The HOUSE HUNTER

This month FTB goes on the hunt with Casper Willis and Allesandra Dellano, who are looking for a one or two bedroom home in south east London or Kent

What we found…

THE LONDON HOTSPOT THE LAID-BACK LIFE Sydenham Groves Sydenham, south east London

Southmere Thamesmead, south east London

Maximum budget £280,000

Requirements A one or two bedroom home in Kent or south east London – near the Kent borders. Good travel links, outdoor space and parking would be ideal

What they wanted…

Casper and I want to buy our rst home together after several years of renting in a shared house. We live in Bromley at the moment, which borders London and Kent. We’re interested in nding something within the area that’s more local to us but would be happy to move further into Kent, too. We’re both from Sevenoaks originally so have many connections in that area and in south east London. We need at least one bedroom, though two bedrooms would be a huge bonus, along with some outdoor space, such as a balcony or shared gardens. It’s really important that we can travel easily by train into central London. Casper and I both work from home, but he is often travelling to client meetings, so it would be great to have good transport links for that. We have a budget of around £280,000.

This new collection of one and two bedroom apartments has proven hugely popular since its release last year. With the high street and a choice of three rail and Overground stations within walking distance, this is a great spot for enjoying the local area and easily getting around and into central London. The properties are thoughtfully designed, with bright open-plan living areas that lead to outdoor space. There is on-site parking as well as playing space for families. A great opportunity to buy in an increasingly popular part of London.

peabodysales.co.uk peabodysales.co.uk

Residents will get a taste of laidback life at Southmere, which is alongside a lake. With a range of on-site amenities and good commuting links, everything you could need is on the doorstep. The site will eventually be home to more than 500 properties, including one, two and three bedroom shared ownership apartments. 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 bene t from Crossrail services.

What they thought…

Sydenham is quite close to where we live now and we know it well. It’s a good area with lots to do nearby − we love the cafes and pubs in Forest Hill and Crystal Palace. The apartments look beautiful with tasteful styling, good layouts and lots of space. We particularly love how the development is set in a quiet cul-de-sac, but is also so close to the high street. I think you’d get a good balance here of quiet retreat combined with plenty of life, which is just perfect when you’re working from home a lot.”

What a stunning location this is − with some really great facilities on site, too! We love the idea of having new shops and restaurants nearby, and a brand new gym would be a welcome neighbour! The homes here are stylish and well designed, with plenty of natural light which is great for home working. It’s well positioned in terms of getting to work and family, and the whole area near Abbey Wood is being regenerated, so we’re really looking forward to seeing what happens here.”

THE WATERSIDE VISTAS THE BEST-OF-BOTH

Rochester Riverside Rochester, Kent

Ashmere Ebbs eet, Kent

First choice!

FROM

The Perfect Blend

Kidbrooke Square Kidbrooke, south east London

FROM countrysideproperties.com

Residents at this landmark development in Kent enjoy riverside and castle views, great commuter links and a range of stylish properties to choose from. The site, which will eventually comprise 1,400 new homes, will also include a 2.5km river walkway and 10 acres of open space, including play areas and landscaping. Homes will range from apartments to two, three, four and ve bedroom family houses, with open-plan living spaces, optimal natural light and private outdoor spaces. Trains into London St Pancras take just 37 minutes.

Casper and I have always loved riverside walks, runs and cycles, so this looks like an excellent spot for that. The properties themselves are super stylish and really appeal to us, too. In terms of getting around, the train links are great for Casper getting to meetings − and Rochester is in quite a good spot for seeing all of our families, too, as well as exploring Kent and beyond. Getting to know the area, the local sites and lovely surroundings would be a perfect way to spend the weekends here.” countrysidepartnerships.com

With speedy travel into London and green surroundings, Ashmere offers a best-of-both worlds lifestyle. Properties range from one and two bedroom apartments to three and four bedroom family homes. Located 1.5 miles from Ebbs eet International station, trains to London St Pancras take as little as 17 minutes. Green spaces, walking and cycling routes are on the doorstep, with stunning countryside nearby. Local facilities are plentiful, with Bluewater shopping centre, eating out and entertainment, good schools and outdoor pursuits within a short drive.

This really does look like a fantastic place to live. With so many new homes in the area I think there would be a strong community feel, which is something we’re really keen to nd. As we’re always happy to be outside, we love that there’s an urban park within the development and that so much care has been taken to provide so much for residents on site. The links to London are excellent, while getting to Sevenoaks to see friends and family would only take around 20 minutes in the car.” nhg.org.uk

These new homes are positioned opposite Kidbrooke Village − an area that has bene ted from a great deal of 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 thoughtfully designed living spaces − which lead to private outside spaces − along with stylish, neutral decor. Upmarket Blackheath and world-famous Greenwich are comfortably close, while Kidbrooke railway station is seconds from the front door, for trains to London Bridge in just 15 minutes.

The Next Step

“Kidbrooke Square seems like the right choice for us and we’d like to get the process of reserving and buying a home moving as quickly as possible. We have spoken to the shared ownership team and hope to have a mortgage offer sorted very soon.”

This is a really great location for us − close to some of our all-time favourite places, including Greenwich Park and Blackheath village. It’s the perfect balance of London and Kent for us as the Kent countryside is right on the doorstep and the city centre is so easy to reach. It’s great that the homes are so close to Kidbrooke station as it just makes getting around so easy. And, of course, the properties are lovely − just our style. We really like the sleek kitchens, with great open-plan living areas, plus there’s loads of light. Cator Park is right on the doorstep and would be perfect for enjoying the sun come the summer time.”

Michelle Chidgey is Head of Sales and Marketing at OX Place, the wholly owned development company of Oxford City Council Michelle has over 24 years’ experience within the affordable housing sector, predominantly at senior management level, leading Sales and Development teams for: The Guinness Partnership, Hastoe Housing Association, First Wessex (now Vivid) and A2 Dominion. Michelle has worked on the provision of housing both nationally and regionally within urban and more rural parts of the country. Now, she is concentrating on meeting the need for affordable housing in Oxford

QI’m a recently graduated nurse, living with my partner outside of Oxford. I’d prefer to be nearer to the city, but prices are exceptionally high, even to rent. We’d love to buy somewhere but imagine that this could mean an even longer commute. What advice would you give to someone trying to get on the property ladder in such an expensive city?

AIn 2016, Oxford City Council established OX Place as its own housing company to create high-quality, genuinely affordable homes in the city. At OX Place, we’re responsible for building the homes local people need. Our profits are re-invested back into the city, to provide essential services for local people, and into building more homes for people who need them. As well as building homes to rent via Oxford City Council, we build homes you can buy outright, as well as homes you can buy a percentage of, known as shared ownership.

We also build council-owned rented homes for those who need a safe, high-quality, affordable rental home in the city. We provide affordable homes for the people of Oxford which include key workers, such as nurses, doctors, university researchers and local school teachers. In short, we build high-quality, beautiful and sustainable homes that people in Oxford can actually afford to own and rent.

I would like to say that I was over the moon to be invited to join OX Place, as it’s an exciting time for Local Authorities (and in particular OCC) that are growing their expertise in the delivery of a more diverse range of affordable living options and helping people like yourself.

I am especially keen to promote the benefits of shared ownership, which could well be the best option for you. Shared ownership is when you buy a percentage of the home and rent the rest. This enables you to get on the property ladder with an initial percentage share (of the outright purchase price) which is currently from as little as 25% and with just a 5% deposit on your share. The remaining share is owned by Oxford City Council, with rent payable on the share the council owns. The reality is you could be purchasing your share of say a £300,000 home from as little as £75,000 (subject to a mortgage assessment) with a deposit of only £3,750. You can buy more shares at any time (called staircasing) through to outright ownership in most cases. From my experience

FROM £98,750* (SHARED OWNERSHIP) £535,000 (PRIVATE SALE) it is an aspirational product that performs really well in high-value areas such as Oxford. My first projects with OX Place have all been oversubscribed and have responded to Oxfordbased residents from different backgrounds who wouldn’t otherwise have been able to buy a home of their own in the city.

Standing proudly in the heart of Oxford’s historic city centre, Bridges Cross is a brand new development of contemporary apartments providing a unique opportunity to call this sought-after location home. Bridges Cross hosts 10 private sale two and three bedroom apartments starting from £535,000. There are also eight one bedroom apartments available to buy through shared ownership with a 25% share from £98,750.

We’re looking forward to selling more shared ownership homes on a future programme of schemes across the city in areas such as Littlemore, Iffley, Cowley and Marston.

Bene ting from views of Oxford’s world-renowned architecture, alongside high street shopping and wider connections, Bridges Cross is the perfect city-centre location to call home.

From a bird’s eye view, Bridges Cross sits equidistant between Botley Bridge and Magdalen Bridge in Oxford, a few minutes’ walk from the very centre of the city, bene ting from the huge range of culture, connections and shopping Oxford has to offer.

For further information or to arrange a viewing please contact the Breckon & Breckon New Homes Team on 01865 261 222 or email newhomes@breckon.co.uk

*Based on a 25% share with a full market value of £395,000