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The
HOUSE HUNTER
What we found… THE LAKESIDE LOVELY Southmere Thamesmead, south east London
FROM £91,500*
THE LANDMARK DEVELOPMENT Kidbrooke Square Kidbrooke, south east London
FROM £360,000*
This month FTB goes on the hunt with Tiffany and Robyn Edwards who are looking for their first home in south east London, with a minimum of one bedroom and a balcony or terrace
PROFILE
Names Tiffany, 34, and Robyn Edwards, 33 Occupations Care manager, retail manager Maximum budget £180,000 Requirements An apartment with one or more bedrooms in south east London – ideally Woolwich and the surrounding areas. Outside space in the form of a balcony or shared garden is a top priority, along with good access to Kent
What they wanted… Robyn and I have been renting together for five years – first with friends in a house share and then in a studio flat. Even though our current place is tiny, the rent is so expensive and we know we’d be happier in our own place, paying for our own mortgage. We’ve been trying really hard to save, but it’s difficult when your rent is so high. We’ve still managed to get around £18,000 in savings, which gives us a budget of around £180,000. I work in Woolwich and often work nights, so it’s important that we’re within a 30-minute drive of my work – even closer if possible. Robyn works in retail and often rotates around stores in south east London, so her commute will always vary. We both love cooking so we’d like a good array of shops and a market nearby, and we also like nothing better than eating out in local restaurants, so some good options for that would be a big bonus!
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Southmere, set by a lake, has a pretty outlook, plus a range of on-site amenities and good commuting links. The first shared ownership one, two and three bedroom apartments recently launched, and the site will be home to more than 500 properties. The development will also house a public square, library, fitness studio and cafe. Inside, the properties have been thoughtfully designed, with open-plan living areas that open to generously sized balconies and terraces. Nearby Abbey Wood will soon benefit from Crossrail services.
This new collection of homes sits opposite Kidbrooke Village, an area that has benefited from regeneration and features brand new shops, local amenities and an award-winning park. The studio, one and two bedroom homes here are sleek and contemporary, with stylish, neutral decor for the thoughtfully designed living spaces, leading to private outside spaces. Upmarket Blackheath and famous Greenwich are comfortably close, while Kidbrooke railway station is seconds from the front door, for trains to London Bridge in 15 minutes.
peabodysales.co.uk
nhgsales.com
*Based on a 30% share of the full market value of £305,000
*Shared ownership prices released later this year
What they thought… This whole area near Abbey Wood is being regenerated and we’re really looking forward to seeing what happens here. The development looks amazing – set around the lake and with some really great things for locals being created too. We particularly like the idea of having new shops and restaurants nearby, and a brand new gym would be a welcome neighbour! The homes here are very attractive and well designed and definitely a far cry from our shared accommodation of the past. Great location for us too, in terms of work and family.”
This is another good location for us – good for getting to work, but also nice and close to lots of our favourite places. Greenwich and Blackheath are super-close and have so many great places to eat and enjoy a night out. We also like that the homes are so close to Kidbrooke station as it just makes getting around so easy, and there are convenient local shops. We’re really keen on the idea of being close to such great parks, too – Cator Park is right on the doorstep and would be perfect for enjoying the sun come the summer time.”
First Time Buyer April/May 2022
FTB 16-17 Househunter April-May22.indd 16
08/03/2022 14:38
