paul Negi GENESIS HOMES Chris Winfield LONDON BOROUGH OF BRENT Yvette Ruggins AFFINITY SUTTON GROUP Isabel Saville CONCORDIA HOUSING CONSULTANCY Simon Scott ORIGIN HOUSING Jo Short HOMES IN HANTS Adie Fox STAGNELL FOX Richard Stone MAB SHERWINS Trevor Morley DIRECTION LAW Helen Towner HOMES AND COMMUNITIES AGENCY Greg Warner-Harris SPECTRUM HOUSING GROUP Maddie Cross LONDON BOROUGH OF BEXLEY John MacManus GLA

Computer generated image

AFFINITY SUTTON AT

SAFFRON SQUARE 36 one and two bedroom apartments for sale on a shared ownership (part buy/part rent) basis

Shared ownership (also called part buy/part rent) is an innovative scheme to help people who can't afford to buy a property outright. You buy a share and pay us a subsidised rent on the share you don't own. You can buy further shares at a later date until you own 100%.

Buy at Saffron Square ** from

£57,750

5% deposit:

£2,888

It usually means that you pay less per month than renting privately!

EDITOR Suzanne Boyce Tel: 01622 772407 e-mail: suzanne@homefocusmagazine.co.uk

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND GENERAL ENQUIRIES Julie Baugh Tel: 01622 772407 e-mail: julie@homefocusmagazine.co.uk PUBLISHER Jeffrey Gritzman Tel: 01622 772407 e-mail: jeffrey@homefocusmagazine.co.uk

PUBLISHED BY Graid Publications, Kent House, Romney Place Maidstone, Kent ME15 6LH Tel: 01622 772407

DESIGN & PRODUCTION John Eldridge Design Associates

(30% SHARE) ** Full market price from: £192,500 (one bed)

Website: www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk www.facebook.com/homefocus www.twitter.com/homefocus

Take your first step to home ownership, call now!

0300 100 0303 or email sales@affinitysutton.com * Terms and conditions apply and a mortgage from a 3rd party is required. You will also need 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 on your mortgage or rent/service charges. Affinity Sutton is one of the largest affordable housing providers in England. It is not allowed to sell mortgages or give financial advice. Independent financial advice should be sought. Prices and rates correct at the time of going to press. The value of your home can go down as well as up.

STANDING THE TEST OF TIME… As I write this, I’ve been sneaking a look at the funeral of Baroness Thatcher on TV. Say what you like about ‘Thatch’, there’s one thing that you definitely have to thank her for if you’re trying to buy a home of your own in this difficult climate. What’s that? Well back in the day when the Iron Lady was Prime Minister, she introduced something called shared ownership. One of the main aims of the scheme was to help ‘key workers’ such as police officers, fire fighters, teachers and nurses to buy a property when they had to live in an expensive area but were tied to nationally-agreed wages. Margaret Thatcher’s aim of seeing a nation where as many people as possible owned their own homes certainly put a lot more people on the housing ladder. Now, of course, shared ownership has been joined by equity loans in the low cost home ownership (LCHO) stable. And it’s not just for those key workers either – so many more people are eligible as successive governments have continued to support, widen and add to the initial scheme. So never mind being a nurse, you could benefit from the great deals we mention in this issue even if you’re a circus clown or a ballerina! There’s a lot to talk about in this issue, too. We’ve had the recent Budget – helpfully billed as a Budget for Homes and introducing the brand new Help to Buy scheme. We’ve covered the new opportunities introduced in Help to Buy in more detail on pages 44-45 and 48-49. And there’s still good old shared ownership, helping people get on the housing ladder for more than thirty years. You’ll find plenty of brand new shared ownership homes to drool over and inspire you to start saving for that deposit. After all, you know the scheme has stood the test of time - it was a good idea back when the Thatcher government introduced it, and it’s a good idea now!

www.affinitysutton.com Follow us on Twitter

Suzanne Boyce • Editor

Join us on Facebook Supports the aims of homefocus

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 3

homefocus

Contents MAY/JUNE 2013

Buyers’ Guide

Hot properties

6 Keep calm! Home ownership without the hassle...

8 No-stress selection

16 South East Focus

Low cost home ownership schemes

Great town, country and coastal homes

10 Do-able deposit

20 South West Corner

A down-payment that won’t get you down...

Find your welcome in the West Country

Celeb Status

Lifestyle

Food focus

Competition

12 East of England

32 In Conversation With

36 Get the look

50 Spring into summer

Settle down in the East

Grand Designs guru and presenter Kevin McCloud

Check out Roxanne’s sophisticated, feminine style...

Fab foodie treats and a great British bread recipe from Paul Hollywood

52 Win a fabulous piece of original art

22 Midlands Move 34 All roads lead to home

Where next?

56 Property listings

3 Editor’s Comment

59 East

22 19

48 Money matters Mortgage news and budgeting tips

Your chance to win this stunning lightbox from Kaniez Braganza 42 & 50 Gardening and foodie goodies could be yours!

E-MAIL: info@homefocusmagazine.co.uk ONLINE: www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk

60 London

PHONE: 01622 772407

62 South East

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

64 Midlands 65 South West

4 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

WIN

55 Shows and events

Just for you Standing the test of time...

Top advice from people in the know

Homefinder Directories

54 Introduction

Great advice 46 Ask the Experts

26 London Life Share good news with a resale home

Is the new equity loan scheme right for you?

‘Our community is incredibly important to our quality of life…’

Perfect pads for central dwellers

Put down roots in the Capital

44 Help to Buy

Your search for an affordable first home in your area starts here...

Any way is the right way...

40 Pass it on

From house hunting to house war ming

66 Legal and Finance

42 Come outside…

Get help from specialist advisors

Ideas and giveaways for any size space

FACEBOOK: Look for us at www.facebook.com/homefocus, add us as a friend and send us a message or have a quick chat TWITTER: www.twitter.com/homefocus

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 5

Buyer’sGuide

Don’t believe us? Take a look at the comparative figures on page 11 for buying or renting homes around the country. And when you’re checking out some of the fabulous properties available through LCHO from page 12, you’ll see we also give a guide for monthly costs, and the deposit you might need. So you can compare with what you’re paying now, or what you might have to fork out to rent a similar property, and have an idea of what you COULD be spending each month on buying a home of your own…

One stop shop… The key to finding a home through LCHO is your Local Help to Buy Agent. In London, things are slightly different, but in the rest of the country Help to Buy Agents are organisations appointed by the government to promote and co-ordinate LCHO in a particular area. Think of them as the LCHO ‘one stop shop’ – though in some areas you’ll have to make sure you’ve registered with your local authority too. There’s a list of Help to Buy agents and the areas they cover on page 54 – and their contact details are shown above our listings for some of the properties in their region from page 56 too.

Easy does it…

Home ownership without the hassle… I

mpossible mortgages! Massive deposits! Rising house prices! Need more space! Don’t want to rent any longer! It can be so easy right now to get into a lather about whether you’ll ever be able to buy a home. But there could be a way to negotiate all the problems and get yourself on the ladder with the minimum fuss, and in a way that’s affordable, too. So grab a cuppa, find a biscuit to dunk, and read on – because it’s just possible we’ve got the solution to your home ownership panic. How’s this? There are deals out there that aim to give you the help you need to buy your own place much sooner than you might have thought possible. And far from being expensive, buying this way can even end up costing you less per month than renting a similar place privately. Sometimes, a lot less… Collectively known as Low Cost Home Ownership (LCHO), the deals can help you plot a panic-free route to your own front door. And because the schemes are designed to make home ownership truly affordable, you won’t be stretching your finances until they snap. So you can afford to have a life, as well as somewhere to live.

6 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

So, how does it work? Well, your Help to Buy agent will deal with your application in the first instance, so you won’t need to contact every housing association or developer in your area. They should have full details of every new government-backed LCHO home on their patch. So they’re perfectly positioned to help you get on the property ladder. Your Help to Buy Agent will check that you’re eligible for the LCHO schemes, and you’ll also have a basic affordability check to see just how much you could afford. This is a rough guide only, but it’s reassuring to have an idea of what you can afford. Once you’ve found a home you love, you’ll have a more detailed affordability check through the housing association or developer you want to buy from.

Capital choice… London is slightly different, because the responsibility for LCHO in the capital comes under the umbrella of the Mayor. There’s still a one-stop-shop website to go to, with listings of every new LCHO home in the area, and all the information you need to check whether you’re eligible for the schemes. Once you find somewhere that seems perfect, you contact the housing association or developer you want to buy from and they take you through the application process. To take into account the high house prices in London, there are different income thresholds for the first time buyer schemes, too. See ‘Ticking the right boxes’ on the next page.

Solid foundations… The majority of LCHO schemes are backed by the government, so you can be sure that the help you receive will be there for the long term. And unlike renting privately, where your landlord could decide not to renew your tenancy even if you’ve paid your rent on the dot, LCHO means your home will always be there for you (as long as you pay the bills, of course!). So you and your family can really start to put down roots.

Moving up… Once you’ve found your home through LCHO the schemes are flexible enough to suit you as your circumstances alter. You can buy more of your home until in most cases you own it outright – this is called staircasing. And when you come to sell, your Help to Buy Agent will have a ready-made list of potential buyers in your area. People who are in the same position you’re in now – keen to become home owners for the first time.

Two routes to home ownership… There are two basic types of LCHO scheme – shared ownership and equity loans. Both will help you get a place of your own, and the type of scheme that’s right for you depends on your own personal circumstances. There’s no guarantee that both options will be available on any one development, although there are developments in London and elsewhere in the country where both shared ownership and equity loans are available on any property. There are more details of the specific schemes on the next two pages, but essentially they are:

Shared ownership Also known as part buy/part rent. This works by allowing you to buy a share of your home and pay a subsidised, less than market rent on the remainder, which is owned by a housing association. You’ll be expected to buy the largest share you can afford – normally anything from 25% to 75% - but don’t worry, the key word there is ‘afford’, so you won’t be squeezed until you squeak!

Equity loans You 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.

Right for you? Maybe you’ve already heard of LCHO but thought ‘I’m not that lucky. It’ll be for people with specific jobs, or specific needs. Not for the likes of me.’ Maybe you’ve even thought ‘It’s social housing by a different name and I don’t really think of myself as someone who needs that kind of help’. Well, you couldn’t be more wrong. It’s not a housing list that you just join and wait to be allocated a home. It’s home ownership, make no bones about it, and you’ll take on all the responsibilities, and have all the benefits, that go with it. It’s a real opportunity to get on the housing ladder when circumstances mean you’ve been priced out of the market in your area. And if you’ve heard that LCHO is just for ‘key workers’ such as nurses, fire fighters and police officers, think again. LCHO is designed for a whole range of people, with any occupation – singles, couples, families, sharers, siblings, newly separated or just married, under 25 or over 55.

Ticking the right boxes… For the first time buyer schemes such as shared ownership and resales, the eligibility criteria are pretty wide. And for the new Help to Buy equity loan scheme it’s even wider - there’s more on that scheme on pages 44-45. But for shared ownership and resales, if you can’t afford to buy the home you need and your household

income is 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), chances are you’re eligible, so...

You ARE eligible for shared ownership if… • You can’t otherwise afford to buy a suitable home in the area you need and want to live in • You’re a first time buyer • You need to buy a home of your own for the first time, for example after a relationship split • You have a household income of less than £60,000 per year (or £66,000/£80,000 in London). That includes everyone who’s going to be buying with you • You have a good credit rating (no CCJs) and are not in rent arrears • You have enough saved for your deposit, plus the costs associated with buying your home, such as mortgage and legal fees

You COULD be eligible for shared ownership if... • You’ve owned a home in the past, but don’t currently own one • You own your own home but it’s too small for your family’s needs – for example you have two children in a one-bedroom apartment – and you can’t afford to buy something bigger • You’re not working full time (You’ll have to demonstrate that you have enough income to cover your housing and living costs). You might be able to count long-term benefits towards your affordability assessment too • You don’t need a mortgage (for example if you have money from the sale of a previous home after a relationship split and use that to buy your share outright). Again, you’ll have to show you have enough coming in to cover the rest of your costs, but you could be able to pay the rent on the remaining share through housing benefit

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, or you own one but are renting it out, either in the UK or overseas • You can already afford to buy a suitable home in your area

You’re not eligible for ANY LCHO deal if... • You want to buy a property to rent out. LCHO funding is there to help people buy a home, not become a landlord • You already own a home but want to help your adult child or children to get on the ladder. It’s your children who would have to be eligible – but you can still help them with their deposit!

A Budget for housing… The Budget back in March introduced even more help for people who want to buy a home. Help to Buy extends that assistance to people who already own a home. There’s more information about the equity loan aspect of Help to Buy on pages 44-45. For information about the mortgage indemnity part of Help to Buy, check out page 48. Sounds good? If you were in a panic that you’d never be able to buy, keep calm and check out the schemes in more detail on the next two pages! And then read on for even more good advice.

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 7

Buyer’sGuide

Finding the right LCHO scheme for you can be a bit daunting. Relax! We’ve put together this quick guide to help keep you cool, calm and collected. First of all, we need to ask you one question…

There’s really no need to panic about getting on the housing ladder, even if you thought it was beyond your reach. This page gives you an at-a-glance guide to all the Low Cost Home Ownership (LCHO) schemes on offer... Scheme type

Shared ownership

What percentage of the home you need do you think you could buy with your deposit and mortgage? Between 25% and 75%

Shared ownership could be your route to home ownership…

At least 70-80%

Looks like an equity loan could be the right deal for you…

Equity loans

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…

Try before you buy

Mortgage Guarantee

Scheme name

Shared ownership

Resales

Help to Buy Equity Loan

Developers’ own schemes

Rent to Buy

NewBuy

Help to Buy Mortgage Indemnity

KEY POINTS

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 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’ in London.

Replaced the older FirstBuy scheme in April this year. 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 – and you only need 5% as a deposit. 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. There’s more info on pages 44-45.

Many private housing developers have their own equity loan scheme, and the details vary but in general you pay for between 70% and 85% of the value of your property, and the rest is covered by an equity loan. There’s often nothing to pay for this loan, but you’re expected to buy the remaining equity within ten years.

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 a similar scheme called Rent to Save has just been launched, ideal if you want to buy a home in the city.

NewBuy allows you to buy a newlybuilt home with just a 5% deposit. The initiative is run through many of the larger housing developers, so you’ll find it available at some new developments.

This is coming into effect at the beginning of 2014 with the aim of making 95% mortgages available to a wider range of people. Mortgages will be available on both new and existing properties. We’ve got more info on the scheme on page 48.

RIGHT FOR YOU?

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%), so 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. There’s more about resales on pages 40-41.

Great if you can almost afford your home but need a bit of help, and don’t have a thumping great deposit to start you off. Only having to find a 5% deposit removes a huge hurdle for many people. 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.

Good for anyone who is confident of their ability to buy the remaining equity within the timescale they need to. In addition, the eligibility criteria might be less strict.

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.

It’s perfect for you if you can afford the mortgage for 95% of your home, but don’t have more than a 5% deposit. So you can get on the housing ladder without having to save for ages to boost your deposit. If you earn too much for some of the other LCHO schemes you might be able to buy through NewBuy.

Like NewBuy, 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.

NOT FOR YOU?

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 or 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 have to approach each developer individually as they don’t need to advertise their homes through the Help to Buy Agent. But if there’s a new development going up in your area that takes your fancy, it’s always worth asking about an equity loan scheme.

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.

Not available in conjunction with other LCHO schemes. Generally only available from the larger property developers.

Doesn’t start until January 2014, so no help if you want to buy now. 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 a very expensive area.

BUY FROM JUST 25%

WIDE CHOICE

NOT JUST FOR FIRST TIME BUYERS

ASK THE DEVELOPER

SAVE TO BUY YOUR HOME

JUST A 5% DEPOSIT

NOT JUST FOR NEW PROPERTIES

WANT MORE INFORMATION? Call homefocus on 01622 772407, Facebook us at www.facebook.com/homefocus,

8 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

e-mail info@homefocusmagazine.co.uk or go online to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 9

SmartBuyer

COMPARE THE MARKET... We’ve looked at the average price of a one-bedroom apartment and compared the deposits and monthly costs of buying in the usual way or renting privately with some of the most common LCHO options – buying 25% or 50% through shared ownership, or taking advantage of one of the 80% equity loan deals available, such as the new Help to Buy scheme. We think the figures speak for themselves… Tonbridge, Kent - £140,000

‘I really didn’t think I would ever be able to afford a home…’

A DO-ABLE DEPOSIT

A DOWN-PAYMENT THAT WON’T GET YOU DOWN…

aking home ownership truly affordable starts at the beginning – with the deposit. For the majority of people, saving enough for that vital down-payment is a real stumbling block. Sound familiar? We thought so. And that’s where low cost home ownership (LCHO) can really help. Whether you opt for shared ownership or an equity loan, chances are you’ll have to come up with a smaller deposit than you would have if you were buying in the usual way. How’s this? Well, if you take shared ownership, you only have to come up with a deposit for the percentage of the home you’re buying – so if you’re buying a 40% share, your deposit is a percentage of that 40%, rather than the full price of the home. On top of this, the LCHO industry has been working hard with lenders to make sure that there are affordable specialist mortgages around. Some housing associations already have links to specific lenders in order to provide their buyers with mortgages for 95% of the share they’re buying. And even if the housing association you’re buying from doesn’t have those links, there’s a good chance a financial advisor who specialises in LCHO will be able to find you that kind of deal. And don’t forget, 95% mortgages are very rarely available to people who are buying a brand new home in the usual way– they’re likely to

10 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

have to find at least 10% and more often 20% for a deposit. So buying through LCHO is a great deal all round. For equity loans, it’s very clear that they’re designed for people who have just 5% of the price of their home to put down – the new Help to Buy equity loan scheme specifies this, and many of the developers’ own schemes do too. Plus, you get an equity loan to cover a percentage of the cost of your home, which is cost-free for the first few years (there’s more on the new equity loan scheme on pages 44-45). So if you can get a mortgage for 75% of the cost, and find a 5% deposit, the equity loan will cover the remaining 20% - and that’s 20% you don’t have to find up front, cutting out years of saving for your deposit. All of this means you can get onto the housing ladder far sooner than you might otherwise have done. If you’re already renting and feel like you’re stuck in the rental trap, paying all your money to a landlord and unable to save much for your deposit, it’s very reassuring to know that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. That much-reduced deposit is far more do-able. And if you’re still living at home it’s a great incentive to start saving, because home ownership could really be an achievable goal. We think LCHO makes your deposit an achievable goal, and the figures on the opposite page confirm it. So what are you waiting for? Get saving, and get your foot on the ladder!

London teacher Phillip Minnaar, who is 40, believed he faced a lifetime of renting, until he heard about shared ownership and discovered Octavia Living’s Parkside Court development in Cricklewood, North London. With the price of a two-bedroom property in the area averaging almost £340,000, and a 20% deposit nearing £70,000, Phillip was sure he would never be able to get on the ladder until one of his colleagues mentioned the shared ownership scheme. After a bit of research, Phillip decided that Parkside Court would be perfect, and just two months later he moved in. ‘I really didn’t think I would ever be able to afford a new home as prices in London seem to be rising daily,’ comments Phillip. ‘I felt trapped as I wanted to have my own place, but I knew that monthly repayments would be unachievable – not to mention the monstrous deposit!’ Phillip bought a share of a fabulous new apartment at Parkside Court, and really appreciates not having a long commute as his new home is just 15 minutes from his work. The fact that he’s not spending every penny he owns on his new place means he hasn’t had to compromise on the size or quality of his home, or his lifestyle either. ‘Shared ownership is definitely the happy medium for me,’ he says. ‘It’s allowed me to become a home owner, but it’s affordable so I’ve still got the freedom to spend some money on enjoying life, too.’ Phillip found that through shared ownership he wouldn’t need anything like £70,000 as a deposit. In fact, he’d already saved enough to go ahead straight away. ‘I’m a teacher, so I decided to use the summer holidays to look into shared ownership,’ he says. ‘The whole process was quick and easy – much less hassle than I imagined buying a home would be. I viewed the apartment in August and had moved in by October – no more saving required!’

Deposit

Mortgage

Mortgage pcm

Rent pcm

Total monthly costs

25% share

£1,750

£33,250

£202

£241

£443

50% share

£3,500

£66,500

£403

£160

£563

80% equity loan deal

£7,000

£105,000

£636

100% buy

£14,000

£126,000

£864

£764

Private rent

£650

Bermondsey, London - £240,000 Deposit

Mortgage

Mortgage pcm

Rent pcm

Total monthly costs

25% share

£3,000

£57,000

£354

£413

£767

50% share

£6,000

£114,000

£708

£275

£983

80% equity loan deal

£12,000

£180,000

£1,118

100% buy

£24,000

£216,000

£1,342

Private rent

£1,200

Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire - £90,000 Deposit

Mortgage

Mortgage pcm

Rent pcm

Total monthly costs

25% share

£1,125

£21,375

£136

£155

£291

50% share

£2,250

£42,750

£271

£103

£374

80% equity loan deal

£4,500

£67,500

£428

100% buy

£9,000

£81,000

£514

Private rent

£425

Deposit

Mortgage

Mortgage pcm

Rent pcm

Total monthly costs

25% share

£1,000

£19,000

£115

£138

£253

50% share

£2,000

£38,000

£230

£92

£322

80% equity loan deal

£4,000

£60,000

£364

100% buy

£8,000

£72,000

£436

Private rent

£450

Deposit

Mortgage

Mortgage pcm

Rent pcm

Total monthly costs

25% share

£1,250

£23,750

£144

£172

£316

50% share

£2,500

£47,500

£288

£115

£403

80% equity loan deal

£5,000

£75,000

£455

100% buy

£10,000

£90,000

£546

Private rent

£475

Swindon, Wiltshire - £80,000

Norwich, Norfolk - £100,000

The small print We’ve used an average repayment mortgage over 25 years at 5.5% to get our figures, though you might get a much better deal for LCHO through a specialist financial advisor. Rent for shared ownership is based on 2.75% of the share you don’t own, per year (we then divide this into 12 to get a monthly rate). Deposit amounts are 10% for outright sale, and 5% for LCHO, which reflects what is available in the market at the moment. Private rents and property prices are based on averages in the area, taken from popular property websites not specific properties.

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 11

East

East of England

If you’re tired of renting, but high house prices in the Eastern region are making your wonder whether you’ll ever get on the housing ladder, this is the section for you. Check out some of the great homes on offer here, then turn to the property listings from page 56 to see a selection of other homes available in the area. Our directory section on page 59 can give you all the contacts you need…

ROSARY POINT

Two-bedroom apartments in Norwich from £55,998 for 40% If you’re looking for an affordable home to get you on the housing ladder in Norwich, but don’t fancy buying a tiny studio or dilapidated wreck, check out Rosary Point, where you could find yourself a beautiful, brand new two-bedroom apartment for just £55,998! The new development at Rosary Point offers a selection of homes available through shared ownership from Orbit Homes. So you could only have to find the deposit and mortgage for a 40% share, and that makes buying a place of your own much more affordable. The new homes at Rosary Point have been designed to make the most of the space and light, and have high eco standards to keep your bills and carbon footprint low, so your home will be affordable to run as well as to buy.

Norwich has been recognised as one of the top ten cities in the UK to live in, and offers a great mix of high street and independent stores. From cobbled streets to the Chapelfield Shopping Centre and the recently refurbished Norwich market, there’s plenty to satisfy the most avid shopaholic, particularly one who has a brand new home to furnish! Numerous theatres, museums, galleries and cinemas including Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich Playhouse and Theatre Royal will keep culture vultures happy, and if you’re more of an active type, the city has a wide range of gyms, sport and leisure facilities dotted around. If the great outdoors is more your thing, Rosary Point is within easy reach of the

beautiful Norfolk coast, offering miles of sandy beaches, unspoilt areas of natural beauty, and some of the best nature reserves in the country. There’s a wealth of leisure activities here, including windsurfing, sailing and kiting. For the less energetic, there are plenty of welcoming pubs and restaurants in which to while away a few hours too. Rosary Point is within easy reach of Norwich Station, making it particularly attractive for rail commuters. Regular services operate to London Liverpool Street and Cambridge as well as throughout East Anglia. Car owners will appreciate the allocated parking space, often a rarity for city apartments.

Two-bedroom apartment • Full value: £139,995 • Minimum share: 40% • Cost of share: £55,998 5% deposit: £2,780 • Mortgage on share*: £331 • Rent on remaining share**: £193 • Total costs: £524

LEEFIELD

NORTH CENTRAL APARTMENTS

Welwyn Garden City from £97,500 for 50%

Watford from £94,000 for 40%

Leefield is an attractive development of spacious two-bedroom apartments, available for shared ownership from Rowan Homes. Located within comfortable walking distance of the town centre and the station, the apartments are ideal for singles, couples and small families looking to get onto the property ladder in an area that could otherwise be out of reach. The apartments feature contemporary cream gloss kitchen units with a range of built in stainless steel appliances. The bedrooms and living areas are fully carpeted, and the master bedroom has a useful built-in wardrobe. Outside, there’s extensive landscaping and an enclosed communal garden, and each apartment has an allocated parking space.

North Central Apartments is a collection of two and threebedroom apartments in Watford’s popular suburb of Garston, available for shared ownership from Origin Housing. Inside, the properties come with an impressive open plan specification. The kitchen features white gloss units and integrated appliances including a ceramic hob, extractor, fridge/freezer and washer/ dryer. There’s stylish hickory flooring in the living area and hallway, and the bedrooms are carpeted. Each home also features an en-suite shower room to the master bedroom. Outside, there are landscaped communal grounds and each property has an allocated parking space. Watford town centre is just two miles away, while Stanborough Park is right on the doorstep.

Two-bedroom apartment: Full value: £195,000 • Minimum share: 50% Cost of share: £97,500 • 5% deposit: £4,875 • Mortgage on share*: £575 Rent on remaining share**: £223 • Total costs: £798

Two-bedroom apartment: Full value: £235,000 • Minimum share: 40% Cost of share: £94,000 • 5% deposit: £4,700 • Mortgage on share*: £555 Rent on remaining share**: £321 • Total costs: £876

Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk or

e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Leefield’ in the title and we’ll

e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘North Central Apartments’ in

do the rest. Remember to include your name.

the title and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

* 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

Searching for a home of your own?

Your search starts here... Lea Valley Homes, part of the Aldwyck Housing Group, can help you find a place of your own. Opposite are options* currently available through the Government’s Help to Buy initiative.

Shared Ownership Shared Ownership Resales Help to Buy - Equity Loan Intermediate market rent

APP ON LY NOLINE W!

Rent to Buy

For further information please call

01582 869440

Help to Buy

leavalleyhomes@aldwyck.co.uk www.leavalleyhomes.co.uk

*Subject to the Government’s ‘Help to Buy’ eligibility criteria. YOUR HOME IS AT RISK IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR OTHER LOANS SECURED ON IT

* 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 We may get back to you and ask a few relevant questions to help direct your enquiry to the right organisations, but we’ll only pass your details on to those you want to hear from

12 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 13

East

ASPEN PARK

Denise, Christopher and Jake Ambler

SAXON FIELDS

Hemel Hempstead from £112,500 for 50%

Biggleswade from £111,960 for 80%

Aspen Park is an attractive development of just six twobedroom houses, available for shared ownership from Hightown Homes. The homes have been designed to the highest standards, with excellent levels of insulation to keep bills low. Set on the edge of the Chiltern Hills, just a couple of miles from the amenities of Hemel Hempstead, the houses are ideal for singles, couples and families. Aspen Park is close to Apsley, and the area has good amenities including newsagents, pubs, restaurants and a large supermarket. Hemel Hempstead is within easy reach and boasts an extreme sports facility and indoor ski slope. For commuters, Junction 20 of the M25 is only two miles away and trains to London Euston from Apsley station take less than 30 minutes.

Saxon Fields is a development from Taylor Wimpey where all of the homes are available through the Help to Buy equity loan scheme. Buyers can purchase a new home, from a two-bedroom apartment to a five-bedroom family house, for just 80% of the price, with an equity loan on the remaining 20%, on which there’s nothing to pay for five years. The new phase of homes at Saxon Fields all feature excellent designs to make the most of the space and light available. Each property features energy efficient heating and double glazing, and an attractive modern kitchen with integrated oven, hob and extractor. Saxon Fields is part of the popular new community of King’s Reach to the south east of Biggleswade town centre, bordered by open countryside yet within easy reach of the town’s facilities.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £225,000 • Minimum share: 50% Cost of share: £112,500 • 5% deposit: £5,625 • Mortgage on share*: £648 Rent on remaining share**: £258 • Total costs: £906

Two-bedroom apartment: Full value: £139,950 • Minimum equity: 80% Cost of equity: £111,960 • 5% deposit: £6,998 • Mortgage on 75%*: £652 Total costs: £652

Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk or

e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Aspen Park’ in the title and we’ll

e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Saxon Fields’ in the title and

do the rest. Remember to include your name.

we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

Previous situation:

Home owners

Scheme:

Shared ownership

ACRES GREEN

BLAKENHAM FIELDS

Location:

Stotfold

St Ives, Cambs from £223,996 for 80%

Great Blakenham from £67,497 for 50%

Provider:

Grand Union Housing Group

Help to Buy Agent:

Orbit

Acres Green is a development of beautiful four and five-bedroom houses, available through the Help to Buy equity loan scheme from David Wilson Homes. The homes are ideal for commuters and people who are looking to move into a larger home. The Help to Buy equity loan covers 20% of the initial cost, so buyers need find only 80% with their deposit and mortgage. In addition, David Wilson Homes offer their buyers the chance to purchase with only a 4% deposit. All of the homes at Acres Green are spacious and designed to the highest standards, with a ground floor cloakroom, and en-suite to the master bedroom. Every house has a garage plus additional parking spaces. Prices through Help to Buy range from £223,996 to £407,996. Full asking prices are £279,995 to £509,995 respectively.

Blakenham Fields offers a selection of two and threebedroom houses available for shared ownership from Orbit Homes. Every home comes complete with a fitted kitchen with a choice of units and worktops, integrated oven, hob and extractor, and fridge/freezer. The development is situated in the quiet village of Great Blakenham and adjacent to Claydon, ideal for country walks. For shopping, the Anglia Retail Park and major supermarkets are close by. The thriving city centre of Ipswich is also within easy reach, and is host to a variety of museums, theatres and restaurants, as well as vibrant nightlife and the beautifully redeveloped Ipswich Marina. A 50% share of a two-bedroom house starts from £67,497, while a similar share of a three-bedroom property is £82,497.

Four-bedroom house: Full value: £279,995 • Minimum equity: 80% Cost of equity: £223,996 • 4% deposit: £11,200 • Mortgage on 76%*: £1,322 Total costs: £1,322

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £134,995 • Minimum share: 50% Cost of share: £67,497 • 5% deposit: £3,375 • Mortgage on share*: £398 Rent on remaining share**: £155 • Total costs: £553

Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk or

e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Acres Green’ in the title and

e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Blakenham Fields’ in the

we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

title and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

enise and Christopher Ambler desperately needed to find a suitable home for themselves and their disabled son Jake, but had thought they were out of options until Grand Union Housing Group came up with a unique shared ownership solution to their housing problem. Denise and Christopher already owned their own two-storey home, but as Jake, who is autistic and also suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, was growing older, it was clear he was soon going to need special adaptations in order to get around. Denise realised they would have to move as their home in Biggleswade could not be adapted. But they couldn’t afford to buy a home which suited their needs. Denise’s husband Christopher also suffers

‘For us, shared ownership was the only option...’ from chronic fatigue syndrome, which meant he had to give up his job as a systems analyst, so they were unable to get a mortgage. ‘We couldn’t go on the housing waiting list for an adapted property as we already owned our own home,’ says Denise. ‘I didn’t know where to turn, so I even spoke to my local MP Alistair Burt. In the end, the council got in touch with various housing associations and Grand Union came through for us.’ Grand Union came up with a plot of land in Stotfold, and worked with the family to design a specially-adapted threebedroom bungalow which would provide Jake with access for the wheelchair he will one day have to rely on. ‘We sold our house, and have used the

equity we had from that to buy a 25% share in the bungalow, as we just couldn’t get a mortgage,’ explains Denise. ‘For us, it was the only option. We were lucky we found a buyer who was prepared to wait until our new home was ready.’ The bungalow has a carport so that Jake can be transferred in the dry from the car to the house. It also features a wet room, a special bath with level access at both sides as well as a special ‘safe room’ where Jake can relax if he gets overwrought. ‘We were worried that Jake wouldn’t cope very well with the move, but he loves it,’ she continues. ‘He has total freedom here whereas in the old house he was very restricted. Our new shared ownership home has made so much difference to his life, and to ours.’

More like this? If you’re looking for more homes in the East, why not get in touch and let homefocus help you? Ring us on 01622 772407or e-mail info@homefocusmagazine.co.uk and let us know what you’re looking for.

* 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

14 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 15

South East

South East Focus

THE RACECOURSE

POOR CLARE CONVENT Southampton from £50,000 for 40%

Newbury from £76,000 for 40%

Buying a home of your own in an expensive area like Southampton often means having to make serious compromises. But at Affinity Sutton’s shared ownership development, Poor Clare Convent, you won’t have to compromise on style, space or location. The name comes from the location in the grounds of the former Poor Clare Convent, with parkland and Shirley Ponds Park towards the rear. The development includes one and two-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom houses. The homes are close to the local and city centre, while the train station is a short drive away. A 40% share of a one-bedroom apartment starts at £50,000, while a minimum 25% share of a three-bedroom house could be yours for only £48,750.

The Racecourse is a development of two-bedroom maisonettes and one two-bedroom house, available for shared ownership from Sovereign Living. The homes form part of the wider development of the lands surrounding Newbury Racecourse. Buyers will benefit from the investment in the road, bus and rail network, as well as a host of new facilities and activities in the area, as well as being on the edge of Newbury town.All of the homes include attractive modern-styled kitchens with oven, hob and extractor. The house also has a rear garden laid to lawn. Each property benefits from allocated parking. A 40% share of a maisonette is £76,000, while a similar share of the house could be yours for only £90,000.

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £125,000 • Minimum share: 40% Cost of share: £50,000 • 5% deposit: £2,500 • Mortgage on share*: £295 Rent on remaining share**: £172 • Total costs: £467

Two-bedroom maisonette: Full value: £190,000 • Minimum share: 40% Cost of share: £76,000 • 5% deposit: £3,800 • Mortgage on share*: £449 Rent on remaining share**: £261 • Total costs: £710

Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk

or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Poor Clare Convent’ in the

or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘The Racecourse’ in the title

title and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

* 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

Are you tired of renting? Wondering whether you’ll ever be able to buy a home in the expensive south east? This is the section for you. Check out some of the great homes available in the region here, then turn your attention to our property listings from page 56 to see what else is available. Our south east directory on pages 62-63 can give you all the contacts you need…

BUTLERS COURT

One and two-bedroom apartments in Beaconsfield from £75,000 for 30% Nestling in the Chiltern Hills and surrounded by ancient woodlands and Green Belt, the picturesque market town of Beaconsfield is a beautiful place to live and work – and as such, works out to be an expensive area in which to buy your first home. Unless, that is, you opt for one of the shared ownership apartments at Butlers Court, available from Paradigm. Butlers Court is an attractive collection of spacious one and two-bedroom apartments. Finished to an extremely high standard, the apartments are ideally suited for buyers unwilling to compromise on quality or location. Located just minutes from the town centre, Butlers Court is ideally placed to

take advantage of everything Beaconsfield has to offer, from high street stores and smaller boutiques to pubs, restaurants and other leisure opportunities. For commuters, there’s excellent transport links, including quick access to London by road or rail. Butlers Court benefits from elegant facades in keeping with the Old Town architecture of the area, which conceal airy and bright open-plan living spaces with fully fitted kitchens and plenty of storage. Contemporary interiors finished to a high specification make the apartments a great choice for anyone

looking for their first home. The kitchen includes an integrated oven, hob and extracter, fridge/freezer and washing machine. All of the properties are carpeted throughout the living areas, with tiled floors in the kitchen and bathroom. There’s an audio entry phone system for security, and each property has an allocated parking space. There’s a stunning show home at the development. A 30% share of a one-bedroom apartment with a full market value of £250,000 is just £75,000, while a similar share of a larger two-bedroom home worth £335,000 could be yours for just £100,500.

One-bedroom apartment • Full value: £250,000 • Minimum share: 30% • Cost of share: £75,000 5% deposit: £3,750 • Mortgage on share*: £443 • Rent on remaining share**: £401 • Total costs: £844

Pan Meadows Isle of Wight

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16 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 17

South East

THE CHASE Longfield from £46,500 for 30% The Chase is a development of one and two-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom houses in Longfield, available for shared ownership from Moat. The Chase is built on the former Axton Chase school site which itself is part of a new exclusive neighbourhood with plenty of nearby countryside known locally as The Gallops. The homes at The Chase are just a short walk from the village amenities of Longfield. There are good shops and excellent schools close by and the railway station is less than a mile away.All of the homes are bright, airy and spacious. The kitchens feature modern units and a range of appliances including an oven, hob and extractor, fridge freezer and washing machine or washer/dryer. The houses have good-sized rear gardens and every home has either one or two parking spaces. One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £155,000 • Minimum share: 30% • Cost of share: £46,500 5% deposit: £2,325 • Mortgage on share*: £274 • Rent on remaining share**: £249 • Total costs: £523

Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk or e-mail property@ homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘The Chase’ in the title and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

PRINCES WAY Bletchley from £52,500 for 50% Princes Way is a development of just ten one and twobedroom apartments, available for shared ownership from Aldwyck Housing Group. Each of the homes benefits from an attractive kitchen which comes complete with a free standing cooker, fridge or fridge/freezer and washer/dryer. Some of the homes even include a dishwasher. The master bedrooms have a useful fitted wardrobe, and with carpets in the living areas and bedrooms, and vinyl flooring in the kitchens and bathrooms, you can avoid many of the initial costs of moving into a new home. Princes Way is opposite the new Leisure Centre in Bletchley, with its fitness suite and swimming pool. The apartments are also within easy walking distance to the local shopping centre and close to the new retail outlets at MK1. Bletchley railway station is nearby.

Brian Elcock Previous situation:

Renting privately

Scheme:

Shared ownership

Location:

Basildon

Provider:

Genesis Homes

Help to Buy Agent:

Moat

ow retired and having lived in privately rented accommodation in Billericay for ten years, Brian Elcock wanted to move nearer to Basildon. But he’d thought the move was out of his price range until his son, Ian (who’s also pictured here with him) found the perfect solution – shared ownership. ‘I’ve been retired for a few years and really wanted to move closer to my children,’ says Brian. ‘The cost of renting was much higher than I expected, so I was faced with much higher housing costs if I moved, and I couldn’t really afford that. ‘It was then that Ian discovered I was eligible for the shared ownership scheme. It meant that not only could I afford to buy my own property, but I would be more than £400 a month better off!’ Brian’s new home, in Genesis Homes’ Cleves Court development, suits him perfectly. ‘Having a brand new apartment

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £105,000 • Minimum share: 50% • Cost of share: £52,500 5% deposit: £2,625 • Mortgage on share*: £310 • Rent on remaining share**: £220 • Total costs: £530 Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk or e-mail property@ homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Princes Way’ in the title and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

‘I’m saving over £400 a month with shared ownership...’ means I’ve got all the perks such as a modern kitchen and efficient heating system,’ he says happily. ‘My new home is much warmer and more comfortable – especially now I can open the balcony doors and let the sunshine in!’ Brian’s really enjoying living at the development and gets on well with his neighbours. And whilst Brian isn’t about to have any wild parties, he really appreciates the fact that if his neighbours were to play their music loud, it wouldn’t be a problem.

‘My new neighbours are really nice,’ he says. ‘But even so, it’s good that I can’t hear them when I’m indoors – and I suppose it’s good for them that they can’t hear me either. The walls are so well soundproofed that it’s really quiet and peaceful, which you don’t always get when you live in an apartment. ‘The area is everything I’d hoped for when I wanted to move to Basildon, too. Everything I need is local to me, Brian continues. ‘It’s all just a simple walk away. I hardly have to drive any more!’

More like this? If you’re looking for more homes in the South East, why not get in touch and let homefocus help you? Ring us on 01622 772407 or e-mail info@homefocusmagazine.co.uk and let us know what you’re looking for.

FUSION Epsom from £83,250 for 45% Located in the very heart of Epsom, Fusion is a development of one, two and three-bedroom apartments available for shared ownership from Orbit. Forming part of the Epsom railway station regeneration, which also includes a brand new hotel along with retail and residential units, Fusion offers a selection of contemporary apartments, each built to a high standard. The contemporary kitchens include a range of appliances and every home has fitted carpets throughout. Some of the apartments also have a balcony and off-site parking. Excellent transport links mean that Fusion is perfectly placed for commuters, offering easy access into Central London as well as the rolling Surrey countryside. Epsom railway station provides regular services to Waterloo and Victoria.

Your time to

own a home

with Paradigm is NOW!

Properties available in: Beds, Berks, Bucks, Herts and London, through shared ownership (part buy, part rent).

For more information Call: 0845 337 4.05877 Email: sales@paradigmliving.co.uk

paradigmliving.co.uk

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £185,000 • Minimum share: 45% • Cost of share: £83,250 5% deposit: £4,163 • Mortgage on share*: £491 • Rent on remaining share**: £233 • Total costs: £724 Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk or e-mail property@ homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Fusion’ in the title and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name. * 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

18 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 19

South West

South West Corner

If you’re hoping to put down roots in the south west but despair of ever being able to afford a home of your own, this is the section for you. Check out some of the great affordable homes on offer here that could help you get on the ladder. Then turn to our property listings from page 56 to see what else is available. Our directory section on page 65 can also give you all the contacts you need…

J3 One and two-bedroom apartments in Bristol from £52,500 for 50% Located in the heart of the vibrant city of Bristol, with stunning views across the city landscape, J3 is a development of spacious and contemporary city centre apartments available for shared ownership from Nectar Homes. All of the apartments at J3 have been designed to really make the most of the light and space, and include a range of ‘extras’ guaranteed to make moving in even more affordable. Every home has carpets and other flooring included, and the smart, contemporary kitchens come with a great range of appliances, including built in oven, hob and extractor, washer/dryer, fridge/freezer and even a dishwasher. All you have to do is move your furniture in! And the modern, ecofriendly design of the apartments will

ensure that your bills are kept low too. J3 is situated in the varied and multicultural area of Easton. There’s a real mix of homes, shops and other facilities, including cafes, a crèche and library. The development is also beautifully landscaped with access to Riverside Park. Of course, J3 is also perfectly placed to allow residents to enjoy the huge range of shopping, leisure, business and nightlife that Bristol city centre has to offer. J3 is conveniently located for commuters into the city, and for travel outside the area. The M32 is close by, and Bath is just a short drive away, as are the beautiful rolling hills and picturesque charm of the Cotswolds. The M5 and M4 motorways are easy to

access, Cabot Circus and Temple Meads railway stations are both within a mile or two, while Bristol International Airport provides travel to destinations further afield. So if you’re looking for a first home in Bristol but were afraid that you’d been priced out of the ownership market and would have to rent, J3 could be just perfect. Prices for a 50% share of a one-bedroom apartment start from just £52,500, while a similar share of a larger home could be yours from only £59,000.

Interested? Getting the information you’re after can be quick and easy. Just give us your details once and we’ll ask the organisations you want to know about (and ONLY the organisations you want to know about##) to contact you with information about their developments. Just call us on 01622 772407 or e-mail us at property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk – remember to include your name and the name of the development or developments you’re interested in. Quicker still is going to the hot properties section of our website at www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk and clicking on the link alongside the property you’re interested in. * 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 We may get back to you and ask a few relevant questions to help direct your enquiry to the right organisations, but we’ll only pass your details on to those you want to hear from

20 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

WATERMEAD

Whimple from £74,000 for 40%

Brockworth from £60,000 for 40%

Fancy buying a home in a classic ‘chocolate box’ English village, but thought that it would be out of your reach? Check out The Linhayes, where just a couple of two and three-bedroom houses are still available for shared ownership from Spectrum Housing Group. The houses have been designed to the highest standards, and feature contemporary kitchens. The Linhayes is located in the village of Whimple in East Devon, just nine miles from Exeter and three miles from the nearest town of Ottery St Mary. Whimple is surrounded by open countryside and has everything you need for day to day life, including a small shop, post office, two pubs and a railway station which offers a direct service to Exeter in less than 30 minutes. A 40% share of the two-bedroom house is just £74,000, while a similar share of the three-bedroom home is £86,000.

Watermead is a beautiful development of two and three-bedroom houses in Brockworth, Gloucestershire, available for shared ownership from Sovereign Living. All of the homes include a fitted kitchen complete with oven, hob and extractor. Along with the family bathroom upstairs, there’s a very useful downstairs cloakroom, and these, along with the kitchen, have vinyl flooring already fitted. Outside, every house has an enclosed rear garden and allocated parking space. Watermead has a tranquil village location in Brockworth, but is close enough to Gloucester for buyers to feel that they really do have the best of both worlds. Gloucester Quays is one of the south west’s ultimate retail and leisure destinations, offering a huge array of designer outlets, high street stores, cafés and bars. Cheltenham Spa, Bristol and Birmingham are also within reach.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £185,000 • Minimum share: 40% Cost of share: £74,000 • 5% deposit: £3,700 • Mortgage on share*: £437 Rent on remaining share**: £254 • Total costs: £691

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £150,000 • Minimum share: 40% Cost of share: £60,000 • 5% deposit: £3,000 • Mortgage on share*: £354 Rent on remaining share**: £206 • Total costs: £560

Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk

or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘The Linhayes’ in the title

or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Watermead’ in the title and

and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

WIDEGATES

OAKDALE

Looe from £46,500 for 30%

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £105,000 • Minimum share: 50% • Cost of share: £52,500 • 5% deposit: £2,625 Mortgage on share*: £310 • Rent on remaining share**: £120 • Total costs: £430

THE LINHAYES

Lydney from just £38,250 for 25%

Rural properties close to the sea are always sought-after. Hastoe’s Moreview Close development at Widegates is a perfect opportunity to buy a two or three-bedroom house through shared ownership and finally get on the ladder. The homes at Widegates are designed to be energy efficient which will help to keep your bills low. The kitchens feature a builtin oven, hob and extractor, plus and integrated fridge/freezer. To further decrease the amount you have to spend when you move in, there’s wood-effect laminate flooring in the living room, kitchen and hall, plus carpet in the bedrooms and on the stairs. Widegates is located between Looe and Lisekeard and there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy outdoor pursuits. The area is also well-served for the more practical things in life such as supermarkets, local shops and schools.

Buying a home in a small town in Gloucestershire is notoriously expensive, but at Oakdale in Lydney there are still just two three-bedroom family houses available for shared ownership from Bromford Homes. Both offer a living/dining room with French doors to the garden, a handy downstairs cloakroom and fitted wardrobes to the master bedroom. The kitchens come complete with oven, hob and extractor, and the houses also include fitted carpets and kitchen/bathroom floor coverings. Outside, there’s a turfed rear garden with a garden shed, plus two parking spaces. Nestled between the Forest of Dean and the Severn Estuary, Lydney lies on the A48 and is ideal for travel to Cheltenham, Gloucester, Bristol and Cardiff. Lydney railway station is within easy walking distance of Oakdale, offering a fast and frequent service to Gloucester in just 20 minutes.

Two-bedroom apartment: Full value: £155,000 • Minimum share: 30% Cost of share: £46,500 • 5% deposit: £2,325 • Mortgage on share*: £274 Rent on remaining share**: £249 • Total costs: £523

Three-bedroom house: Full value: £153,000 • Minimum share: 25% Cost of share: £38,250 • 5% deposit: £1,913 • Mortgage on share*: £226 Rent on remaining share**: £263 • Total costs: £489

Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk

or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Widegates’ in the title and

or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Oakdale’ in the title and

we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

* 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

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 21

Midlands

Midlands Move Are you looking for somewhere to call your own in the Midlands? Tired of renting? Then this is the section for you. Check out some of the great homes available in the region here, then turn to our property listings from page 56 to see what else is available. Our Midlands directory on page 64 can also give you all the contacts you need…

BRIAR HILL

Two and three-bedroom houses in Northampton from £22,500 When you’re looking to find a place of your own, you’ll often turn to renting as an easy option. But although buying your own home might seem out of reach, it could actually work out costing you less per month. So if Northampton is where you’d like to put down roots, check out Briar Hill, Hello Homes’ brand new development of two and three-bedroom mid and end-terraced houses. The houses are all available for shared ownership, which could make buying a far better option, whether you’re moving away from home for the first time, or desperate to get out of the rental trap. Each of the homes features a spacious layout, including a fitted kitchen and lounge which opens onto the garden,

plus a downstairs cloakroom and useful storage cupboard. Upstairs, there are good-sized bedrooms and a family bathroom. The houses have rear gardens for relaxing in, while allocated parking spaces allow you to avoid the afterwork hunt for a spot when you come home. The kitchens are stylish and come complete with stainless steel oven and hob, and the houses have been planned to high eco standards, so they’ll be affordable to run as well as to buy. The houses are located in the Briar Hill area of Northampton, within easy reach of open countryside as well as close to all the amenities Northampton has to offer. The

town centre is approximately two miles away, and boasts a wide array of shops, restaurants, pubs, restaurants and other leisure facilities. The development benefits from excellent road links, including the A45, M1 and A14, while for commuters Northampton railway station offers regular services to London Euston and Birmingham New Street, both within an hour. A 25% share of a two-bedroom house with a full market value of £90,000 is just £22,500, while a similar share of a larger three-bedroom family home with a full market value of £110,000 could be yours for only £27,500.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £90,000 • Minimum share: 25% • Cost of share: £22,500 • 5% deposit: £1,125 Mortgage on share*: £133 • Rent on remaining share**: £155 • Total costs: £288

THE HAWTHORNS

SOUTHREEF

Bilsthorpe from £87,960 for 80%

Nottingham from £19,375 for 25%

The new Help to Buy equity loan scheme from the government is available to those who already own their home as well as first time buyers, so if your place is bursting at the seams and you long for a large brand new family home, check out Rippon Homes’ development, The Hawthorns, where Help to Buy is available on all of the three-bedroom houses that make up the new phase. Located midway between Mansfield and Newark, Bilsthorpe is a small friendly community close to the National Trust’s Rufford Park and the holiday village Center Parcs. The village is positioned near the junction of the A617 and A614 trunk roads, which offer easy access to Mansfield, Doncaster, Nottingham, Newark and Lincoln.

Southreef is an attractive canal-side development of one and twobedroom apartments, available for shared ownership from Metropolitan Home Ownership. Each of the apartments features a modern fitted kitchen with builtin oven, hob and extractor plus a free-stainding fridge, freezer and washing machine. The homes have floor coverings throughout to further cut down movingin expenses. Some of the properties have a balcony, and there’s underground parking as well as a beautiful waterside location. Nottingham is a thriving city with a vast range of bars, restaurants, clubs and shops, so the apartments are perfect for singles, couples or even sharers to get on the housing ladder.

Three-bedroom house: Full value: £109,950 • Minimum share: 80% Cost of equity: £87,960 • 5% deposit: £5,548 • Mortgage on 75%*: £512 Total costs: £512

One-bedroom apartment Full value: £77,500 • Minimum share: 25% • Cost of share: £19,375 5% deposit: £969 • Mortgage on share*: £117 • Rent for remainder**: £133 Total costs: £250

Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk

or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘The Hawthorns’ in the title

or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Southreef’ in the title and

and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

* 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

Spread the word! You can now get Help to Buy! Thanks to the brand new Governmentbacked equity scheme Help to Buy, first time buyers and existing home owners now only need a 5% deposit to buy a new home. For more information visit www.emhomebuy.org.uk or call us on 0844 892 0112.

T 0844 892 0112 E emhomebuy@emha.org EMHomeBuy is run by East Midlands Housing Group in our role as a Help to Buy Agent. East Midlands Housing Group has been awarded the Help to Buy Agent status by the HCA (Homes and Communities Agency).

22 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 23

Midlands

Leila Gilli Previous situation:

CITRUS GROVE

DE LACY COURT

Kegworth from £28,750 for 25%

Castle Donington from £239,996 for 80%

Citrus Grove is a development of spacious two-bedroom apartments in Kegworth, Leicestershire, available for shared ownership from Hello Homes. The apartments feature an open plan living, dining and kitchen area which makes for excellent, flexible living space. The kitchens include a stainless steel oven and extractor. A thriving village, Kegworth has its own primary school, library, chemist and supermarket. The village is well located for connections throughout Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, so the homes at Citrus Grove are perfect for commuters who would rather not live in the city. The new East Midlands Parkway station is just five miles away, has a Park and Ride, and offers fast trains to London in less than an hour and half, while drivers are well catered for with excellent access to the M1.

De Lacy Court is a development of individually designed four and five-bedroom houses at Towles Pastures, Castle Donington, available from David Wilson Homes through the new Help to Buy equity loan scheme – perfect for anyone looking to move up to a larger home for just 80% of the price. De Lacy Court is in a great location - close to open countryside, yet with excellent commuter links to Nottingham, Derby and Leicester close at hand. Castle Donington is within easy walking distance, and includes a supermarket, banks, post office and eateries. Primary and secondary schools are just a five minute drive away. Through Help to Buy you can purchase a four-bedroom home with a full market value of £229,995 for just £239,996. A five-bedroom home valued at £369,995 could be yours for £295,996.

Two-bedroom apartment: Full value: £115,000 • Minimum share: 25% Cost of share: £28,750 • 5% deposit: £1,438 • Mortgage on share*: £170 Rent on remaining share**: £198 • Total costs: £368

Four-bedroom house: Full value: £299,995 • Minimum equity: 80% Cost of equity: £239,996 • 5% deposit: £12,000 • Mortgage on 75%*: £1,416 Total costs: £1,416

Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk

Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk or

or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Citrus Grove’ in the title

e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘De Lacy Court’ in the title and

and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

MONARCH PARK

FERNWOOD

Renting privately

Scheme:

Shared ownership

Location:

Northampton

Provider:

Orbit Homes

Help to Buy Agent:

EM HomeBuy

riginally from France, at only twentyone years old Leila Gilli made the brave decision to go it alone and move to England – the first step in an exciting new adventure. Now, thanks to shared ownership, the adventure continues and Leila has been able to pass yet another important milestone in her life – buying her very own home. ‘I have always had very high expectations of myself,’ Leila explains. ‘I moved to England when I was twenty-one, got myself a job as an assistant accountant and began studying for my next level of exams. The next thing I wanted to do was settle down.’ However, finding the right place proved quite a challenge for Leila. Despite being an accountant, she struggled to balance the books and find somewhere that was affordable, yet still fit the bill in terms of her

Cannock from £32,750 for 25%

‘It’s been one of the best decisions of my life...’ aspirations. It wasn’t until a friend told her about Orbit Homes and shared ownership that she decided to take the plunge. ‘I couldn’t really find anything I liked before,’ Leila says, ‘and buying a home felt like such a big commitment. I really wanted to be sure that I was buying the right place.’ It was Orbit’s The Hedges development in Northampton that finally made the decision easy. ‘One of the first pictures I saw of the property was the kitchen, and it was definitely what made me think I needed to look at the place,’ Leila says. But even though the two-bedroom home seemed perfect, she was still cautious, ‘Before I even started the process, I asked around about Orbit, too. Obviously with shared ownership you’re involved with the

organisation for quite a while. Three separate people said it was a good deal and a good company, so I decided to go for it!’ Once she’d been to view the place that’s now her home, things moved very quickly for Leila. ‘The whole process was smooth,’ she says. ‘Any queries I had were dealt with really promptly and everyone was really friendly, which was very reassuring.’ After only four weeks, Leila moved into her new home. ‘I love it,’ she says. ‘I take a lot more pride now because it’s my own home and not someone else’s, plus I bought it on my own which is even better. The whole process has just made me feel a lot more settled. I take a lot of persuading, but I think I would say that it’s been one of the best decisions of my life.’

More like this? If you’re looking for more homes in the East, why not get in touch and let homefocus help you? Ring us on 01622 772407 or e-mail info@homefocusmagazine.co.uk and let us know what you’re looking for.

Newark from £54,975 for 50%

Monarch Park is part of a larger development of 150 new homes close to the amenities and schools in Cannock. Waterloo Homes are offering buyers the opportunity to purchase a three-bedroom three-storey house on this popular development through shared ownership. All of the homes feature a ground floor cloakroom and attractive fitted kitchen. There’s an open plan living/dining room. Two of the bedrooms are on the first floor with the family bathroom, while the master bedroom is on the second floor. The homes also feature a garden and driveway for off-road parking. Monarch Park is close to Cannock Chase, an area of outstanding natural beauty, making the shared ownership opportunities there ideal for families looking for an affordable life with plenty of access to the great outdoors.

Fernwood is a development of two-bedroom shared ownership houses in Newark from Nottingham Community Housing Association. Ideal for first time buyers, many of the houses have views of the surrounding fields. Each comes with a modern kitchen including integrated oven and hob. There’s a useful downstairs cloakroom and patio doors from the living room to the turfed rear garden. Each house has allocated off-street parking.The houses are located on the outskirts of Newark and benefit from the town’s regular train services, and excellent amenities including pubs, restaurants and a good range of shops and markets.

Three-bedroom house: Full value: £131,000 • Minimum share: 25% Cost of share: £32,750 • 5% deposit: £1,638 • Mortgage on share*: £189 Rent for remainder**: £225 • Total costs: £414

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £109,950 • Minimum share: 50% Cost of share: £54,975 • 5% deposit: £2,749 • Mortgage on share*: £317 Rent for remainder**: £126 • Total costs: £443

Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk

or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Monarch Park’ in the title

or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Fernwood’ in the title and

and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

* 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

24 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 25

SHARED HOME OWNERSHIP

London

London life

DOESN’T MEAN HALF MEASURES Shared home ownership is the smarter way to get on the property ladder – you choose a property you like, buy a share you can afford and pay a subsidised rent on the rest. You save substantially on renting a similar property privately and you can increase your share at any time all the way to 100%. But buying your first home in manageable, affordable stages doesn’t mean compromise – our properties are built to a specification you’ll be proud to call home. For example, our apartments at Stratford Halo, at the edge of the Olympic Park feature contemporary style fitted white bathrooms complemented by crème ceramic floor tiling. We’ve even included a beautiful heated towel rail – after all, who wants cold towels in the morning? In the kitchen, you’ll find a range of integrated, branded appliances and sleek gloss white cabinets with contrasting quartz-effect worktops. Most apartments also benefit from a decked balcony, the perfect place to relax. Prices start from £212,500 for a one bedroom apartment, so you can buy a 25% share from just £53,125. Genesis is one of the UK’s leading providers of shared ownership properties and gets people from all walks of life onto the property ladder. We have properties in great locations across London, so take the smarter way to home ownership and call us today.

0808 118 4957 www.genesishomes.org.uk

The sMarTer way OnTO The PrOPerTy ladder

Looking for a home in the capital? Fed up with super-high rental prices or tired of commuting? This is the section for you. Check out some of the great affordable homes on offer here, then turn to our property listings from page 56 to see what else is available. Our London directory on pages 60-61 can also give you all the contacts you need…

ISOBEL PLACE One and two-bedroom apartments in Tottenham, from £64,000 for 40% London living is notoriously expensive. Add that fact to the idea of living in a beautiful, brand new home in a truly central location, at the heart of a vibrant community, and the idea of buying a place of your own could seem out of reach. But with Isobel Place, you could get your foot on the housing ladder through shared ownership by buying one of Newlon’s great, contemporary new apartments located immediately behind Tottenham Town Hall. All of the apartments at Isobel Place have been designed to provide light and spacious living. The sleek, modern kitchens come with a range of appliances and the homes feature plenty of eco-

friendly features designed to keep bills, and your carbon footprint, as low as possible, meaning the apartments will be affordable to run as well as to buy. The apartments come with either a balcony or terrace for valuable outside space, and are located in the grounds of the beautiful Grade II Listed Town Hall, on the edge of Tottenham Green. Despite their central location, within easy walking distance of Tottenham Hale and Seven Sisters underground stations, the apartments are tucked away to provide a bit of quiet and respite from the bustle of the capital. The homes are well placed to take

advantage of all of the high street stores and smaller independent retailers the area has to offer, while residents will appreciate the wealth of bars, restaurants and clubs nearby. Travel into central London is quick too, making Isobel Place ideal for commuters looking to cut down their time on the train and move to the capital to take advantage of everything the city has to offer. The Bernie Grant Arts Centre is also nearby, providing a whole range of entertainment activities including a theatre, rehearsal space, café-bar and multimedia studios. On top of this, Haringey Council is planning a regeneration of Tottenham Green which will see it becoming a cultural hub for the local community. Prices start from £64,000 for a 40% share of a one-bedroom apartment with a full market value of £160,000.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £160,000 • Minimum share: 40% • Cost of share: £64,000 • 5% deposit: £3,200 Mortgage on share*: £378 • Rent on remaining share**: £220 • Total costs: £598

Interested? Getting the information you’re after can be quick and easy. Just give us your details once and we’ll ask the organisations you want to know about (and ONLY the organisations you want to know about##) to contact you with information about their developments. Just call us on 01622 772407 or e-mail us at property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk – remember to include your name and the name of the development or developments you’re interested in. Quicker still is going to the hot properties section of our website at www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk and clicking on the link alongside the property you’re interested in. * 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 ## We may get back to you and ask a few relevant questions to help direct your enquiry to the right organisations, but we’ll only pass your details on to those you want to hear from

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 27

London

London life

VIVO Two and three-bedroom apartments in Stepney from £77,500 for 25% With the City and Canary Wharf just a stone’s throw away, and the quirks and delights of Shoreditch, or greenery of Victoria Park only a short Sunday stroll, VIVO is perfectly positioned for Londoners looking to buy a place of their own. The development is a joint enterprise between East Thames Group and First Base, and offers a range of apartments with contemporary styling. Clad in a mix of four bricks, the palette complements the differing colours of adjacent buildings and reflects daylight into the spacious communal gardens and residents’ balconies, which add welcoming splashes of colour to echo the vibrancy and buzz of

the surrounding area. A private courtyard at the heart of each block will feature lush landscaping to create a variety of smaller spaces, ideal for relaxing with a book on summer days or socialising with neighbours. Every apartment benefits from open plan living space and large picture windows to let the light flood in. The homes have under-floor heating and top of the range fixtures and fittings, as well as the latest in sustainable and secure living features. The kitchens include an oven and hob, dishwasher and fridge/freezer, while a

NEW CAPITAL QUAY Greenwich from £65,000 for 25%

washer/dryer is located in a separate utility cupboard. Every home has a private balcony or garden. VIVO benefits from an excellent location, sandwiched between Shoreditch, Whitechapel and Limehouse. Stepney Green is at the heart of the eastern fringes of the city and the area offers great value. East London has become synonymous with the capital’s thriving art scene, and the area has plenty of galleries, as well as a great range of shops, Prices for a two-bedroom apartment available through shared ownership from East Thames start from just £77,500 for 25%, while a similar share of a larger threebedroom family home with a full market value of £370,000 could be yours for just £92,500.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £310,000 • Minimum share: 25% • Cost of share: £77,500 • 5% deposit: £3,875 Mortgage on share*: £457 • Rent on remaining share**: £533 • Total costs: £990

Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘VIVO’ in the title

FINSBURY GRANGE Finsbury from £89,000 for 40%

Steeped in history, time never stands still in Greenwich, and if you’re looking to buy a home there you might be forgiven for thinking that house prices never stand still either. But at New Capital Quay, you could buy a brand new apartment through shared ownership from Hyde New Homes. New Capital Quay is the latest phase of the regeneration of Greenwich. Sitting on the South Bank of the Thames surrounded by the river on three sides, these brand new homes combine attractive architecture and sophisticated living space. There’s a choice of one, two and even three-bedroom apartments, all offering breathtaking views, with many also having a private balcony or terrace. A 25% share of a one-bedroom home starts from £65,000, while a similar share of a two or three-bedroom home could be yours for £85,000 or £110,000 respectively.

Just two apartments remain at Paradigm’s beautiful Finsbury Grange development overlooking Finsbury Park, so if you’re looking for an affordable home in the area, you’d better be quick! There’s a one-bedroom and a two-bedroom apartment, both available through shared ownership and featuring open plan living areas that maximise space and storage. The apartments have everything you’ll need if you’re setting up home for the first time. The modern kitchens come equipped with an integrated oven, hob and hood, plus a washer/dryer, fridge/freezer and dishwasher. Vinyl flooring to the kitchens and bathrooms and carpets elsewhere are also included. The development comes with lifts to all floors, communal gardens, a children’s play area and secure cycle storage. Finsbury Grange’s location is ideal for anyone looking for a home close to open green space but within a stone’s throw of excellent transport links to central London.

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £260,000 • Minimum share: 25% Cost of share: £65,000 • 5% deposit: £3,250 • Mortgage on share*: £384 Rent on remaining share**: £447 • Total costs: £831

One-bedroom apartment • Full value: £222,500 • Minimum share: 40% Cost of share: £89,000 • 5% deposit: £4,450 • Mortgage on share*: £525 Rent on remaining share**: £306 • Total costs: £831

Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk

or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘New Capital Quay’ in the

or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Finsbury Grange’ in the

title and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

ELTHAM SPRINGS

SAFFRON SQUARE

Eltham prices to be confirmed

Croydon from £57,750 for 30%

Eltham Springs is a development of one, two and three-bedroom shared ownership houses and apartments in a popular area, available from L&Q. Set on the site of the former Eltham Baths, the development of 48 new homes is located in a popular area with plenty of green space, great cafes, shops and restaurants, and is served by fantastic transport links. All of the homes feature double built-in wardrobes to the master bedrooms, and carpet in living rooms and bedrooms keeps toes cosy on cold mornings. The ivory gloss kitchens come complete with oven, hob and extractor, dishwasher, fridge/ freezer and washing machine.Eltham has become an extremely desirable place to live, with a vibrant town centre and plenty to see and do, making it popular with singles and families alike. With Eltham train station just a few minutes away, access to central London and the City is simple. And for drivers, allocated parking for every home makes getting around by car easy. The A2, A20 and M25 are all within easy reach.

A brand new development in the heart of Croydon, offering one and two-bedroom shared ownership apartments from Affinity Sutton, Saffron Square is part of the £3.5 billion regeneration of the area. When complete, the whole development will offer homes arranged in five buildings overlooking a new public square, lined with cafés, bars, restaurants and office and retail space. Saffron Square is just a short walk to the centre of Croydon and onward travel links are excellent. The apartments will be designed to the highest standard, with kitchens including a stainless steel oven, hob and extractor, freestanding washer/dryer and fridge/freezer. There will be underfloor heating throughout, and the living areas will be carpeted. The development also features an on-site gym, one acre of landscaped gardens and a communal rooftop garden, plus a 24 hour concierge service.

Interested? Call us on 01622 772407, go to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk

or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Eltham Springs’ in the title

or e-mail property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk with ‘Saffron Square’ in the title

and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £192,500 • Minimum share: 30% Cost of share: £57,750 • 5% deposit: £2,888 • Mortgage on share*: £341 Rent on remaining share**: £309 • Total costs: £650

and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name. *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

28 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

* 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

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 29

London

Place

London N15

Find a place to call your own 68 stylish one and two bedroom apartments coming soon for Shared Ownership (Part Buy, Part Rent) Hidden away from the hustle and bustle of Tottenham High Road lies Isobel Place, a new development by Newlon Home Ownership. Imagine a home where you can escape from city life but still have all of the convenience of good transport links and local amenities.

Av res ailab er v le e s to oo n

Natalie Greenhow Previous situation: Living with parents Scheme:

Shared ownership

Location:

Colindale

Provider:

Genesis Homes

Help to Buy Agent: FirstSteps

ccording to current statistics, it can take people looking to buy their first home more than eight years to save for a deposit. Saving enough is particularly difficult when you’re looking to buy on your own, so it’s not surprising that first time buyers like Natalie Greenhow are increasingly looking to shared ownership as the ideal way to get on the property ladder. Natalie, a Paediatric Staff Nurse at Barnet General Hospital, had dreamed of owning her own home, but the 27 year old had resigned herself to remaining living with her parents until she heard about shared ownership. ‘I never thought I’d be able to move out,’ says Natalie. ‘Affording a home in London

‘I only needed a small deposit to buy my home...’ is very difficult for single people like me – affording anywhere with two bedrooms seemed almost impossible. Saving for the deposit was a huge barrier, even if I could have afforded a mortgage for the whole amount. I thought I’d never get my own place. ‘I was so excited to hear about the shared ownership scheme,’ she adds. ‘It put home ownership within reach, and more to the point, I discovered that I only needed to put down a small deposit to buy my home.’ At the end of September last year, Natalie bought a share in her new place at Genesis Homes’ New Hendon Village development in Colindale, which meant she was finally able to move out of her parents’ home and live independently

for the first time. And because shared ownership has meant that buying her home is affordable, and hasn’t taken every penny she owns, she’s able to enjoy her new life, too. In fact, she’s loving every minute of it – even the chores! ‘I’m now living closer to work, which is brilliant,’ she says. ‘It’s only a 15 minute drive away and it’s really peaceful here, too, which is just what I need after a long, busy day at work. ‘I’m really enjoying furnishing my new home, too,’ she adds. ‘It’s such a great feeling knowing that it’s my home that I’m even enjoying doing the housework! I’m so house proud now, and so keen to show off my new place, that I clean it every spare minute I get!’

More like this? If you’re looking for more homes in the London, why not get in touch and let homefocus help you? Ring us on 01622 772407 or e-mail info@homefocusmagazine.co.uk and let us know what you’re looking for.

Computer generated image of Isobel Place. There is no parking at this development.

For further information please contact us on

0800 058 2544 or visit our website

www.isobelplace.com Newlon welcomes interest from all first time buyers earning up to £66,000 for all of our properties.

30 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

‘

Inconversationwith...

‘Public spaces are as important as homes…’

hink of Kevin McCloud and you automatically bring to mind Grand Designs and its focus on large, individually-designed homes full of luxury finishes, glass walls and the kind of views most people would die for. Either that or ambitious, quirky conversions of old factory buildings or other industrial spaces. So when you hear that Kevin and his company Haboakus have been building homes on several sites in the south and west of the country, you might imagine that those homes would be the kind of flashy, splashy, six-bedroom wonders the programme is famous for. You might even be forgiven for thinking that those homes would be part of exclusive, gated communities – not for the likes of first time buyers and people earning average salaries. You might be forgiven for thinking that – but you’d be wrong. Because although Kevin adores the individual, architectdesigned, luxury pads that Grand Designs has made us all lust after, he’s very realistic about what the majority of people can afford – and the homes Haboakus produces are not exclusive, they’re inclusive. They’re everything from onebedroom apartments to four-bedroom houses, and the homes are available to buy, rent, or even for shared ownership. Kevin, it turns out, is something of a zealot when it comes to building proper communities, not simply one-off amazing homes.

Practical and adaptable… ‘We’d all love the luxury of designing our own home and having it built from scratch to match our lifestyle,’ he admits. ‘That’s a very human thing – to want to control our environment. I think that’s what’s made Grand Designs so popular, because we get to see other people doing something that we’d love to do ourselves. ‘The homes we build at Haboakus are practical, adaptable, and able to work for a variety of modern families and modern lifestyles,’ he explains. ‘They have a modern design, not generic mock Georgian cum Tudor. We’re not Georgians, or Tudors, we’re 21st century people with 21st century lives. Genuinely old homes are beautiful and often worth making compromises for, but why compromise with a brandnew home just to make it look old, when you’ve got the opportunity to make it WORK much better?’ The idea of matching a home to a lifestyle is something that Kevin is keen to take from the families who have built their Grand Designs. ‘Even when people aren’t designing their own home from scratch, there are still elements that work for any property,’ Kevin explains. ‘For us at Haboakus, that’s making the homes adaptable and flexible, and making them sustainable too. ‘The point about the Grand Designs homes is that they’re really, truly designed to suit the people who are living in them. That’s the feel we wanted to offer the people who live in our properties.’

32 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

A design for life… Kevin has always been passionate about sustainable, environmentally-friendly design, and that’s something he’s bought through to the homes he’s creating. ‘It’s important that the homes be super-eco,’ he explains. ‘You’ve got the opportunity to build a sustainable, green life right into people’s homes. And if you’ve got that opportunity, you have to take it. Having a green home to start with makes living a low-impact life so much easier. ‘But it CAN’T just be about the building. After all, a house is at its most efficient when there’s no one living in it, but if it’s empty, it doesn’t have a purpose. The point is to look at homes not just as buildings, but as buildings with a purpose.’ The houses on Grand Designs are often standing alone in splendid isolation, but Kevin is adamant that the property itself is only part of what having a good home is all about. ‘Sustainability, and having a good life, is much more about the way we behave as individuals, as families and as communities,’ he says. ‘Poor planning and overdependency on our cars means we’re often isolated in our home, our car and our workplace. We don’t take part in our community, and yet it’s incredibly important to our quality of life. We felt we had a responsibility to make the homes we built as social as possible. ‘We don’t just live in our homes, we live in the area, in the neighbourhood,’ Kevin continues. ‘So on our developments we do a lot of greening, planting trees and hedges, making the places safe for kids to play outside. The parking is tucked away so pedestrians are protected. There’s also space for growing veg, the opportunity to run a co-operative shop. It’s a community, not just a collection of houses. I think it’s such a shame when people move into a new area and even a couple of years later they still don’t know their neighbours. We try to design our developments to make sure that doesn’t happen.’

Man made…

GRAND DESIGNS GURU

Kevin McCloud

Kevin recently rolled up his sleeves to demonstrate the ultimate eco-property. In Channel 4’s ‘Kevin McCloud’s Man Made Home’ he built his own ‘cabin in the woods’ from trees he’d felled and unwanted materials he’d sourced, and he loved every minute of it - even making an outdoor hot-tub out of an old jet engine housing!. ‘Man Made Home was entirely my idea – I didn’t have to be persuaded by someone else! I wanted to see how small I could make a project that would still work as a programme – but it’s safe to say I was pretty gobsmacked when it was commissioned!’ he admits. ‘I’ve always been interested in sustainable design and this took it one step further. It allowed me to use the most basic materials available and to recycle some old junk too, to make a liveable, vibrant space. ‘The fundamental point about TV programmes is that they’ve got to be entertaining,’ he adds. ‘They’re fun to watch if you can tell that the people in them are having fun too, and this programme really was.’

Grand Designs… Grand Designs has become something of a ‘brand’, with a couple of national exhibitions in London and Birmingham, plus a magazine and, of course, the TV series. ‘I don’t think of it as a brand,’ Kevin says. ‘It’s not that organised! It’s just a bunch of passionate individuals – a few people who are really excited about good design and the idea of doing things differently, and who want to share that passion with the wider community. ‘If you’d spoken to me six or seven years ago and asked me whether there would be such an interest in contemporary design from the general public, I think I’d have said no,’ he continues. ‘I don’t believe Grand Designs as a programme necessarily fuelled that, so much as tapped into a wider movement. ‘I think the exhibitions are great fun – a real opportunity for people to go and get ‘hands on’ with the products and talk to the people who make and sell them,’ Kevin says. ‘You don’t get the same thing from browsing on the internet. When you go to a show, it’s not just about things to buy, it’s also about the sharing of ideas. It’s a communal space, a gathering of like-minded individuals. You feel like you’re among friends.’

More info: There’s more details, and the chance to watch some of Kevin’s programmes, including Grand Designs and Kevin McCloud’s Man Made Home, at the Channel 4 website www.channel4.com For more on forthcoming Haboakus developments, including shared ownership and affordable rent options, go to www.haboakus.co.uk

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 33

OnTheLadder

ALL ROADS LEAD TO

HOME

There are plenty of ways of finding out about low cost home ownership (LCHO). You’ve picked up homefocus, so that’s one, for a start! In fact, there are so many ways into LCHO that finding a home this way couldn’t be easier…

Ray and Charlotte Ray’s mum still lives in the village where Ray grew up, and he’d always wanted to move back there with his wife Charlotte and their two children, but house prices were so high it seemed like an impossible dream. But then Ray’s mum noticed a small development of new houses being built on the outskirts of the village – and a sign alongside them that said they would be available for shared ownership. She passed all the details on to Ray, and he contacted the housing association that was building the houses. Since Ray had a strong connection to the village, the journey to home ownership was fairly simple. Ray and Charlotte were told they needed to register with their local Help to Buy Agent. A meeting with a specialist independent financial advisor (IFA) made sure that the couple could afford to buy, so the housing association agreed to sell Ray and Charlotte a 55% share of a three-bedroom house and they moved in as soon as the homes were finished.

Eleanor Eleanor had rented with friends for some years, but had always wanted a place of her own. She’d managed to get some savings together so went to an independent financial advisor (IFA) to see what her options were regarding a mortgage. Eleanor had expected to have to borrow around four times her income in order to afford a one-bedroom apartment, and was aware that mortgages of that kind were very hard to come by, but thought it was her only option. Her IFA told her about FirstBuy (now replaced by the new Help to Buy equity loan deal), and explained that Eleanor could borrow a more manageable sum (she borrowed three times her salary) to pay for 75% of her property. Her savings paid for the 5% deposit and the rest was covered by an equity loan on which there’s nothing to pay for five years. Eleanor loved the idea, had a look round at the local area and found a developer offering FirstBuy on a some onebedroom apartments. Again, she registered with her local Help to Buy Agent, and was approved to buy.

Max and Robin Max and Robin found out about LCHO through a chance conversation with one of Robin’s colleagues at his job as a teacher. His workmate had bought a shared ownership home five years before and explained how the scheme worked one lunchtime when Robin was complaining about high rents and worrying that he and Max would never get on the housing ladder. A quick bit of research on the internet that night resulted in Max and Robin finding the website of their local Help to Buy Agent – and there they spotted the place that was to become their new home. A two-bedroom shared ownership apartment had just been listed on the site because the existing owner wanted to sell his share and move on. The apartment was less than five minutes’ walk from Robin’s school, and close enough to the train station

34 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

to allow Max to commute comfortably. They contacted the Help to Buy Agent, were assessed to check what share they could afford, and went to see the apartment the next week. Max and Robin bought the 50% the owner was selling. There was a bit of a chain, but they were able to move in once the previous owner had found a new place - just over four months after first hearing about shared ownership.

Caroline Caroline and her husband divorced after thirty years of marriage. She works part time as a receptionist and her children have all left home. Caroline moved in with her sister, but once the family home went on the market, she was left looking for somewhere to live. Having been a home owner for most of her married life, she didn’t fancy going back to renting, but the proceeds from the sale of the home weren’t enough to finance buying a home outright and her job and age meant she couldn’t get much of a mortgage. Her daughter had been looking into buying a home through shared ownership herself, and suggested to Caroline that she might be able to do the same. Caroline contacted her Help to Buy Agent and discovered that she could use the proceeds from her share of the house to buy a 60% share in a light and airy one-bedroom ground floor apartment with a garden that was listed on their website. Her wages would be able to cover the rent on the remaining 40%. She contacted the housing association selling the home, and was able to move forward as soon as the family home was sold.

Andre and Rosanna When Rosanna found out she was expecting a baby, she and Andre decided that they needed to find a place of their own, because they were both living with their parents. But house prices in their area were very high, and on only Andre’s salary, they wouldn’t be able to afford to buy for years. They thought their only option would be to continue to live at home while they waited to be allocated a place by the local council. Having registered with the council, they were invited along to a Home Ownership Open Day at the Town Hall, and there they discovered that they might be able to buy a shared ownership home. There was an IFA at the event, so they spoke to her and got an idea of how much they could afford – and at another table they found a development of two-bedroom houses they thought were perfect. A quick chat with the representatives of the housing association selling the homes explained the process and really gave them confidence that they would be able to buy. The housing association talked them through the whole procedure, including registering with their Help to Buy Agent and getting a more formal financial assessment. Just weeks after the Open Day, (and with a bit of help with their deposit from both sets of parents) Andre and Rosanna bought a 25% share of their brand new house and were able to bring baby Dylan back to his own nursery when he was born a month later.

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 35

Getthelook

Get the Look... We’re not ones to blow our own trumpet, but when we heard that 24 year old Roxanne Cresswell had bought her home after reading about shared ownership in homefocus, we just had to find out more…

that,’ Roxanne continues. ‘Dad said that opportunities like this don’t come along very often and that I should grab it with both hands – so I did! Once I’d decided, it all went though very quickly. I had a mortgage advisor and solicitor who were experienced in shared ownership, and that helped. The advisor went though all my income and outgoings to establish that I could afford to buy the share, pay the rent and service charge, and still have enough

ust a few months ago, Roxanne was

to go out on a weekend! I found this really

living at home with her parents and

useful as I tend to worry about money and

vaguely considering finding somewhere

didn’t want to get myself into debt. Having

affordable to rent before long. Like many

this chat really set my mind at rest.’

young people living in the expensive south

Roxanne bought a 25% share of her

east, she’d resigned herself to not being

home, a one-bedroom apartment with

able to afford to buy a home of her own.

allocated parking that had a full market

‘House prices round here are so high,

value of £112,000.

it’s just not worth thinking about because

‘I pay about £500 a month on mortgage,

you only upset yourself,’ she explains. ‘I

rent and the service charge, which is really

never looked at the property pages, but I

affordable for me,’ she says. ‘I did look at

was still thinking that I needed to move

a few apartments closer to London, but

forward in some way. I’d got the good job,

they were much more expensive and I

the nice car, so I was thinking ‘OK, what’s

still wanted to be close to all my friends

the next thing?’ I suppose a place of my

and family. I work in south east London as

own was the obvious move, but even so it

an administrator for an accountancy firm,

was a complete fluke that I found out about

which means I have a forty-five minute

shared ownership.’

commute each way on the A2. So I really

In fact, that fluke was down to her mum – and her love of magazines.

featured lovely apartments for a reasonable sum of money. Before too long, I started to

‘If they can do it, why can’t I?’ ‘My mum is creature of habit,’ says

think ‘If they can do it, why can’t I?’ ‘Mum suggested I look into it a bit

‘I can afford to buy – and still have enough to go out on a weekend!’ After that slightly inauspicious start,

need a reliable car, which I can afford as my mortgage payments aren’t too big. And I’ve got somewhere to park at the end of the day, too, rather than having to drive around for ages looking for a space!’

feature walls in the bedroom and living

not that I’m big headed, but it’s a lovely

room. They’re not really dramatic - what I

feeling to have them say that and be able

wanted was a bit more subtle and I love the

to think ‘Yes, and it’s all mine!’ I don’t

effect. It’s quite enough pattern for me – I

think you get that feeling when you rent.

don’t think I’d be able to live with it on all four walls. The silvery bits in the wallpaper pick up the light from the huge window,

‘I know I made the right decision…’

and it looks great.

‘I’d recommend shared ownership to

‘The best bit is when people come round and tell me how lovely they think it is!’

at my home to know I made the right

anyone. All I have to do is look around

Roxanne. ‘Every time she goes to

more, so I did a bit of surfing on the Net.

Roxanne contacted Hyde New Homes,

Morrisons she picks up a local paper, but

And when I found these apartments in

who were selling the shared ownership

this time she also picked up homefocus. It

Gillingham I just had to come and have a

apartments on the development, and

‘I love the feeling of light and space…’

had all these examples of people who had

look. I made the decision to visit straight

things went a little more smoothly! Having

As evidence that Roxanne really hadn’t

‘The aubergine accessories are a way of

has really helped me realise that I can do

bought through shared ownership, and

away, as I tend to get cold feet about big

registered with her Local Help to Buy

been thinking of buying her own

introducing some colour without having

things for myself. I did find it a bit strange

Agents Roxanne arranged a viewing and

home until she found out about shared

it on the walls,’ adds Roxanne. ‘I wanted

for a few weeks but I’m relishing it now.

found out what her options were.

ownership, she’d only recently redecorated

a colour that was feminine without being

‘I’m so glad my mum picked up that

her bedroom at her parents’ house. And

too girly, and because it’s only throws and

copy of homefocus!’ Roxanne concludes.

decisions if I give myself too long to think!’ As it was, Roxanne was

I bought my own apartment. I think it

almost put off by the sales

and she was really helpful,’ says Roxanne.

that gave her inspiration when it came to

other bits and bobs, I can change the colour

‘What really helped me decide to take

patter when she went to

‘She explained that I could afford to buy

thinking about the décor of her new home.

when I feel like it. The silver accessories

the plunge and buy my own place was

look at the apartments.

between 25% and 40% of an apartment,

aren’t too heavy and really work well, I

the stories of the happy buyers. In fact,

think.

I agreed to be one of them! I haven’t

‘I’d just picked out the white and

depending on which one I liked. In fact,

aubergine theme, so I wasn’t tired of it and

the private sale apartments

I saw six different apartments before

knew it was a lovely colour scheme to live

on the same development,’

deciding on the one I own now. She also

with,’ she explains. ‘Plus, as I’d already

interior design magazines, so I’ve learnt

my story, and my home, inspire other

she explains. ‘I was really

told me I’d need around £6,000 to cover

bought a few new bits and pieces for my

quite a bit about what I like and what I

people too!’

impressed, but when the

the deposit, legal fees and any mortgage

room, it made sense to bring them with me.

don’t from them,’ she continues. ‘I knew just what feel I wanted my home to have.

‘When I arrived I went to

‘My mum has always bought loads of

sales lady started going on

arrangement costs, which I had saved up

‘I love the feeling of light and space that

about putting down a deposit

anyway. Much less scary than the £36,000

having brilliant white walls gives you. But

of £36,000 I went a bit pale

the original sales lady had mentioned!

I also like my home to feel comfortable and

when people come round and tell me how

lived in, rather than clinical, so I went with

lovely they think it is!’ Roxanne says. ‘It’s

and made a quick exit!’

36 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

‘I met Asha from Hyde New Homes

decision. I’ve become more confident since

‘I talked it over with my parents after

‘The best bit about finishing the décor is

regretted it for a second, so I really hope

Love Roxanne’s fantastic decor? Turn the page to see how you can get the look... homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 37

Getthelook

Get the look...

Purple haze…

Betty Jackson ‘Melt’ vase, £25 www.debenhams.com

Roxanne has made a great choice of aubergine for her accent colour. Its deep, rich tones contrast beautifully with the pure white walls, and as she says, it’s feminine without being too girly…

Purple lamp with white shade, £59.99 www.homesense.com

Plum chenille throw, £29.50 www.marksandspencer.com

Xan two seat sofa, £343 www.nabru.co.uk

Main feature… Roxanne’s made great use of feature walls to make sure her new home looks calm and cosy rather than cold and clinical. Her clever choice of wallpaper gives just a hint of pattern without being too busy, and the metallic elements help to bounce light around the apartment. You could also try some of the huge wall stickers available right now, or simply pick an accent colour and paint…

Sparkle and shine… For a touch of feminine glamour, Roxanne’s not a golden girl! Nothing works with white walls better than understated white and silver accessories to give a modern, fresh opulence that’s hard to beat in a brand new home…

Butterflies white heart frame, £5 www.whositfor.co.uk Metal side table, £90 www.next.co.uk

Boutique silver sequinned cushion, £12 www.matalan.co.uk White chesterfield button-back wallpaper, £70 www.mineheart.com

Graphic dandelion giant wall stickers, £23.50 www.dottyfrogdecor.co.uk

White wood wallpaper mural, from £129 www.digetexhome.com

Purple mosaic pillar candle holder, £8 www.wilko.com

Fossilised silver leaf wall art, £50 www.arthouse.com

Grace silver and glass floor lamp, £149 www.marksandspencer.com

A gorgeous mirror really lights up a room... Today

Payday

Someday

Boutique silver sequinned cushion, £12 www.matalan.co.uk

Starburst mirror, £149 www.very.co.uk

Mephisto mirror, £502 www.artisanti.com

Stainless steel love word, £16 www.fairwindonline.com

Wooden Happiness peg rail, £24.99 www.tch.net

Object of desire… ‘If I could buy anything for my home now, it would have to be a really good, really expensive sound system – one of those where you can have speakers in every room. I love my music, and I love entertaining, and if money were no object that’s what I’d buy’ says Roxanne. Bose Wave ® music system III, £599 www.bose.co.uk

38 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 39

Resales article sponsored by

0845 130 142 – www.stagnellfox.co.uk

PASS IT ON!

‘We really wanted to live in this block. My best friend bought a shared ownership flat there last year, but we hadn’t saved a deposit until now…’ Buying a resale property might give you a bit more choice in the area you live in. For a start, you’re not restricted to places where there’s development going on right now. Maybe you already know the development, have friends or family in the area, and fancy buying a home there yourself, but missed out when they were first sold. In fact, a resale property might not be part of a development at all simply because previous low cost home ownership schemes allowed people to buy homes that were not new builds. So if you’ve got a particular area in mind, but it hasn’t seen any building work for a long time, a resale might just fit the bill.

Share the share with a resale…

hen you’re looking to buy a home through one of the low cost home ownership (LCHO) schemes, such as shared ownership, you might be forgiven for thinking that the only properties available are brand new ones. You see advertising in local papers, information at housing events, even hoardings alongside new developments being built. But what if you’d prefer to live in an area that hasn’t seen any new development for a while? What if you’d rather buy a home in a particular area close to family or friends? What if you fancy a home with a bit of a history? What then? Well don’t worry, because we’re here to pass on a bit of good news – resales!

‘They were selling 35% - but we could afford 45%! Even so, it was really easy…’ With most resale properties you buy the share that the sellers own – so if they’ve bought 35%, you buy 35%. If you can afford less you could go to the housing association and ask them to buy back some of the share – but that happens very rarely. You can buy more, of course. Let’s say you can afford 45% of the home you’ve fallen in love with, but the sellers only own 35%. In that case, you buy their 35% plus a further 10% from the housing association. It sounds complicated, but it really isn’t, and your specialist financial advisor and solicitor will be ideally placed to advise you.

‘We didn’t know about resales, but what a great idea…’ A resale property, or existing shared ownership as it’s sometimes known, is a home that’s already been bought in the past through a shared ownership scheme, and now the owners are looking to sell their share and move onto the next stage of their home ownership journey. While the brand new shared ownership homes get all the publicity, resales seem to take a bit of a back seat, and that’s a shame. One of the great things about shared ownership is that the benefits CAN be passed on from one set of owners to another. So if the previous owners bought a 30% share, you can buy that, and take advantage of the original help they received. It’s quite literally the gift that keeps on giving!

‘Once I knew where to look, there was quite a selection…’ Your Local Help to Buy Agent (or the affordable home ownership website for London) will have details of many of the resales properties available in their area, and they’ll also be able to let you know which housing association the property is being sold through. You can also check out individual housing association websites for information on any resales they have. In fact, if you’re looking to move onto a particular development, it’s worth finding out who the relevant housing association is and getting in touch to let them know you’d be interested in a resale if one comes up.

‘We got so much information from the couple we bought from…’ When you’re looking for a home, nothing beats a good chat with the people who already live there to give you an idea of the area and the property. If you’re only looking at newly built homes, you’ll get

‘When I wanted to sell I had three people come to look in the first weekend and one of them bought my share…’ information from the sales team, but if you’re buying a resale you’ll get the real insider info. Ten minutes from the station? ‘Yes, and only five from the shops…’ Good parking? ‘Yes, allocated to the homes, but if you’ve got visitors tell them to get here early if they come at the weekend.’ Close to the local train station/primary school? ‘Well, it is close, but you can’t hear it from the balcony…’ Cheaper bills? ‘We didn’t have to turn our heating on at all until December…’ See what we mean? Nothing beats the personal touch.

‘I bought a Victorian terrace – the previous owners bought their share years ago, and now it’s mine!’ Resales add to the choice of homes you could buy. They’re obviously not brand new homes because someone already lives in them, so if you fancy stepping into somewhere a bit different, then a resale could be right up your street. Of course, a lot of the resale homes will be nearly new simply because shared ownership has recently been available on new build homes, so that’s what people have bought. But there are other kinds of property available too – including older properties that have been refurbished and sold through shared ownership in the past. You just never know what might come up as a resale.

Pssst…

So, don’t restrict yourself to just looking at new properties – you could get more choice, more opportunities, and maybe a better fit for you and your family if you check out the resales too!

Get in touch... If you want more information about the resale homes here, or any of the properties featured in homefocus, or you want more information about low cost home ownership in general, email us at info@homefocusmagazine.co.uk or call us on 01622 772407.

Nick Palmer’s twobedroom apartment in Milton Keynes has something of a family tradition attached to it – it used to belong to his brother James. Shared ownership has allowed first James and his girlfriend Samantha, and then Nick, to get their first step on the property ladder even though all three were living with parents and struggling to buy a home. James and Samantha originally bought a 35% share of their home from Affinity Sutton in 2008, and had really enjoyed living there. ‘Shared ownership was a great option for us,’ says James. ‘We were both on relatively low incomes, and despite both living at home we still weren’t able to save a huge amount for a deposit.’ After living in the apartment for three years, the couple found out they were expecting a baby girl. ‘Although the apartment is spacious and has a great, practical layout, we decided it would be a good time to move to a house with a garden,’ explains Samantha. So the time came to sell their share – and keeping it in the family seemed like the perfect solution. Seeing the success of James and Samantha’s purchase gave Nick the idea of buying that way himself. After all, he’d been set a good example in the benefits of shared ownership. ‘As my brother had bought a shared ownership property, I knew how it worked and that it was something I could afford,’ says Nick. ‘Once I decided I wanted to buy, the sale really raced through and it completed in just two weeks! It’s all worked out so well. It’s very affordable for me, too,’ he adds. ‘I pay around £240 a month for my mortgage and £260 for the rent and service charges.’ James and Samantha are now settled in a three-bedroom house with their one year old daughter. ‘Without shared ownership, I can’t see us having been able to buy our own home so soon,’ Samantha says. ‘It opened up great opportunities for us and I’d heartily recommend doing it if you want to get on the property ladder but don’t have a big enough income to afford a large deposit or huge mortgage repayments.’ In fact, James and Samantha DID recommend it – and brother Nick is more than happy they passed on their advice – and their home – to him!

Just a small selection of our existing shared ownership properties

Here’s just a sample of the kind of resales homes you might find… 35% share of a two-bedroom apartment in Stevenage, available from Affinity Sutton for £45,500

40 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

When the time comes to sell up, you’ll find that your housing association and Help to Buy Agent will have a list of people who are all in the position you were in when you bought your place – keen to buy, informed and looking for an affordable home in the area. And don’t think it’ll cost more to sell. While you have to give your housing association the opportunity to find you a buyer, there are no high fees. In most cases, they keep their selling fee lower than you’d pay if you’d gone to an estate agent. After all, they want to keep your home in shared ownership so more people can benefit in the future. All this means that when you come to sell, you’ll get the chance to pass the great opportunity to buy a home of their own onto the next people, while you use the help you received as a springboard to the next stage of your home ownership life.

‘I knew it was something I could afford…’

50% share of a three-bedroom house in Larkfield, available from Moat for £87,000

30% share of a one-bedroom apartment in Barnet, available from Genesis Homes for £67,500

0845 130 1422 www.stagnellfox.co.uk

Bannister House is a one bedroom apartment for sale at £90,000 for a 60% share.

Bradwell Court is a one bedroom apartment for sale at £101,250 for a 75% share.

Burford Wharf is a one bedroom apartment for sale at £133,250 for a 65% share.

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 41

OutdoorLiving

COME OUTSIDE...

Everyone likes a little bit of outside space, don’t they? Even if it’s a tiny balcony, a bit of a patio or a postage-stamp lawn, you can make the most of it with some clever ideas. We’ve got a few fab suggestions for you, and some great give-aways too!

d... a e D e th f o n w a L n y animals that rui s, and those pesk mp wi for , is g far hin So Fis per lesson! to be taught a pro to ng your garden need thi ne no n gnomes have do your average garde y just stand the – n rde ga ur , or yo improve your rep ers. rud int to fish, smiling at there, pretending for the t no t’s tha s one gnome Useless. But here’ faint hearted… one brave e to give away to We’ve got a gnom ’ box on ter out our ‘how to en reader, so check try en d mark your the next page an e’. om Gn ‘Zombie 4.95 Zombie gnome, £1 om x.c bo zy ez www.pr

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Funky and Free Solar power is a great way to light up your outdoor space – after all, it’s free! And it doesn’t have to be restricted to the little plain lamps you push into the ground either, this fantastic string of lights brings a real party mood to any outdoor space. Solar outdoor string lanterns, £20 www.johnlewis.com

Don’t work too hard Getting out on the land can be hard work – so it’s good to reward yourself! And to make sure you don’t forget, we recommend this fab little kneeler and gloves set! Have a Beer gardening set, £6.95 www.dotcomgiftshop.com

Teeny Tiny Gardening Who says you don’t have space for a garden? This fantastic book by Emma Hardy gives you tips for growing in the smallest space – from an eggshells and teacups to old shopping baskets, suitcases and even colanders! We particularly love the idea of planting a whole garden in a few bits of old guttering. The book has step-by step guides for achieving a range of gardens for the smallest spaces – including lists of plants, and care instructions. It’s a real inspiration for those who want a lot of colour for just a little cash. And we’ve got a copy of the book to give away to one lucky reader! Check out our ‘how to enter’ section on the next page and mark your entry ‘Teeny Tiny Gardening’.

We love this gorge ous bird feeder. Hang it up outside the window, fill it with feed and watch the local birdlife come a-calling! Gardman egg sh aped glazed ceramic bir d feeder, £13 www.garden-m all. co.uk

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Make mine a cold one! New home, friends round for a summer get-together…the last thing you want is to have to go back and forth to the fridge for cooling drinks. So why not fill this little beauty with ice and your favourite bottles, and let the good times roll! Dobbies cold drinks bucket, £10 www.dobbies.com

Take it easy…

outside – except maybe a glass Nothing beats a leisurely breakfast you watch the sun go down of something cold and sparkling while patio set really fits the bill. little after a busy day at work. And this www.wilko.com £80 ge, oran Sustain bistro patio set in

Teeny Tiny Gardening, £14.99 www.cicobooks.co.uk

The invisible ba rbecue.

Everyone loves a barbecue, but let’s face it, they’re not really that attractive to have hanging about on the patio or balcony, are they? Why not check out thi s fantastic compac t barbecue that’s cunningly concealed s a planter? You can even use the top to plant herbs to add to your food! Hot Pot barbecue,

42 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

A stylish eater y…

Planting made easy

£99 www.livingitu

Want to have a lush garden but not sure how to do it? Simple Sowing has a range of vegetable, herb, flower and wildflower seed tapes, discs and carpets. They’re quick and easy to use – you just place them onto the soil, cover with a sprinkling of compost or soil, water and keep moist – and then watch them grow! Ideal for everything from planters and window boxes to mini vegetable patches, they’re the answer if you’re a novice who still wants a great display. We’ve got two salad packs worth £20 each to give away to lucky readers, each containing seed discs for tomatoes, sweet peppers, chilli, lettuce and rocket. To be in with a chance, just check out our ‘how to enter’ info on this page and mark your entry ‘Simple Sowing’. p.co.uk

Seed disks, tapes and carpets, from £3.99 www.simplesowing.co.uk

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There are three ways

to enter our com petition...

Mail: Send us a pos tcard Romney Place, Maidst marked with the thing you want to win to: homefocus Magaz one, Kent ME15 6LH ine, Kent House, E-mail: Send an e-m ail with the thing you want to win in the sub ject box to: comps@ Online: Go to our web homefocusmagazine site and head to the .co.uk competitions page at www.homefocusm Don’t forget to inc agazine.co.uk lude your name, address and ph one number! Closing date – 10 July 2013

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 43

HelpToBuy

NEW AND IMPROVED WHY THE NEW EQUITY LOAN DEAL IS GOOD NEWS FOR BUYERS...

n equity loan is the perfect helping hand to get you on the housing ladder if you’re ‘almost there’ financially. It’s the top up between what you can afford now and the cost of the home you need. But until recently, the government equity loan scheme FirstBuy was only available to first time buyers, and on selected new properties. Since the Budget, however, FirstBuy is no more, which might seem like bad news if you’ve been saving like mad for your 5% deposit… But before you rush out to blow your deposit on a holiday instead, we have some good news for you. Because, although FirstBuy is ending, the equity loan deal it offered is not. In fact, it’s been extended to help even more people. So if you thought FirstBuy was your best hope to get on the ladder, do not fear. The new, improved deal is called a Help to Buy Equity Loan and the great news is that it’s now available on even more properties, and to even more people.

The lowdown… So, how does the Help to Buy equity loan deal work? Well, in essence, you have to be able to afford 80% of the cost of your property, with a deposit of 5% and a mortgage to cover 75%. Without the equity loan deal you might have had to find a 25% deposit, which could have meant saving for years – years when property prices might have gone up, so that buying a home was STILL out of reach. But with Help to Buy, that extra 20% is covered by an equity loan funded by the government, and the really good news is that there’s nothing to pay on it for the crucial first five years. Think of it as a sort of ‘virtual deposit’ – it means you’ve got a better chance of securing a favourable mortgage deal because you’re asking to borrow 75%, not 95% of the cost of your home. After the initial five years, you start to pay a small interest charge on the equity loan each month. If you sell your home within the first five years, you’ve had to pay nothing towards the equity loan at all, and you simply split the proceeds of the sale 80/20. So, the Help to Buy equity loan could be just what you need to get you on the ladder – just when you need it.

Even more properties… Where FirstBuy was only available on a selection of homes, Help to Buy is available on any newly-built property under

44 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

£600,000 in value, so long as the developer is participating in the scheme. Which means that if you’ve found a development you love, Help to Buy could be well be available on every home there, rather than just a small selection. More properties – more choice. Buying a home this way also means that you can look for a property that will suit you and your family for years to come, rather than one that’s good right now. If you have plans to start a family, you can look for somewhere that gives you an extra bedroom, or maybe a garden, but that might be 20% more expensive than the home you can afford right now. So you get to ‘future proof’ your life at no cost to you for five years! Good, isn’t it?

‘It’s the ideal next step for us…’ James and Nichola Barrington bought their two-bedroom shared ownership apartment just over three years ago when they first married. Since then, they’ve had a baby boy and would love a house with a garden and space to extend their family. Having heard about the Help to Buy equity loan scheme, they think it could help them find the home they need. ‘We originally bought 50% of our home, and when I got a better job we did think about staircasing up and buying more shares,’ explains James. ‘We’ve loved living here, and the city centre location was perfect before we had our son. Plus, even though house prices are a bit lower in the suburbs, we really didn’t think

a house with a garden was within our reach. And as we already own a home, other first time buyer schemes weren’t available to us.’ ‘When we heard about Help to Buy we were really excited because it’s open to people like us who aren’t first time buyers,’ says Nichola. ‘We’re going to look at buying a three-bedroom house – our finances might just be able to stretch to that with what we make from the sale of our apartment, and we can pass our shared ownership home onto new people too, so they can benefit from only having to buy 50% of a great place in the city! The Help to Buy equity loan seems like the ideal next step for us…’

‘We’re the first of our group of friends to move out…’ Daniel Pearce and Karissa Blakeman, who are both 22, fell in love with their new house as soon as they stepped inside. The couple had both been living with their parents, and bought their home through the FirstBuy equity loan scheme at Bloor Homes’ Living @ The Edge development in Dunstable. The FirstBuy scheme offered Daniel and Karissa the same equity loan deal as the new Help to Buy scheme, and that extra 20% made all the difference to their decision to buy at such a young age. ‘As soon as we heard FirstBuy was available at The Edge we went to view,’ says Daniel. ‘Once we stepped inside we knew it was for us and put down our deposit just two days later.

‘We were really surprised to find we could afford a three-bedroom house,’ he adds. ‘We’re the first of our group of friends to move out, so we’re really enjoying being able to invite people over and show off our new home.’ The couple don’t need to worry about the cost of living in their new home either. ‘We love the fact that it’s a new property and we haven’t had to worry about high energy costs,’ Daniel continues. ‘The insulation is great and it’s really efficient to run. Plus, there was no need to decorate and we were able to move in straight away.’

‘Here’s a few of the fantastic homes you can purchase through Help to Buy right now… Park Central One-bedroom apartments in Birmingham, available through Help to Buy from Crest Nicholson from £93,600 (full asking price £117,000)

Beechfields View

Even more people… Unlike shared ownership and FirstBuy, Help to Buy is NOT restricted to first time buyers, or people earning less than a specified amount. As well as getting people onto the first rung of the housing ladder, Help to Buy aims to help move them up it. If you’re stuck in a home that’s too small for your needs, or want to move to a more expensive area, Help to Buy could be just what you’re looking for. And if you’ve already bought a home through shared ownership, you could even use Help to Buy as a stepping stone to full ownership. So if you just need that little bit extra to buy your perfect pad, or you’re already a home owner but want to spread your wings and move on, ask about the Help to Buy equity loan deal. You can find details of homes available through the scheme from your Local Help to Buy Agent. Or why not ask at a local development you fancy the look of? After all, you’ve got nothing to lose – and an awful lot to gain.

Two-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom houses in Torquay, available through Help to Buy from Sovereign Living from £102,396 and £147,996 respectively (full asking prices from £127,995 and £184,995)

The Glades Two and three-bedroom houses in Nottingham available through Help to Buy from Lovell from £93,560 (full asking price from £116,950)

Leaside Rise One, two and three-bedroom homes in Ware, Hertfordshire, available through Help to Buy from Taylor Wimpey from £139,960 and £255,960 respectively (full asking prices from £174,950 and £319,950)

Locking Parklands Two, three and four-bedroom homes in Weston-super-Mare, available through Help to Buy from St Modwen Homes from £134,360, £175,600 and £199,160 respectively (full asking prices from £167,950, £219,500 and £248,950)

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 45

ASK THE EXPERTS

ExpertAdvice

HOUSING ASSOCIATION

Got a burning question you need to ask? Don’t know anyone in the know?

Well homefocus is here to help you! Each issue, we’re putting your questions to our panel of experts. So if you’ve got a question you’d like our experts to answer – whether it’s a legal conundrum, a financial issue, a question about low cost home ownership (LCHO) or something else, then send your question to us at info@homefocusmagazine.co.uk

46 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

HELP TO BUY AGENT

LEGAL

Steve Michaux

Margaret Snook

Kerry Hicks

Director of Leasehold Services A2 Dominion

Head of Help to Buy Agency Orbit

Senior Solicitor/Manager – Affordable Home Ownership Prince Evans Solicitors LLP

‘What’s included in the service charge and is it the same as I’d pay if I’d bought my apartment privately?’

‘Why do I have to buy the maximum share I can afford, and not the minimum share that’s advertised?’

‘I’ve been told that all shared ownership homes are leasehold. What does this mean?’

Asks Nathan Cannon of Willesden

Asks Jenny Bailey of Wolverhampton

Asks Magnus Fredricksson of Bristol

here are three questions that I often get from prospective shared owners; why should I pay the full service charge when I have only bought a percentage of the property, what’s included in the service charge, and how can I be sure I’m getting value for money? When you’re looking to buy your first home you want to know all the implications, so it’s important to understand the deal on offer with shared ownership. Although you are purchasing a percentage of your home, you take on the full responsibilities of the lease, including payment of all the service charges. Service charges for apartments include a fee for management and responsibility for the building. This includes many activities and costs that would fall to any householder. For example, the building is insured (and your housing association will be able to secure preferential rates on this), repairs are undertaken and a sinking fund is collected to cover major works so that the costs of these are spread over many years. Other services, such as the supply and maintenance of lifts and door entry systems also fall within the service charge, and these works will normally be tendered out to make sure that the best possible price is achieved. In addition, the building has to be cleaned and any gardens or public areas maintained. The costs in any building will reflect the range of services provided. So if you buy in a large development with a wide range of facilities such as a concierge or a gym your service charge will be correspondingly higher. As a shared owner, your service charge will cover the same elements as it would if you had bought your home outright. The advantages of being charged this way are that the service charge is clear, and you are able to take advantage of any good deals or special rates your housing association has negotiated.

hared ownership gives you the chance to get your foot on the property ladder by buying a home in stages on a part buy/part rent basis. You buy a share, normally between 25% and 75%, in you new home and then pay a subsidised rent for the remaining share, usually to a housing association. As England’s largest Help to Buy Agent, we are often asked why buyers have to buy the maximum share they can afford, rather than the minimum share that’s been advertised. This is because government funding for shared ownership is limited. Asking buyers to purchase the maximum share they can afford to ensures that the funding can be spread around to build more homes and help as many people as possible. When you are buying a new shared ownership property, the share you buy is calculated by the housing association according to strict guidelines. To work this out, the housing association will take into account your salary, savings, benefits and any other income you have. They will also look at your outgoings, such as credit card payments, loans, car payments etc. That way you won’t be asked to buy more than you can afford. Of course, the bigger the share you buy, the less rent you have to pay. However, you will need to be able to raise a mortgage for the share you want to purchase, unless you have sufficient savings of your own to purchase a share outright – for example from an inheritance or if a property you previously co-owned has been sold because of a relationship split. It’s also worth noting that shared ownership resales may work slightly differently. For resale homes, you usually purchase the same percentage share as the previous owner and then pay a subsidised rent on the remainder, though you can also buy a larger share if you can afford to do so.

ny shared ownership property will initially be leasehold, regardless of whether it is a house or a flat. The lease regulates the relationship between you and your landlord. Shared ownership leases are like any other lease with the addition of certain fundamental clauses. Your lease will include what is called a mortgage protection clause intended to encourage lenders to advance monies on the lease. In order to benefit from the protection, your solicitor will arrange for the mortgage to be approved by your landlord before you enter into the lease. In most cases, you can buy additional shares in the property until you own it outright. This is known as staircasing and your lease will set out how you can go about this. The lease will also provide for you to pay rent to your landlord on the unsold share, which will reduce as you staircase. A shared ownership lease will normally prohibit you from renting the property out until you have staircased to 100% ownership (final staircasing). Depending on the type of property, and particularly if it’s a house rather than an apartment, it’s possible that you will own the freehold of your home if you staircase up to 100%. If you intend to sell the property prior to final staircasing, you must notify your landlord and effectively give your landlord the opportunity to sell it to another shared ownership buyer before you can sell it on the open market. How long this ‘nomination period’ is will be stated in your lease. You may also find some restrictions on selling the property for a period after final staircasing – for example, you may still have a nomination period to allow your landlord the chance to bring the property back into shared ownership.

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 47

MoneyMaestro

HELP TO BUY MORTGAGES GET A BOOST FROM 2014... The changes announced for housing in the March 2013 Budget have received a mixed reception. However, if you’ve been priced out of the market by high property prices and the lack of a large deposit, you might just find the new initiatives offer real help. The first point to make is that the Chancellor’s proposals have no direct impact on the existing shared ownership scheme. Shared ownership, particularly in London and the South East, is likely to remain the best option for first time buyers on average salaries trying to get on the property ladder. But the new proposals do add another layer of assistance, and that has to be good news. So what’s new? The Budget saw the launch of Help to Buy, which is the umbrella term for two new products – equity loans and a mortgage guarantee scheme. • The Help to Buy equity loan scheme came into effect from 1st April and is ONLY available on new build developments. There’s more detail on the scheme on pages 44-45. • Then there’s the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme, which will come into effect on 1st January 2014. The crucial

point about this is that will apply to both NEW and EXISTING properties. The mortgage guarantee plan will allow buyers to obtain a mortgage of up to 95% of the value of their home, backed by a government guarantee. The good news is that this is NOT something you will need to apply for specifically – it’s the mortgage lenders who will ‘buy into’ the plan from the government, and then offer suitable mortgages which you can apply for as you would any other. Hopefully this will mean that low deposit mortgages will be available to more people - prefect to get you on the ladder or moving up to the next rung. Between now and the beginning of next year, you can apply for a NewBuy mortgage which is similar, but ONLY available on newly built properties. To provide a simple comparison, the following table has been compiled, taking into account the terms of the new deal as known at the time of going to print. The comparison is for general information only – for more detailed and personalised information it’s best to speak to an independent mortgage advisor who specialises in low cost home ownership (LCHO) schemes. Your Help

Example based on a property with a full value of £240,000 Help to Buy – Equity Loan

Shared ownership – 25% Purchase price of share Minimum deposit (5%) Mortgage amount Approximate income needed Single Joint

£60,000 £3,000 £57,000 £23,500 £24,000

Help to Buy – Mortgage guarantee

Shared ownership – 40% Purchase price of share Minimum deposit (5%) Mortgage amount Approximate income needed Single Joint

Purchase price £240,000 Minimum deposit (5%) £12,000 Mortgage (75%) £180,000 Equity loan £48,000 Approximate income needed Single £52,000 Joint £58,000

£96,000 £4,800 £91,200 £31,500 £35,000

Purchase price £240,000 Minimum deposit (5%) £12,000 Mortgage (95%) £228,000 Approximate income needed Single £65,000 Joint £72,500

Not buying a home worth £240,000? There are more comparisons like this for properties around the country on page 11.

48 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

to Buy Agent or housing association will be able to guide you in the right direction. Contributor: Richard Stone Head of Affordable Housing Mortgage Advice Bureau

Master your money... Get to grips with your finances right from the start. Not only will it make saving for a deposit and moving costs easier, it’ll also make life much more relaxing once you move. So here’s a few tips to getting a financial grip: • Know yourself. Think about whether you’re a spender or a saver, and ask your friends and family what they think too • Make sure you’re not spending on anything you don’t need to. If you’re already responsible for utility bills, head off to a comparison website and switch to the cheapest. Same for broadband, phones, car insurance and the like. • Make a plan of what you have coming in and going out each month. Keep a spending diary to see where you can save. Our Budget Planner on the next page can help you. • Think about what you do with your savings. Don’t pay tax if you don’t have to – make sure you take up your full ISA allowance. • Clear your debts. It might be tempting to put spare money into savings rather than pay off credit cards, store cards or loans, but it’s a false economy. No savings account will give you the same interest as you’re paying out on cards or loans. Switch to cards with zero percent on balance transfers and pay them off as soon as you can. Then start to save. • Keep it up. Once you’ve bought your home, you’ve got the tools to keep on top of your money. If you get into the savings habit before you buy your home it’s a good habit to keep to – it could mean the difference between having a holiday or not next year! Don’t forget to take any budget changes into consideration – such as your mortgage, council tax, different travel costs etc – and plan your new budget accordingly.

BUDGETPLANNER

If you’re trying to get to grips with your finances, it’s always best to do a budget – but very easy to miss off important expenses or even sources of income. Remember to include everything in your monthly budget, even if you only have a bill once a year! So we’ve come up with a handy sheet to help you. Our advice? Photocopy it a few times and then you’ll have something to fill in as your budget changes. Or you could e-mail us at info@homefocusmagazine.co.uk and we’ll send you an electronic version for you to print off as many times as you like!

1 – Income

4 – Everyday expenditure

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

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 INCOME (BOX 1)

£ TOTAL EVERYDAY COSTS (BOX 4)

2 – Housing and utilities

5 – Other expenditure

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)

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)

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)

6 – Your budget Total income

BOX 1

Housing costs Important expenditure Everyday expenditure Other expenditure

BOX 2 BOX 3 BOX 4 BOX 5

Total Outgoings (add boxes 2,3,4,5 & 6) BOX 6

MONEY LEFT OVER (BOX 1 – BOX 6)

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 49

FoodFocus

SPRING INTO SUMMER!

Paul Hollywood’s

Makes 1 Loaf

Stout Bread

The warmer days are here. Well, almost here. It’s occasionally warm enough to have a barbecue, but not predictable enough to plan one. But let’s face it, whether it’s hot or cold outside, nothing beats the smell of baking bread to make your home feel welcoming, so why not try this recipe from Great British Bake Off’s Paul Hollywood...

Ingredients Sunflour oil for oiling 550g plain wholemeal flour, plus extra for dusting 200g plain white flour, plus extra for dusting 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt 330ml stout 220ml buttermilk

Time for ice cream! Perfect for a retro or shabby chic kitchen theme, this clock would look good on any kitchen wall. An ideal housewarming present, if you’re dropping hints… Newgate Ice Cream Cone wall clock, £34.99 www.mollieandfred.co.uk

A taste of childhood… to bring back the happy days These fantastic plates are perfect ’re so affordable you could of school summer holidays! And they the walls of a plain neutral up ten get the whole set to really brigh £5 each at kitchen. Wall’s Ice lolly wall plates, m s.co lewi www.john

Method 1. Oil a 1kg loaf tin.

Weigh it up...

Scales are an essential for anyone who enjoys cooking, and these ones are fab to look at as well as being hugely practical. A great combination…Typhoon Apple Hear t Electronic Scales, £26.20 www.redcandy.co.uk

Best of British... You don’t usually identify vodka as a Britishmade drink, but in fact at Chase Distillery in Hertfordshire they grow, mash, ferment, strip, distil and hand-bottle some of the best vodka in the world! And that’s not just hype – it was voted Best Vodka in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2010. Not bad for a drink that’s actually made from the humble spud, eh? On top of that, there’s some fabulous special editions too, including rhubarb, smoked and marmalade vodkas – we think the rhubarb makes a perfect summer cocktail. There’s British gin, liqueurs and a gorgeous summer fruit cup too. To find out more, check out the Chase Distillery website – you could even book in for a distillery tour and get a voucher off your first purchase!

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Crunchd... Fancy finding out about growing your own fruit, veg and herbs, or contacting people in your area who might want to sell what they’ve produced? Check out Crunchd. Combining a website and a free App for both iOS and Android smartphone users, Crunchd is the first of its kind to enable anyone with a Facebook account to find out what’s in season, what other people are growing and cooking, and whether people in their area want to trade their produce when it comes to harvest time. Think of it as a virtual farmers’ market…Find out more at www.crunchd.com

50 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

We’ve got a bottle of the classic, award-winning Chase Vodka to give away to one lucky, lucky reader! To be in with a chance, check out our ‘How to enter’ info on these pages and mark your entry ‘Chase Vodka’. Good luck! Chase Vodka, £22.50 www.chasedistillery.co.uk

Wipe away Guaranteed to make you smile when you walk into the kitchen, we think this tea towel is almost too good to use – it would certainly look good hanging on the wall too! Daytime TV tea towel, £9.99 www.hunkydoryhome.co.uk

2. Put both flours into a large bowl. Add the bicarbonate of soda, sugar and salt and mix together. Pour in the stout and buttermilk and mix well with one hand or a wooden spoon to form a sticky dough.

‘This tasty brown soda bread is baked in a tin to encourage the bread to rise up. Using some white flour with the wholemeal lightens the texture of the bread, while the stout gives colour and a full flavour. The buttermilk reacts with the soda to make the bread rise and adds a refreshing note. Starting the loaf off in a very hot oven helps the liquid in the dough turn to steam and pushes up the rise. An excellent loaf for sandwiches,’ says Paul

3. Tip the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and roll and fold the mixture gently but thoroughly (rather than knead it) to bring the dough together and form it into a cohesive sausage, roughly the length of the loaf tin. 4. Put the dough into the loaf tin. Set the loaf aside for 30 minutes, to allow the bicarbonate of soda to start to work. 5. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 230°C. (If you are in a rush, you can bake the loaf as soon as the oven is hot.) 6. Bake the loaf in the centre of the oven for 10 minutes, then lower the oven setting to 180°C. Bake for another 25 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the base. 7. Leave the loaf to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing.

Fancy filling your home with even more delicious smells? Check out Paul’s fantastic new book, called simply Paul Hollywood’s Bread It’s available in all good book stores and online for £20, and is published by Bloomsbury.

Keep ‘em peeled…

A taste of summer

Bottlegreen reckon acacia is going to be THE drink of summer 2013 and their fantastic new acacia blossom sparkling pressé is a light, delicate and classy drink, perfect for a sophisticated adult palate and ideal on its own for the non-drinkers at your summer get-togethers. It makes great cocktails too, so check out the bottlegreen website for a few ideas. Bottlegreen acacia blossom sparkling pressé on sale exclusively from Waitrose, £1.29 www.bottlegreen.co.uk

The biggest kitchen pet peeve has to be peeling mountains of potatoes, but there’s certainly nothing ‘great’ about grating carrots either – so when we heard about Karoto we just loved it! It’s a pencil sharpener-shaped peeler that takes the fuss out of preparing food but adds to the fun, letting you sort out your carrots, courgettes, cucumbers and parsnips in a snap! Not only can you ‘sharpen’ your veg, you can also make curly ribbons to decorate your dishes – perfect for salads now summer’s coming! Karoto, £9.95 www.prezzybox.com

There are three ways to enter

our competition...

Magazine, Kent House, the thing you want to win to: homefocus Mail: Send us a postcard marked with 6LH ME15 Kent tone, Romney Place, Maids comps@homefocusmagazine.co.uk you want to win in the subject box to: E-mail: Send an e-mail with the thing cusmagazine.co.uk to the competitions page at www.homefo Online: Go to our website and head phone number! and ss addre , name your de Don’t forget to inclu Closing date – 10 July 2013

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 51

WIN A PIECE OF

ORIGINAL

ART YOUR PRIZE SPIRAL LIGHTBOX BY KANIEZ BRAGANZA

52 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

To mark the launch of VIVO, their fabulous new development in Stepney Green, First Base and East Thames Group have commissioned three London lifestyle and design bloggers to put together a design collection. And you’ve got a chance to win one of the pieces for yourself! Ever wanted to own a fantastic, inspiring piece of original art, but always thought that was for the rich and famous? Think again! The VIVO Stepney Green design collection is showcasing East London’s buzzing design and art scene and we’ve got one of the pieces to give away to a lucky reader. Bloggers Dezeen, Londoneer and London Plinth know a thing or two about design, and have selected pieces that are fun, quirky and inspirational – but that would work just as happily in an art-conscious home as in a gallery. Pieces include a local teddybear, a gorgeous photo of the area and a vibrant chair given new life after being rescued from a load of furniture dumped near the designer’s studio. And we’ve got this fantastic Spiral Lightbox valued at £450 to give away. East London designer Kaniez Braganza studied Constructed Textile Design at the Royal College of Art, and this delicate piece utilises a wide range of techniques, including hand sewing, machine embroidery and bonding. Hang it on your wall and it’ll be a great talking point for visitors – much more so than a mass-produced print! We think it would be a fabulous addition to any home. You can check out the collection online at www.vivolondon.com/design-collection or pop in to see them at the VIVO marketing suite, 5 Trafalgar Gardens, London E1 3FW., where you can also have a look around the affordable homes – maybe you could even find yourself the perfect pad to in which to display your winning artwork! There’s more about the affordable home ownership options at VIVO on page 28.

homefocusCompetition

To be in with a chance of winning, answer the following question: Dezeen, Londoneer and London Plinth, who have put together the VIVO Stepney Green Design Collection, are:

StepneyBear by Jennie Sharman-Cox

A TASTER OF THE VIVO COLLECTION…

A: Art historians B: Art teachers C: Art and design bloggers

Side table by Hugo Passos

The winner will be picked at random from correct replies.. There are three ways to enter: E-mail – comps@homefocusmagazine.co.uk (put VIVO Art’ in the subject box and don’t forget to give your name and address, plus your answer to the question) Online – Go to our website at www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk and head to the competitions page

Standing lamp by East London Furniture

Post – Send us a postcard marked ‘Vivo Art’ with your name, address and answer to the question to: homefocus magazine, Kent House, Romney Place, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6LH (It helps to also include a phone number or email address so we can tell you you’ve won quickly!) TERMS AND CONDITIONS • Closing Date: 10 July 2013 • No purchase necessary • The Editor’s decision is final • There is no alternative cash prize • We accept no responsibility for entries lost, damaged or received incomplete

Reclaimed chair by Studiomama

London by Night photo by Kerry Simmons

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 53

ShowDiary

WhereNext

homefinder

FORTHCOMING

EVENTS

Yours steps to making all the right moves… WHERE NOW?

Now you’ve read all about low cost home ownership (LCHO), and you want to know where to head next – we can help with that as well. Step 1 – Get registered If you want to buy and think you’re eligible (more about that on pages 6-9), you should register with your Local Help to Buy Agent. They’ll process your application so you don’t need to apply to every housing association. They also have a list of all the LCHO properties available in their area. In London, things are slightly different, but there’s still an LCHO online portal to get you started.

(to help you on your way to getting the keys…) We’ve colour-coded our developments sections on pages 12-31 and our homefinder property listings and events on pages 55-59, to make finding a property in your area even easier! The key is as follows:

Step 3 – Home hunting This is 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 and our listings on pages 56-59. If you find one you love, go and have a look at it!

HELP TO BUY AGENTS

Step 4 – Details, details Getting down to the nitty-gritty! At this point, whether you live in London or elsewhere, you’ll formally apply for your home through the housing association or developer, and a more detailed affordability check will work out what share you can afford.

SOUTH EAST

Step 5 – Check the small print If you decide to go ahead, you’ll need to get in touch with a specialist solicitor to help smooth the buying process. You can find a specialist on pages 66-67.

EAST

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!

But don’t worry, wherever you are in the country, the information in homefocus is all relevant!

Saturday 11 May 11am – 4pm Taylor Wimpey Help to Buy New Homes Show Mercure Letchworth Hall Hotel, Letchworth Lane, Letchworth Garden City, Herts SG6 3NP Saturday 18 May 11am – 4pm Taylor Wimpey Help to Buy New Homes Show Best Western The Watermill, London Road, Bourne End, Hemel Hempstead HP1 2RJ

South East

Thursday 20 June Hampshire & Isle of Wight County Homes in Hants Show The Ageas Bowl (Hampshire County Cricket Ground) Botley Road, West End, Southampton SO30 3XH

LONDON FIRST STEPS to homeownership in London

Kent, Sussex & Essex – Moat Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire – Catalyst Hampshire – Homes in Hants

Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk – Orbit Hertfordshire – Lea Valley Homes

London

Saturday 15 June 11am - 4pm Homematch London Affordable Homes Show Hotel Russell, Russell Square, London WC1B 5BE

SOUTH WEST Devon, Cornwall, Avon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire – South West Homes

MIDLANDS Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire – EM HomeBuy West Midlands, Warwickshire, Hereford & Worcester, Shropshire, Staffordshire – Orbit

NORTH

Tees Valley and Country Durham – Time2Buy Tyne & Wear and Northumberland – Isos Group Cheshire and Merseyside – HomesHub Greater Manchester, Lancashire and South Yorkshire – Plumlife Cumbria – Cumbria HomeBuy North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Humberside – my4walls

WANT MORE INFORMATION? Call homefocus on 01622 772407, e-mail info@homefocusmagazine.co.uk

Facebook us at www.facebook.com/homefocus, or go online to www.homefocusmagazine.co.uk

54 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

East

London South East East South West Midlands

Step 2 – Money matters Time to work out how much you can afford! Outside London, your Help to Buy Agent will undertake a basic financial check to make sure you’re eligible and work out what’s affordable for you. In London, your housing association will do this once you’ve found a home you like. Now’s the time to find out what mortgage you can get, too, so you don’t fall in love with a home that’s unaffordable. We recommend you go to a specialist financial advisor who understands LCHO inside out and will know the best mortgage product for you.

Step 6 – Get moving This is the exciting part! Once you’ve bought your new home you can move in, safe in the knowledge that it won’t cost you every penny you earn to live there! The great thing about affordable home ownership is just that – it’s affordable. It’ll allow you to have a life as well as somewhere to live it from. Good luck!

FIND OUT ABOUT THE LOW COST HOME OWNERSHIP EVENTS NEAR YOU!

HERE’S THE KEY

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 01622 772407 or e-mail us at info@homefocusmagazine.co.uk and we’ll do our best to help! Until the next issue of homefocus… happy homehunting!

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 55

PropertySearch

AFFORDABLE PROPERTIES

NEAR YOU!

HERE’S JUST A FEW OF THE HOMES IN YOUR AREA Location

Name of Development

No of Units

Type of Properties

Available From

Provider

EAST Help to Buy Agent: LEA VALLEY HOMES www.leavalleyhomes.co.uk Bishops Stortford Tanners Wharf Borehamwood Balmoral House, Manor Way Borehamwood Knebworth Path Great Ashby Knott Close North Herts Lavendar Place Oaklands Borehamwood Stevenage Monument Court Stevenage Wornham Avenue Ware Widbury Hill Watford St Albans House Help to Buy Agent:ORBIT HOMEBUY www.orbithomebuyagents.co.uk Bedford St Bede’s Independent Living Bedford Aspire Cambourne, Cambridge Spitfire Road Diss Frenze Hall Mews Great Blakenham Blakenham Fields Hadleigh Hadleigh Park Lowestoft St Margaret’s Quarter Norwich Rosary Point Shefford Stanford Road Watton Blenheim Grange Wymondham Oakfield Green Wymondham Oakfield Green

3 2 bed flats Now Paradigm 1 1 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton 1 Studio Now Affinity Sutton 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton 10 1 & 2 bed flats 2014 Origin Housing 3 3 bed houses Now Paradigm 1 1 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton 3 2 bed flats Now Paradigm 4 2 & 3 bed flats July Origin Housing 53 1 & 2 bed flats July & Oct Orbit Homes 4 3 bed houses Now Orbit Homes 19 2 and 3 bed houses July Metropolitan 8 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit Homes 25 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit Homes 14 2 & 3 bed houses Now & Oct Orbit Homes 3 2 bed houses Now Orbit Homes 8 2 bed flats Now Orbit Homes 15 1 bed flats,2 & 3 bed houses & bungs 2013-2015 Aragon 1 3 bed house Now Orbit Homes 12 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit Homes 12 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit Homes

LONDON Help to Buy Agent:FIRSTSTEPS www.sharetobuy.com/london Bermondsey St Crispins House Bermondsey Yates Court, Bermondsey Spa Bermondsey Parker Building, Bermondsey Spa Bethnal Green Bookbinders Court Bromley Amethyst Court, Farnborough Bromley William Petty Way Bromley Cuckmere Way Bromley Oakmore Gardens Bromley Cray View Close Bromley Warwick House Brook Green Sulgrave Gardens Camden Twyman House Canada Water Maple Quays Canning Town East City Point Chadwell Heath The Collection Chistlehurst Ravensbourne Place Clapham Cavendish Building Cricklewood Parkside St Michaels Croydon Seven Croydon Propeller Croydon Epsom Road Croydon Reddown Road Croydon Affinity Sutton at Saffron Square East Walworth Burgess Terrace Eltham Eltham springs Enfield New River House Gidea Park Dreywood Gardens Greenwich Greenwich Reach Greenwich Gardeners Close Haggerston The City Mills Harrow 74 High St, Wealdstone

56 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

4 6 92 10 2 1 3 1 1 1 13 7 13 16 10 37 36 1 5 30 1 17 36 3 45 8 20 50 1 11 12

1 & 2 bed flats Spring/Summer 1 & 3 bed flats Now 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now 1 & 2 bed flats Now 2 bed flat Now 1 bed flat, 3 bed houses Now 2 bed wheelchair flat 2014 2 bed flat Now 1 bed flat Now 1, 2 & 3 bed flats & 3 bed house Now 1 & 3 bed flats 2014 1 & 2 bed flats Now 1, 2, 3 bed flats & houses Summer 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 bed maisonettes Now 1 & 2 bed flats Now 1 & 2 bed flats Now 1 bed flats Now 1 & 2 bed flats Now 1 & 2 bed flats Now 1 bed flat Now 1 & 2 bed flats Now 1 & 2 bed flats Spring 2014 1 & 2 bed flats Summer/Autumn 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 bed houses Now 2 bed flats August 1 & 2 bed flats Now 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now 2 bed flat Now 3 bed flats, 4 bed houses Now 1 & 2 bed flats December

L&Q Hyde New Homes Hyde New Homes Gateway Housing Affinity Sutton Affinity Sutton Affinity Sutton Affinity Sutton Affinity Sutton Affinity Sutton Octavia Living Origin Housing Affinity Sutton Affinity Sutton East Thames L&Q Metropolitan Octavia Living Viridian Hyde New Homes Affinity Sutton Affinity Sutton Affinity Sutton L&Q L&Q Origin Housing East Thames Hyde New Homes Affinity Sutton L&Q Origin Housing

Location

Name of Development

Help to Buy Agent:FIRSTSTEPS www.sharetobuy.com/london Harrow High St, Edgware Hither Green Randall Apartments Islington QN7 - Phase 1 Kilburn Bourne Place Kilburn Waites Court Kingston Affinity Sutton at Kingston Heights Kingston Carisbrooke House Lewisham Stafford House Lewisham The Aurora Apartments Lewisham Axis 4 (Lewisham High Street) Leyton Church Road Leyton Claude Terrace Mitcham The Printworks New Cross The Grove Paddington Basin Merchants Square Roehampton Clarence Apartments South Acton Acton Gardens Stepney So Stepney Surrey Quays Bermondsey South Sutton The Lavenders Sydenham Cowdrey Mews Tooting Bec Langroyd Road Tooting Broadway Viridian@Fusion Tottenham Rosebay Drive Tottenham Isobel Place Victoria London Howick Place Walthamstow Central West Central Apartments Wandsworth Wandsworth Village Wembley Elizabeth House

No of Units 15 1 3 7 3 18 1 1 32 1 18 1 2 52 15 18 17 3 30 27 3 7 3 1 68 3 2 7 21

Type of Properties 1 & 2 bed flats 1 bed flat 2 bed flats 1 bed flats 1 bed flats 1, 2 & 3 bed flats 1 bed flat 1 bed flat 1 & 2 bed flats 1 bed flats 1 & 2 bed flats 4 bed house 3 bed flats 1 & 2 bed flats 1 bed flats 1 & 2 bed flats 1, 2 & 3 bed flats 2 bed flats, 3 bed maisonettes 1 & 2 bed flats 1 & 2 bed flats 1 bed flats 1 & 2 bed flats 1 bed flats 1 bed flat 1 & 2 bed flats 1 bed flats 1, 2 & 3 bed flats 1 bed flats 1 & 2 bed flats

Available From 2014 Now Coming soon Now Now October Now Now Winter Now Coming soon Coming soon Now Now Spring 2014 Now Now Now Now Winter Now Now Now Now Coming soon Now Now Now Now

Provider

Origin Housing L&Q Newlon L&Q Octavia Living Affinity Sutton Affinity Sutton Affinity Sutton Affinity Sutton Southern Housing L&Q L&Q Viridian Hyde New Homes Octavia Living Viridian L&Q East Thames L&Q Affinity Sutton L&Q Viridian Viridian Viridian Newlon Octavia Living Stagnell Fox Octavia Living Octavia Living

MIDLANDS Help to Buy Agent:EM HOMEBUY www.emhomebuy.co.uk Abthorpe Brackley Road 2 2 & 3 bed house August Arnold, Nottingham Howbeck Road 4 3 bed houses Summer Balderton, Newark Fernwood 18 2 & 3 bed houses Now Barrow Upon Soar Nursery Grove 1 2 bed house Now Billingborough Cardinal Close 2 2 bed houses Now Burton Latimer Latimer Gardens 6 2 bed houses Now Chilwell, Nottingham Fairways 3 2 & 3 bed houses Now Coalville The Leys 9 2 & 3 bed houses Now Colsterworth Newton Grange 2 3 bed houses Now Holdingham, Sleaford Holdingham Mead 3 3 bed houses Now Kegworth, Citrus Grove 7 2 bed houses & flats Now Kettering Blackberry Fields 5 2 & 3 bed houses Now Kirkby in Ashfield Kirkby in Ashfield 3 2 & 3 bed houses Now Leicester Gotham Rd 4 2 & 3 bed houses Now Leicester Leicester Square 20 2 bed flats Now Leicestershire Ellistown 1 2 bed house Now Leicestershire Watermead 5 2 bed flats Now Lincoln Cherry Bank 1 2 bed flats Now Litchborough Manor Farm 1 2 bed house July Little Stanion, Corby Kesteven Way 6 2 & 3 bed houses Now Northampton Jubilee Mews 5 2 & 3 bed houses Now Northampton Chapel Lane, Blisworth 2 2 & 3 bed houses 2014 Northampton Upton Square 150 1 & 2 bed flats, 2, 3 & 4 bed houses Now Northamptonshire Paling Close 5 1 & 2 bed flats Now Northamptonshire Briar Hill 10 2 & 3 bed houses Now Nottingham Southreef 4 1 & 2 bed flats Now Quorn Meynell Road 10 2 & 3 bed houses Now South Northants Chaplins Yard, Roade 10 2, 3 & 4 bed houses July Stoke Golding St Martins Convent 8 2 & 3 bed houses Now Sutton in Ashfield The Oval 1 3 bed house Now Wellingborough Ladywell Park 2 3 bed houses Now Help to Buy Agent:ORBIT HOMEBUY www.orbithomebuyagents.co.uk Birmingham Affinity Sutton at The Crescent 17 2 bed flats Now Worcester Diglis Water 1 2 bed flats Now Stratford-upon-Avon Brooklands @ Poppy Meadow 10 2, 3 & 4 bed houses, 2 bed flats Now & Winter

Aragon Nottingham Community Nottingham Community Hello Homes Nottingham Community Hello Homes Nottingham Community Hello Homes Nottingham Community Nottingham Community Hello Homes Orbit Homes Hello Homes Metropolitan Metropolitan Hello Homes Metropolitan Metropolitan Aragon Metropolitan Orbit Homes Orbit Homes Metropolitan Hello Homes Hello Homes Metropolitan Raglan Housing Orbit Homes Raglan Housing Hello Homes Hello Homes Affinity Sutton Orbit Homes Orbit Homes

SOUTH EAST

Help to Buy Agent:CATALYST www.catalysthomebuy.co.uk Beaconsfield Butlers Court 7 1 & 2 bed flats Now Berryfields Aylesbury 3 1 & 3 bed houses Now Bracknell Canterville Place, Mount Lane 1 2 bed flat Now Buckingham Buckingham 6 2 & 3 bed houses Now Caterham Cromwell Road 1 2 bed house Now Cranleigh Roberts Way 4 2 bed flat, 2 & 3 bed houses Now Epsom Fusion 21 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now Epsom Noble Park 16 1 & 2 bed flats November Epsom Noble Park 73 1 & 2 bed flats, 2 & 3 bed houses Now Guildford Rivett Drake Close 1 2 bed house Now

Paradigm Paradigm Affinity Sutton Paradigm Affinity Sutton Affinity Sutton Orbit Homes Orbit Homes Rosebery Housing Assn Affinity Sutton

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 57

PropertySearch Location

homefinder East Name of Development

No of Units

Type of Properties

Available From

Provider

A home of your own with Shared Ownership

SOUTH EAST CONTINUED Help to Buy Agent:CATALYST www.catalysthomebuy.co.uk Haslemere Fernhurst 1 2 bed house Now Affinity Sutton Horsham Gatehouse 16 1 & 2 bed flats Summer Southern Housing Milton Keynes Oakgrove 11 1 & 2 bed flats Coming soon Hyde New Homes Milton Keynes Yorkshire Close 2 1 & 2 bed flats Now Affinity Sutton Milton Keynes Felsted, Caldecotte 1 1 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton Newton Leys Newton Leys 5 2 bed flats Now Paradigm Reading Southern at Portman Square 25 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now Southern Housing Help to Buy Agent:HOMES IN HANTS www.homesinhants.co.uk Alton Kingdons Mews, Vicarage Hill 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton Andover Picket 20 7 2 & 3 bed houses Now Spectrum Housing Basingstoke Engelfield Way 1 1 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton Emsworth Hampshire Farm 10 2 & 3 bed houses Now First Wessex Fareham Admiral Cunningham 2 2 bed flat Now First Wessex Fareham Admiral Cunningham 1 1 bed house Now First Wessex Gosport Alver Village 2 2 bed flat Now First Wessex Gosport Alver Village 2 1 bed flat Now First Wessex Gosport Alver Village 1 1 bed flat Now First Wessex Gosport Priddys Hard 6 1 & 2 bed flats Now Affinity Sutton Liphook Larch Close 1 2 bed house Now Affinity Sutton Lyndhurst Knightwood Lodge 2 1 bed flats & 2 bed houses Now Raglan Housing Newport, Isle of Wight Pan Meadows 13 1 & 2 bed flats & houses Now Spectrum Housing Porchester Jubilee Avenue 7 2 & 3 bed houses July First Wessex Portsmouth Priory View 4 1 & 2 bed flats Now Affinity Sutton Portsmouth Graduate Court 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton Purbrook Purbrook Place 9 2 bed flats Now First Wessex Southampton Compass Point 6 2 bed flats Now Spectrum Housing Southampton Bond Central 36 1 & 2 bed flats Now Hyde New Homes West End, Eastleigh Romhill Close 7 2 & 3 bed houses August First Wessex Help to Buy Agent:MOAT www.homebuyoptions.co.uk Ashford Repton Park 3 1 bed flats Now Hyde New Homes Ashford Poppymead 1 2 bed house Now Affinity Sutton Ashford Wellesley View, Park Street 1 1 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton Ashford Affinity Sutton at Repton Park 3 2 & 3 bed houses Now Affinity Sutton Ashford Broadview 1 3 bed house Now Affinity Sutton Ashford Bramble Walk 1 2 bed house Now Affinity Sutton Ashford Tower Point, Godington Road 3 1 & 2 bed flats Now Affinity Sutton Ashford Broadview Close 2 1 & 2 bed flats Now Stagnell Fox Bognor Bersted Park, North Bested 6 1 bed flats Now Southern Housing Bognor Regis Harrington House, Nyewood Lane 2 2 bed flats Now Affinity Sutton Bracknell Harrier Way 1 2 bed house Now Affinity Sutton Brighton The Barrows 60 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now Hyde New Homes Brighton Woodland View 2 1 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton Brighton The Crescent 1 3 bed house Now Affinity Sutton Brighton Upper Gardner Street 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton Brighton & Hove The Edge 55 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Summer Southern Housing Burgess Hill Knowles Walk 1 3 bed house Now Affinity Sutton Chatham Maritime Court 1 2 bed flats Now Stagnell Fox Chichester Affinity Sutton at Graylingwell Park 22 1 & 2 bed flats Now Affinity Sutton Crawley Haweswater Place 2 1 & 2 bed flats Now Affinity Sutton Crowborough Goldsmiths Avenue 2 3 bed houses Now Affinity Sutton East Grinstead Queen’s Court, Queen’s Road 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton East Hoathly Nightingales 1 2 bed house Now Affinity Sutton Eastbourne The Ferns, Churchdale Road 11 3 bed houses Now Affinity Sutton Fernhurst Southleys 1 2 bed house Now Affinity Sutton Gillingham South Shore 31 1 & 2 bed flats Now Hyde New Homes Gillingham Hayter House 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton Gravesham Springhead Park 1 1 bed flat Now L&Q Halling Thomas Harris Close 3 3 bed houses Now Stagnell Fox Haywards Heath Bowden Way 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton Hellingly Roebuck Park 10 2 & 3 bed houses September Orbit Homes Henfield Southern at Bysshop Meadow 6 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 bed house Now Southern Housing Horsham Coolham 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton Hove Coastal Place, Church Road 6 1 & 2 bed flats Now Affinity Sutton Hurstpierpoint Brewery Mews 1 1 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton Langley Affinity Sutton at Windmill Walk 6 2 bed houses Now Affinity Sutton Maidstone Westborough Mews 1 3 bed house Now Affinity Sutton Maidstone Greenfields View 2 1 bed flats Now Affinity Sutton Midhurst The Oaks, Forest Road 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton Polegate Lynholm Road 20 2 & 3 bed houses July Raglan Housing Portslade Monarch’s View 1 3 bed house Now Affinity Sutton Poundhill Capua Court 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton Ramsgate Weyburn Place 1 3 bed house Now Orbit Homes Rochester Rochester Riverside 24 1 & 2 bed flats Now Hyde New Homes Rochester Summerson Close 3 2 & 3 bed houses Now Affinity Sutton Southampton the compass|so14 3 1 & 2 bed flats Now Affinity Sutton Strood Regent House 4 2 bed flats Late 2013 Stagnell Fox Sutton Valence Haven Close 1 2 bed house Now Stagnell Fox Tangmere Middleton Gardens 1 2 bed house Now Affinity Sutton Ticehurst Farthinghill 1 2 bed house Now Affinity Sutton Whitstable Wicketts End 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity Sutton

58 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

homefinder East Beautiful Affordable New Homes Stunning new homes for outright sale, shared equity and shared ownership.

Beautiful, Affordable New Homes Stunning new homes for outright sale, shared equity and shared ownership.

For more information, For more information call 02476 437 040 call 02476 437 040 or visit www.orbithomes.org.uk or visit www.orbithomes.org.uk

Bedfordshire, South Northants & Milton Keynes

Tel. 01525 844460

www.grandunionhousing.co.uk Grand Union Housing Group comprises: Aragon Housing Association, MacIntyre Housing Association and South Northants Homes

Building high quality homes for shared ownership across Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire

Find your new home today...visit www.rowanhomes.co.uk Or call us on 0800 0644 555

PropertySearch Location

Name of Development

No of Units

Type of Properties

Available From

Provider

SOUTH WEST Help to Buy Agent:SOUTH WEST HOMES www.southwesthomes.org.uk Amesbury Archers Gate Blandford Damory Street Chard Great Western Road Durrington Avon Fields Highbridge Springfield Green Monkton Heathfield Monkton Heathfield Newton Abbot South Devon Mews Plymouth Affinity Sutton at Queen Anne’s Quay Sherborne Sherborne House South Petherton Hayes End Wellington Rylands Nursery Whimple, East Devon The Linhayes

4 2 & 3 bed houses 9 2 & 3 bed houses 14 2 & 3 bed houses 1 2 bed flat 4 2 & 3 bed houses 21 2 & 3 bed houses 2 2 bed flats 2 2 bed flats 3 2 & 3 bed houses 1 2 & 3 bed houses 1 3 bed houses 2 2 & 3 bed houses

Now July Now Now Now July Now Now Now Now Now September

Spectrum Housing Raglan Housing Raglan Housing Spectrum Housing Raglan Housing Raglan Housing Affinity Sutton Affinity Sutton Raglan Housing Raglan Housing Raglan Housing Spectrum Housing

Interested in any of the properties listed? Call 01622 772407 or email the name of the property to property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 59

homefinder London

homefinder London 3414 OH Home Focus Ad_HR.pdf

Home Focus Ads x 2 Updated_Layout 1 01/06/2012 14:52 Page 2

homefinder London

LY ON

developing homes in London

Call 0300 100 0303 or

email: sales@affinitysutton.com

* terms & conditions apply

Get in touch to find out how we can help you to buy or rent a home for less.

www.affinitysutton.com

Haven’t found what you’re looking for?

...AND WIN A GYM MEMBERSHIP

or text

To get PricedIn register at for more information please call

020 8354 5601 www.octaviahousing.co.uk

Developing where people want to

www.lqgroup.co.uk/pricedin

‘pricedin’ to 60123

Industrial and Provident Society 30441R exempt charity. Details correct at time of going to print 01/13. Your home is at risk if you fail to keep up repayments on a mortgage, rent or other loan secured on it. Please make sure you can afford the repayments before you take out a mortgage. Competition Terms & Conditions apply: Register to be entered into the prize draw to win a Gym Membership.

Affordable Hyde New Homes Shared Ownership • Discounted Rent

Shared ownership opportunities in London

08456 12 12 71

020 3535 2555 mhosales@metropolitan.org.uk www.mho.co.uk

Get

octaviaaffordable homeownership

Southern Housing Group

Love Metropolitan Living

14:54:59

Feeling priced out of the London property market?

Homes for sale on a part buy/part rent basis across SE, SW, W and East London

SIT 5E% PO

3/10/12

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.

sales@shgroup.org.uk | www.shgroup.org.uk

Call our sales team now! Tel: 0845 606 1221 Email: info@hydenewhomes.co.uk www.hydenewhomes.co.uk Follow us on

and

Tel: 0800 012 1442

www.viridianhousing.org.uk

Homes for sale, for rent, for you

Providers of quality affordable homes Affordable homes throughout London

Telephone: 020 8709 4352 Fax: 020 8709 4400 Email: sales@gatewayhousing.org.uk www.gatewayhousing.org.uk

across east London 0845 600 0830 www.east-thames.co.uk

THAMES THAMES

409-413 Mile End Road London E3 4PB

0845 130 1422 www.stagnellfox.co.uk

Origin HF directory ad 12.8.11:Layout 1

12/8/11

14:57

THAMES

If you want to know more about your government funded housing options contact your Local HomeBuy Agent. You can find out more details by accessing

www.direct.gov.uk/ontheladder Shared Ownership

Call: 0800 068 8990 sales@originhousing.org.uk www.originsales.co.uk

60 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

Intermediate Rent

Call the sales team now

0800 058 2544 www.newlonhomeownership.org.uk

INTERESTED IN ANY OF THE PROPERTIES IN HOMEFOCUS? Call 01622 772407 or email the name of the property to property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

NEWLON WELCOMES INTEREST FROM ALL FIRST TIME BUYERS EARNING UP TO £64,300 FOR ALL OF OUR ONE AND TWO BEDROOM HOMES

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 61

homefinder South East

homefinder South East Home Focus Ads x 2 Updated_Layout 1 01/06/2012 14:52 Page 1

Homes for sale on a part buy/part rent basis

Exciting new homes A beautiful location 80% now reserved!

across the South East

homefinder South East

LY ON

Currently marketing homes in London, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Hampshire, Berks and Herts.

SIT 5E% PO

Call 0300 100 0303

* terms & conditions apply

www.affinitysutton.com

Need a helping hand to get on the property ladder? Affordable homes throughout the south east

0845 130 1422 www.stagnellfox.co.uk Beautiful Affordable New Homes Stunning new homes for outright sale, shared equity and shared ownership.

A home of your own with Shared Ownership

Affordable properties in various locations:

Bedfordshire, Shared ownership opportunities in London South Northants & Milton Keynes

Hampshire Wiltshire Dorset, Devon Isle of Wight

sales@shgroup.org.uk |Tel. www.shgroup.org.uk 01525 844460

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

Homes for sale, for rent, for you

Stunning new homes for outright sale, shared equity and shared ownership.

across Essex

www.direct.gov.uk/ontheladder

New Build Homebuy opportunities across the South East

sales@shgroup.org.uk | www.shgroup.org.uk

www.grandunionhousing.co.uk

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

Don’t miss out... get the next 6 issues of homefocus delivered

PRIL 2013

MARCH/A

0845 600 0830 www.east-thames.co.uk

THAMES

Affordable Hyde New Homes Shared Ownership • Discounted Rent Call our sales team now! Tel: 0845 606 1221 Email: info@hydenewhomes.co.uk www.hydenewhomes.co.uk and

THAMES

N BUY N YOU CA YOUR OW HOME!ip

enter & TV pres Architect

GE GEORK Ra E CLA time for

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ownersh Shared FirstBuy and d explaine

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‘It’s in revolution ’ housing…

ice to Great advon the get you ladder...

ng I’d be renti ‘I thought of my life…’ for the rest home says new owner Ian

WIN

Published every other month to keep you up to date with the latest opportunities in shared and affordable home ownership AT T R

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,

ACTI

CCE VE, A

SSIBL

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s of ten pair One of this year’s to tickets Designs Grand show! Live MES LE HO B A D FFOR

Name_______________________________ Address_____________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________

FirstBuy, and all low cost home ownership schemes

____________________________________

n Advice on legal and mortgage matters from specialists

Postcode____________________________

PLUS MUCH, MUCH MORE; celebrity interviews, competitions and reader offers, jargon busters and homestyle articles

Phone number _______________________ Email address _ ______________________ ____________________________________ Signature____________________________

To be sure of receiving the next 6 issues of homefocus, fill in the form and send your cheque* for £12.95 to:

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*Please ensure that your cheque is made payable to Graid Publications Call us on 01622 772407 for our bank details and you can pay online

62 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

us homefoc

Just £12.95 for the next 6 issues

THAMES

If you want to know more about your government funded housing options contact your Local HomeBuy Agent. You can find out more details by accessing

Southern Housing Group

08456 12 12 71 08456 12 12 71

Beautiful, Affordable New Homes

For more information, For more information call 02476 437 040 call 01622 633 241 or visit www.orbithomes.org.uk or visit www.orbithomes.org.uk

www.nobleparkhomes.co.uk 01372 814000

email: sales@affinitysutton.com

Payment options:

n I’d like to receive the next 6 issues of homefocus and would like to pay electronically. Please call me or email as above for me to make an electronic payment. _ Remember you can call us on 01622 772407 or email info@homefocusmagazine.co.uk for the info you need.

homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 63

homefinder Midlands

homefinder South West Ad in Quark_Layout 1 10/12/2012 11:18 Page 1

LLOOKING OOKING FFOR OR A H HOME OME O OFF Y YOUR OUR OWN? OWN?

‘hello homes’ throughout the EAST MIDLANDS…

CA CAN’T N’T A AFFORD FFORD T TO BUY?

homefinder Midlands Need Help to Buy?

www.emhomebuy.org.uk for properties in your area T 0844 892 0112 E emhomebuy@emha.org EMHomeBuy is run by East Midlands Housing Group.

NEW HOMES AT FERNWOOD, NEWARK 2 BEDROOM HOUSE FROM £55,000 FOR 50% YOU CAN BUY WITH A DEPOSIT FROM £2750

0845 650 1204 SHAREDOWNERSHIPUK.COM

Love Metropolitan Living Get in touch to find out how we can help you to buy or rent a home for less.

020 3535 2555 mhosales@metropolitan.org.uk www.mho.co.uk

64 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

Say ‘hello’ to our dedicated sales team on: 0844 892 2506 / hellohomes@emhgroup.org.uk Click: www.hellohomes.org.uk Part Buy / Part Rent / For Sale / For You… ‘hello homes’ is part of East Midlands Housing Group Limited.

Beautiful Affordable New Homes

We can give it to you!

BURTON LATIMER, KETTERING: BRIAR HILL, NORTHAMPTON: 2 BEDS: 25% SHARE AVAILABLE 2 BEDS: 25% SHARE AVAILABLE FROM: £30,625. FROM £22,500. 3 BEDS: 25% SHARE AVAILABLE FROM £34,375.

Stunning new homes for outright sale, shared equity and shared ownership.

Beautiful, Affordable New Homes Stunning new homes for outright sale, shared equity and shared ownership.

For more information, For more information call 02476 437 040 call 02476 437 040 or visit www.orbithomes.org.uk or visit www.orbithomes.org.uk

INTERESTED IN ANY OF THE PROPERTIES IN HOMEFOCUS? Call 01622 772407 or email the name of the property to property@homefocusmagazine.co.uk and we’ll do the rest. Remember to include your name.

homefinder South West Need a helping hand to get on the property ladder? Affordable properties in various locations:

Raglan Housing ha have ve hom homes for sale on a par partt buy/par buy/partt rrent en basis in the South West, West, South East E and Midlands ar eas. areas. Contact C ontact the OWNERSHIP HOME O WNERSHIP TEAM Homefocus Quoting Homef focus ocus on: 023 8065 8858 sales@raglan.org sales@raglan.org www.raglan.org/homesforsale www.raglan.org/homesfors A ccharitable haritable Industr Industrial ial and Pr Provident ovident Society No No.. 20 20558R

If you want to know more about your government funded housing options contact your Local HomeBuy Agent. You can find out more details by accessing

www.direct.gov.uk/ontheladder

Hampshire Wiltshire Dorset, Devon Isle of Wight

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

Don’t miss out... get the next 6 issues of homefocus delivered

us homefoc PRIL 2013

MARCH/A

N BUY N YOU CA YOUR OW HOME!ip

enter & TV pres Architect

GE GEORK Ra E CLA time for

through your door

ownersh Shared FirstBuy and d explaine

E IN THW KNO

‘It’s in revolution ’ housing…

ice to Great advon the get you ladder...

ng I’d be renti ‘I thought of my life…’ for the rest home says new owner Ian

WIN

Published every other month to keep you up to date with the latest opportunities in shared and affordable home ownership AT T R

Just £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,

ACTI

CCE VE, A

SSIBL

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s of ten pair One of this year’s to tickets Designs Grand show! Live MES LE HO B A D FFOR

Name_______________________________ Address_____________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________

FirstBuy, and all low cost home ownership schemes

____________________________________

n Advice on legal and mortgage matters from specialists

Postcode____________________________

PLUS MUCH, MUCH MORE; celebrity interviews, competitions and reader offers, jargon busters and homestyle articles

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To be sure of receiving the next 6 issues of homefocus, fill in the form and send your cheque* for £12.95 to:

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n I’d like to receive the next 6 copies of homefocus and my cheque is enclosed

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homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 65

legal&financialadvice

homebuyers

Put your conveyancing in experienced hands

GUIDE

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: Gary Gillespie 020 8215 1062 ggillespie@wiseman.co.uk

Buying a new home requires essential legal and financial advice… contact a mortgage advisor or specialist solicitor

Debra Rose 020 8215 5040 drose@wiseman.co.uk Ros Grant 020 8215 5041 rgrant@wiseman.co.uk

� Shared Ownership purchases � FirstBuy � Social HomeBuy � Right to Buy � Right to Acquire � Staircasing � Shared Ownership resales � Equity Loan redemption/remortgaging

Janice Maskell 020 8215 1077 jmaskell@wiseman.co.uk

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

Tel: 020 8215 1000

www.directionlaw.co.uk

Web: www.wiseman.co.uk

Here at the Advertising Standards Authority, we judge ads on whether they’re harmful, misleading, or offensive. Not on whether they’re funny, clever or they look good. Which is just as well, really. Telephone 020 7492 2222 www.asa.org.uk

HOMEBUY / STAIRCASING / RESALES

ALL HOUSING ASSOCIATION SCHEMES

London Office: 020 7158 0031 Kent Office: 01227 812733 enquiries@directionlaw.co.uk

RESIDENTIAL / COMMERCIAL CONVEYANCING

Keeping advertising standards high

Don’t miss out... get the next 6 issues of homefocus delivered

• Shared Ownership

Property Solicitors

We leave good advertising to the professionals.

through your door

• Shared Equity • Resales

Published every other month to keep you up to date with the latest opportunities in shared and affordable home ownership

Residential Conveyancing

• Staircasing

Just £12.95 for the next 6 issues

Commercial Conveyancing

• Right to Acquire

Affordable Housing

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.

(formerly GTCLaw)

Housing Association Schemes Staircasing Right to Buy Lease Extensions

• First Buy

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,

Personal Injury Family Law Wills and Probate

T: 020 85096800 E: enquiries@clglaw.co.uk

66 homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013

Visit www.free-conveyancing-guide.co.uk to receive your FREE Guide to Conveyancing. Please contact our solicitors; Kerry Hicks, Sophie Treszka, Dorothy Johnstone or Rachel Turner on 020 8567 3477, or email khicks@prince-evans.co.uk

HomeFocus ad-Shared Ownership_April13.indd 1

____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________

n Advice on legal and mortgage matters from specialists

Postcode____________________________ Phone number _______________________ Email address _ ______________________ ____________________________________ Signature____________________________

To be sure of receiving the next 6 issues of homefocus, fill in the form and send your cheque* for £12.95 to:

Date_ _______________________________

Graid Publications Ltd, Kent House, Romney Place, Maidstone, ME15 6LH

n I’d like to receive the next 6 copies of homefocus and my cheque is enclosed

*Please ensure that your cheque is made payable to Graid Publications Call us on 01622 772407 for our bank details and you can pay online

10/04/2013 17:00

Address_____________________________

FirstBuy, and all low cost home ownership schemes

PLUS MUCH, MUCH MORE; celebrity interviews, competitions and reader offers, jargon busters and homestyle articles

Landlord & Tenant

Name_______________________________

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homefocus • MAY/JUNE 2013 67

Affordable Hyde New Homes NEWLY RELEASED

Bond Central

Rochester Riverside

Canal Walk, Southampton SO14 3BH

Doust Way, Rochester Kent ME1 1FF

1 & 2 bedroom apartments in Southampton available for sale through the Shared Ownership scheme

A selection of stylish 1 & 2 bedroom apartments available for sale through the Shared Ownership scheme

Prices start from £30,000*

*Based on a 25% share of a one bedroom apartment with the full market value of £120,000. Our final two bedroom apartments start at £59,000 for a 40% share of a apartment with the full market value of £147,500.

*Represents a 25% share of a 1 bedroom apartment with the full market value of £120,000. Two bedroom apartments start from £61,000 for a 40% share of a property with the full market value of £152,500.

New Capital Quay Dowells Street, Greenwich SE10 9FF

Stunning 1, 2 & 3 bedroom Shared Ownership apartments located in central Greenwich Contact us now to register your interest CENTRAL LOCATION

IDEAL FOR COMMUTERS

Hyde New Homes properties also available in • Buckinghamshire • Cambridgeshire East & West Sussex • Essex • Hampshire • Isle of Wight • Kent • Surrey

Call our sales team now to find out more on

0845 606 1221 or email: info@hydenewhomes.co.uk

Hyde New Homes makes the experience of buying your first home easy with a choice of new homes available through the Shared Ownership scheme. It’s simple, you buy a share of the property and pay a subsidised rent on the remainder. Terms and conditions apply. Prices correct at time of going to print, April 2013. Hyde New Homes is part of The Hyde Group.