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

WAYS TO HELP YOU BUY

Help to Buy and Shared ownership

Start with a slice

HAVEYOURCAKE AND

EAT IT

CRAIG PHILLIPS‘I feel that there are not enough affordable homes’

‘Shared ownership saved us’ says Jess

Reality TV Winner & DIY Expert

MADE MORE AFFORDABLE

ONE OF SIX CASES OF BLUE NUN RIVANER

RIESLING WINE

JULY/AUGUST 2014

WIN

LOW COST HOME OWNERSHIP– BUYING A SLICE AT A TIMEJust in case you’re already finding it hard to become a homeowner…life is about to get even harder. On the one hand, prices have been increasing for a while now and on the other, mortgage supply is predicted to shrink as new lending rules (The Mortgage Market Review, see our article on pages 48-49) bed in over the next few months. A double whammy unless you’ve saved a big deposit and got loads of disposable income.

So wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to get your own front door at a reasonable price? And there is! It’s called affordable or low cost home ownership and it lets you start by buying a first slice of the property you want. That slice can represent anything from 25% to 90% of the total property and there may be some conditions that may not suit you – like you can’t rent it out to other people, or you only get your share of the selling price when you move on, but it gives you a chance to start the buying process and as your finances change, you can buy more slices, or not – it’s up to you.

In so many areas of our lives we encourage the slice by slice approach. ‘Start small’ we say. ‘Make sure what you’re doing is manageable; begin with a firm footing to build out from’. So why should it be different for home ownership? Take a look at shared ownership and the Help to Buy programme and see if buying a slice suits you. It could mean paying out less each month than renting. It might give you extra freedom and privacy. Maybe it’ll let you stay living near your family or be close to work. It could be an extra bedroom for a growing family. You’ll certainly be able to put your mark on your home and make it yours.

The fact is that the property market is changing. So if you’re struggling to be a homeowner, it may be time to change your response. Rather than wait and wait and perhaps finish up even further away from getting what you want, you can take a look at low cost home ownership.

Happy home hunting

Jeffrey Gritzman • Publisher

ISSN No 1470-0360

ADVISORY PANELMaddie Cross LONDON BOROUGH OF BEXLEY

Gail Davies GD CONSULTANCY

Dave Evans BE CREATIVE LONDON Tony Harker GENESIS HOMES

Dave Lakin GRAND UNION HOUSING GROUP John McManus GLA

Trevor Morley DIRECTION LAW

Yvette Ruggins AFFINITY SUTTON GROUP

Isabel Saville CONCORDIA HOUSING CONSULTANCY

Simon Scott ORIGIN HOUSING

Sharon Shaw EAST THAMES GROUP

Jo Short HOMES IN HANTS

Richard Stone PROGRESS HOUSING SOLUTIONS

Helen Towner HOMES AND COMMUNITIES AGENCY

Greg Warner-Harris SPECTRUM HOUSING GROUP

Chris Winfield LONDON BOROUGH OF BRENT

EDITORAlex Randell

e-mail: [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTIONS & GENERAL ENQUIRIESJulie Baugh Tel: 01622 772407


PUBLISHER Jeffrey Gritzman Tel: 01622 772407


PUBLISHED BYGraid Publications, Kent House, Romney Place

Maidstone, Kent ME15 6LHTel: 01622 772407

DESIGN & PRODUCTIONJohn Eldridge Design Associates

Website: www.homefocus.co.uk

www.facebook.com/homefocus

www.twitter.com/homefocus

homefocus

Supports the aims of homefocus

Publisher’sComment

Affordable homesin fantastic locations

Call our sales team now to find out more on

0845 606 1221or email: [email protected]

Hyde New Homes properties are also available inBuckinghamshire • Cambridgeshire • East & West SussexEssex • Hampshire • Isle of Wight • Kent • Surrey

Hyde New Homes makes the experience of buying your first home easy with new properties available for sale throughthe Shared Ownership scheme. It’s simple, you buy a share of the property and pay a subsidised rent on the remainder.

Clock Tower Court

1 & 2 bedroom apartments for sale throughthe Shared Ownership scheme.Prices start from £75,600 for a 45% share.

Southside Embankment

Hookpit Farm Lane, Hampshire SO23 7NA

Final two bedroom houses in Kings Worthy availablethrough the Shared Ownership Scheme.Prices start from £94,000 for a 40% share.

Kings Highway, Plumstead SE18

1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and 3 bedroom housesfor sale through the Shared Ownership scheme.Price to be confirmedContact us now to register your interest.

Super B

Terms and conditions apply. Hyde New Homes is part of The Hyde Group. Prices correct at time of going to print.

Kings Highway

Hawthorn Close

(Indicative interior)

The Croft

The Croft, Cocking, West Sussex GU29

AVAILABLE

NOW

Albion Road, Bexleyheath DA6

2 bedroom houses and 2 bedroom apartments forsale through the Shared Ownership scheme.Prices start from £72,000 for a 40% share.

New England Square, Brighton BN1

1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments available for salethrough the Shared Ownership scheme.Prices start from £110,250 for a 45% share.Contact us now to register your interest.

Piggery Hall Lane, West Wittering PO20

2 bedroom homes available for sale through theShared Ownership scheme.Prices start from £84,000 for a 40% share.

LAUNCHIN

G

JUNELA

ST HOME

AVAILABLE

LAST

HOUSES

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

NOWCOMIN

G

SOON

homefocus • JULY/AUGUST 2014 3

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

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

Lifestyle 36 Bathing beautiesExpress your own style

42 Food focusSummer sizzle. Great foodie ideas plus a recipe for beef and mushroom burgers

Great Advice 44 Budget Buster Our most requested guide: it’ll help you get control of your finances

48 Will I get the mortgage I need?An expert’s advice on making the most of your chances

52 Moving checklistWho to tell you’re on your way

Competition 50 Six Cases of Blue Nun Win one of six cases of Blue Nun Rivaner Riesling wine

homefocus

42 26

22

From house hunting

to house warming

3416 30

Hot properties 14 East and south east A selection of affordable homes in the east and south east regions of the country – as defined by the Homes & Communities Agency

18 South west And some from the south west corner of the country

22 London You’ll find properties in the London boroughs

26 Midlands And some in the east and west midlands

30 SouthAnd finally, some in the south

Just for you 3 Publisher’s comment The plus side of buying a slice at a time

46 S-t-r-e-t-c-h Some examples of how to stretch your money – not yourself!

ContentsJULY/AUGUST 2014

Buyers’ Guide 6 Start with a slice There is a practical way to get onto the home ownership ladder. You can start by buying a slice

8 Compare the schemesWhich scheme works best for you

10 Buy for less than you’d pay in rent? That’s having your cake and eating it!

12 Will you find a place on the ladder?Low cost home ownership brings all kinds of opportunities

38 Pre-owned‘Second hand’ shared ownership properties increase your choice

40 Bridge the gap Bridge the gap with Help to Buy

Celebrity Status 34 In ConversationDIY Expert Craig Phillips‘I think the government should be trying to do more to help the first time buyers on the property market’

Where next? Homefinder DirectoriesYour search for an affordable first home can start here or at www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-homes-near-you

54 Introduction

55 Shows and Events

56 Property listings

59 East and south east

61 South west

62 London 64 Midlands 65 South 66 Legal and financial directory

36

homefocus • JULY/AUGUST 2014 54 homefocus • JULY/AUGUST 2014

6 homefocus • JULY/AUGUST 2014

Back in the day, people lived at home or rented a property while they saved for a deposit so they could buy the home

they wanted. But for the majority of people with average or moderate incomes, it’s no longer a recipe to become a home owner. It’s not that we want it all. Or that we want it now. It’s just that the longer we wait, the more property prices increase and the harder it is to get a mortgage. And the gap between opportunity and improbability gets wider.

So wouldn’t it be great if you could buy a slice of a home to get you started? Something that gives you a real taste of home ownership and lets you buy more slices as time goes by.

Sensible portions Well, you’ll be pleased to know that there are programmes designed to help you buy a first slice of a home – anything between 25% through to 90% depending on your situation and need. The schemes are collectively known as Affordable or Low Cost Home Ownership (LCHO) and buying through one of them could be a great way to get your own front door. It’s called affordable home ownership for good reason; it’s not cheap or small, but it’s made affordable. It ensures that you won’t be stretching your finances until all you have left are a few crumbs. It means you’ll be able to afford a life, as well as somewhere to live it from.

The icing on the topOne of the best bits of LCHO is that buying a slice often works out costing less per month than renting a similar place privately. Sometimes, a lot less. And of course, you’ll be getting something tangible for your money. A stake in your future and some equity towards your next home.

Meantime, take a look at the comparative figures on page 11 for buying or renting homes around the country. The monthly outgoing comparisons will confirm that buying through LCHO is the icing on the cake. And all of the properties we show from page 14 through to page 33 give an indication of monthly

circumstances. There’s no guarantee that both options will be available to you, although there are developments where both shared ownership and equity loans are available, sometimes even on the same property. There are more details of the schemes on the next two pages, but essentially they are:

Shared ownershipAlso known as part buy/part rent. This works by allowing you to buy a share (or slice) 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 - but don’t worry, the key word here is ‘afford’, you’ll be able to discuss what share is right for your financial circumstances.

Help to Buy – an equity loanYou own 100% of your property, but initially, you’ll only have to cover a percentage of the cost with your mortgage and deposit. You can defer the rest for a while as it’s covered by the equity loan. With Help to Buy, you won’t have to pay anything on that equity loan for 5 years after which, a low interest rate kicks in.

Is LCHO for you? Maybe you’ve heard of LCHO and thought ‘it’s only for people with particular jobs’ or perhaps, ‘it’s social housing by another name and I’m not after that sort of help’.

Well, think again. You may just be buying the first slice, but you’ll take on the full responsibilities and enjoy all the benefits that go with home ownership. It’s an opportunity to get onto the housing ladder when circumstances mean that you’ve been priced out of the market in your area.

Help to Buy is open to first time buyers and homeowners looking to move into properties up to £600,000 whilst shared ownership has more conditions attached to it. But if you’re a first time buyer, or buying on your own for the first time 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.

You SHOULD be eligible for the schemes if…• You’re a first time buyer• You’ve owned a home in the past but don’t own one now • You need to buy a home of your own for the first time, for example after a relationship breakdown• You own your own home but it’s far too small for your needs – for example you have two children in a one-bedroom flat – and you can’t afford to buy somewhere bigger • You can’t otherwise afford to buy a suitable home in the area you need to live in• You’re working even though it’s not full time (you’ll have to show that you earn enough to cover your housing and living costs though. And you might be able to count long-term benefits towards your income)• You’ve got a large chunk of money to put down (for example if you have equity from a previous home after a relationship split and use that towards buying your share outright. Again,

you’ll have to show you have enough coming in to cover your housing and living costs)

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

costs, and the deposit you might need. So you can compare what you’re paying now, or what you might have to fork out to rent a similar property, with what you could be spending each month on buying a home of your own…

When you’re looking for a LCHO home, start by contacting a Help to Buy Agent. These are organisations appointed by the government to promote and co-ordinate LCHO in a particular area, and there’s a list of who they are and what areas they cover on page 54. Things work a little differently in London, but wherever you are, Help to Buy Agents will point you towards finding your own home.

Another sliceThe 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 run. And unlike renting privately, where your landlord could decide not to renew your tenancy, leaving you needing to start the home finding process all over again, LCHO means that your home will be there for you, just as long as you pay your bills.

When your circumstances alter, you can buy more slices in your home until you own it outright – this is called staircasing. If you have a shared ownership home, in most cases you can staircase until you own 100%. For equity loan schemes, you can pay off some or all of the equity loan. If you need to move to a different area, or have a pressing need for a larger or smaller home, you can look to move to another shared ownership property. And when you come to sell, your Help to Buy Agent is likely to hold a ready-made list of people who are hoping they can buy from you. So whatever your future needs, LCHO will help.

Two bites to home ownership…There are two main types of LCHO – shared ownership and Help to Buy, an equity loan. Both will get you to a place of your own and the one you choose depends on your particular

And enjoy your first taste of home ownership…

START WITH A SLICE

Jargon-busterLCHOStands for low cost home ownership. Many organisations also use affordable home ownership, and this is an umbrella term for schemes designed to help you buy a home. We use LCHO throughout homefocus.

Housing providerA ‘shorthand’ term used to describe any organisation which offers LCHO. This organisation can be a housing association, private developer, local council or charity.

EligibilityThe LCHO schemes are mostly backed by the government, which means there are rules for who can benefit. When you apply to your Help to Buy Agent they’ll make sure you tick all the right boxes.

AllocationJust because you’re eligible, doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get the first property you’re interested in! If more than one family applies for the same property, the housing association will allocate it to the most suitable according to set criteria.

Open Market Is the term used to mean purchased in the ‘more usual’ way - via an estate agent or from a developer without the advantages of an LCHO scheme.

Specialist IFA & SolicitorAn IFA is an independent financial advisor, while a solicitor is the person who acts for in the legal side of your home purchase. We recommend you use ones who specialise in LCHO because they will know the schemes. Your IFA will know where to find the best mortgage, and your solicitor will help things run smoothly. There’s a list of specialists advertising on pages 66 & 67.

Buyer’sGuide


There’s more than one way to get yourself on the housing ladder, and buying, slice by slice, opens up your options. This guide gives you an outline of all of the Low Cost Home Ownership (LCHO) schemes...

START WITH A SLICE

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

Between 25% and 75%

Shared ownership could be right for you

Around 70% or more

Consider Help to Buy or an equity loan

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

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

Finding the right LCHO scheme can be a bit daunting, so here’s our guide to the schemes. First though, you need to answer a question to help you choose the right slice...

Scheme type Shared ownership Equity loans Try before you buy Mortgage Guarantee

Scheme name New Build Resales Help to Buy Equity Loan Developers’ own schemes

Rent to Buy NewBuy Help to Buy Mortgage Guarantee

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

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

Available on newly built properties up to a value of £600,000. You buy 100% of your home but only have to pay for 80% initially. The rest is covered by an equity loan from the government. There’s nothing to pay on the equity loan for the first five years, after which there’s a small interest charge. There’s more info on pages 40-41.

Many private housing developers have their own equity loan scheme, and the details vary but in general you pay for between 70% and 90% 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 there’s a similar scheme called Rent to Save, ideal if you want to buy a home in the city.

NewBuy allows you to buy a newly-built 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.

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

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

Not limited to recently-built homes so properties are likely to be in established communities and you may have a wider choice of styles. There could be more flexibility with regards to who is eligible. There’s more about resales on pages 38-39.

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

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.

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

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

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

You 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.

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% WITH A SMALL DEPOSIT

WIDE CHOICE NOT JUST FOR FIRST TIME BUYERS

ASK THE DEVELOPER SAVE TO BUY YOUR HOME FOR HIGHER WAGE EARNERS

NOT JUST FOR NEW PROPERTIES

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

Buyer’sGuide


ONE WAY

TO HAVE YOURCAKEAND

EAT ITYou can buy a place of your own and find it works out less than renting...

SmartBuyer

Deposit Mortgage Mortgage pcm

Rent pcm Total monthly costs

25% share £1,650 £31,350 £195 £227 £422

50% share £3,300 £62,700 £390 £151 £541

80% Help to Buy equity loan £6,600 £99,000 £615 £0 £615*

100% buy £6,600 £125,400 £779 £0 £779

Private rent - - - £610 £534



25% share £1,788 £33,962 £209 £246 £455

50% share £3,576 £67,924 £417 £164 £581


100% buy £7,150 £135,850 £834 £0 £834

Private rent - - - £662 £615



25% share £2,250 £42,750 £266 £309 £575

50% share £4,500 £85,500 £531 £206 £737


100% buy £9,000 £171,000 £1,062 £0 £1,062

Private rent - - - £1,286 £665



25% share £2,688 £51,062 £317 £370 £687

50% share £5,375 £102,125 £634 £246 £880

80% Help to Buy equity loan £10,750 £161,250 £1,002 £0 £1,002

100% buy £10,750 £204,250 £1,269 £0 £1,269

Private rent £653 £895



25% share £5,100 £96,900 £602 £701 £1,303

50% share £10,200 £193,800 £1,204 £468 £1,672

80% Help to Buy equity loan £20,400 £306,000 £1,901 £0 £1,901*

100% buy £20,400 £387,600 £2,408 £0 £2,408

Private rent - - - £1,415 £1,405

Ipswich £132,000

Northampton £143,000

Taunton £180,000

Kings Worthy £215,000

Shoreditch £408,000

The small printWe’ve used an average repayment mortgage over 25 years at 5.5% to get our figures. Deposit amounts are 5% which reflects what is available in the market at the moment. Please note that Help to Buy Guarantee Mortgages are NOT available in conjunction with LCHO schemes. But we have used 5% deposits for 100% purchases assuming that the mortgage will be attained using a Help to Buy Mortgage Guarantee. Rent for shared ownership is based on 2.75% of the share you don’t own, per year (we then divide this by 12 to get a monthly rate). Private rents and property prices are based on averages in the area, taken from popular property websites not specific properties.* Please note that with a Help to Buy equity loan, you will be paying back some interest from year 6 onwards.

I f you’re a typical first time buyer, you’ve probably rented for a while

before deciding to buy your first home. Ever wondered what that costs you? If you do the sums you may find yourself a little shocked. Mortgage lender Santander recently reported that the typical tenant

spends £42,000 on rent over a period of 7 and a bit years before taking

the plunge and buying. For couples, the figure goes to £80,000. Imagine! £80,000! And in London, the figures are even higher. Think of

all the things you could do with that kind of money – buy

a slice of your own home for a start!So why not just buy a home straight

away? When you’ve just graduated, or you’ve been living at home with your parents, or even if you’ve recently separated, your first thoughts will probably go to renting. After all, it’s quick, more affordable, and it’s what people do. Or is it?

Granted, it’s quick. You can find a place and sometimes move in the next week -

‘I am saving money and I am not lining some landlord’s pockets in the process’

Gerrone Matticks (23) was living with his Mum after finishing university. Even though he got along very well with her he was finding that he was missing his freedom. He was saving as much money as possible towards a deposit on a flat, but was beginning to realise that he might be living at home for a very long time.

‘I wanted to move out but I knew I wouldn’t be able to save very much if I was paying rent so I opted for shared ownership. This seemed like a good compromise as I didn’t need a massive deposit and I could still own a property. My friend’s elder brother had bought through shared ownership and he was very happy with his place,

CHECK THE FIGURES IN YOUR AREAWe’ve done a bit of checking around, and compared the price to rent a typical two-bedroom property with the cost of buying outright with a 95% mortgage, buying different shares through shared ownership, and buying through the 80% Help to Buy equity loan scheme. So do the sums and see if buying a slice works for you.

but it can also be a bit insecure. At the end of your tenancy, your landlord could decide not to renew and then you’re out as quickly as you were in – and because you’ve been spending all your hard-earned money on rent you’re likely to be no further along the road to buying your own place. So you have to rent again…

And as for renting being more affordable…well that’s not always the case. If you look at the figures in the next column, you’ll see that buying a home through Low Cost Home Ownership (LCHO) really can mean that you pay out less each month that renting.

So when you’re looking for your first place, don’t immediately assume that renting should be first choice. If you bite the bullet and buy your own home right away, you could save yourself a fortune AND avoid getting caught in the rental trap, where you’re paying more and more for rent each month and never manage to save for that deposit. Why waste years and £42,000 paying someone else’s mortgage when you could be paying your own?

ownership apartment and came to look at the development three times. It was a really good size and had plenty of light so ‘I handed over my £200 deposit to the team at L&Q and that was the start of a lot of paper work and a lot of visits to furniture stores.

The only slight reservation I had is that you have to buy the maximum share you can afford, with the biggest

so I decided to commit myself’.Gerrone continued, ‘I registered on

the First Steps website and started looking for an apartment. The bank I work for is based in Canary Wharf and I wanted to be a bit nearer to the office than my Mum’s place in Tottenham. Leyton looked like a good bet as it wasn’t as expensive as Stratford but it was still pretty well connected’.

Geronne found an L&Q shared

deposit you can manage. You can’t buy 35% and hold a bit of cash in reserve, if you can afford 40%, you must buy 40%. Although that does mean you are paying less in rent so I suppose it’s a good idea really.

The sales negotiator from L&Q was really helpful from when she took my deposit, to answering all my questions during the buying process. It helps to have one person who can answer all your queries and calm down your moments of panic.

I pay about £400 for rent and service charge and about £420 for the mortgage which means my outgoings are just over £800 a month, which I can manage without too much trouble. It costs between £800 and £1100 a month to rent in this area, so I am saving money and I am not lining some landlord’s pockets in the process.

I am only 23 and I own my own home ...well 40% of it, which is quite a nice slice really!”


OliviaOlivia moved from Manchester to London and, not unsurprisingly, got a shock when she discovered how much she had to pay in rent. Perhaps less of a shock then, was how hard it was to save up a deposit to buy a place of her

own. But Olivia saved what she could. From her rented flat, Olivia watched a development of new shared ownership apartments being built around the corner, and having responded to the ‘Find out about shared ownership’ banners displayed at the site, she met with a mortgage advisor who worked out that if Olivia bought a 35% share of a new two-bedroom apartment, she’d be paying out less each month than if she stayed renting where she was. On top of that he explained that she needed to find a 5% deposit – not 5% of the price of the flat but just 5% of the value of her 35% share. And that was manageable. Olivia bought off-plan and moved in without ever seeing her actual apartment.

John and Claire and their family

John and his wife Claire has been renting for years and knew there had to be a better way. When a new-build development went up locally, they liked what they saw but assumed they couldn’t afford it. They were delighted

though to be invited by a local housing association, to attend a meeting in a local venue to find out more. The association explained that the houses were going to be offered on a shared ownership basis. A mortgage advisor attended the meeting and he was able to find them a mortgage to buy a 40% share in the new home. John and Claire were able to move in very shortly after their home was built.

AlisonFed up with renting, Alison had looked into all the home ownership options and decided that her chances would be greater if she could save harder for a deposit, so she moved back home with her parents.

She had previously looked at a new-build shared ownership development quite close to where she worked, but the time to buy just wasn’t right for her. Fortunately Alison kept her eye on the ball, regularly checking to see if anything ‘came up’ at her chosen development. It did! The owners of a two-bedroom apartment at the block wanted to move to a different area. So now Alison, with a good deposit behind her, was able to buy the 35% share being sold by the previous owners. About three months after viewing this ‘resale’

apartment, Alison was able to move in.

Tony, Maria and their childrenTony and Maria had been renting a tiny two-bedroom flat with their son, Nathan 9. In an ideal world they would have had a small house with a garden for Nathan to play in and with both of them working,

they could have just managed the mortgage payments. But when Maria found she was expecting their second child, they started to panic. Another child in Nathan’s tiny bedroom would have been too much and paying for childcare for two was unaffordable. Maria knew she would have to stop working. Fortunately the couple spotted an advert for an affordable home ownership show, went along and met with a housing association who were building three-bedroom houses with gardens in the area.

FINDING YOUR PLACE ON THE

LADDERLots of people think that low cost home ownership (LCHO) is only for keyworkers or council tenants. But you’d be surprised at how accessible the schemes are, and just who climbs onto the home ownership ladder this way. So keep your eyes and ears open for your place on the ladder.

BuyerProfile

After a financial check, later confirmed by a mortgage advisor, they were able to buy a 35% share in one of the new houses. It did take all of Tony and Maria’s savings but it made the payments affordable, even after Maria gave up work. The couple moved in 7 months later, just before baby Rosie was born.

Mario As a senior staff nurse, Mario had been living in nurses accommodation at the hospital where he worked. So, no fares, a reasonable income and a social life on his doorstep. But

at 38, Mario was ready to have a place of his own, and contacted his local Help to Buy Agent to find out more. Mario rather liked the idea of an equity loan where he could be the sole owner of his home but only need to raise a mortgage for 70% of the price. Most Help to Buy equity loans are made available through private developers but some housing associations offer them too. And on this occasion, it was a housing association that came up with the right property at the right place – a short walk and a tube ride from the hospital – just inside Mario’s target of a 30 minute commute.

Peter and HelenHelen never imagined that she’d be able to afford to buy a home in the area where she grew up. She knew that house prices there put buying out of the question. But Peter is a logistics

officer in the RAF - and serving members of the MOD receive priority for shared ownership. So as soon as they discovered this, the couple started searching for a home to buy, in their first choice area. And, they found exactly what they were looking for, a new-build shared ownership development in a beautiful rural village. Peter and Helen did the sums and reserved one of the 8 plots available, well before they were finished and were looking forward to moving in as soon as they could.

12 homefocus • JULY/AUGUST 2014 homefocus • JULY/AUGUST 2014 13

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

forget to include your contact details. Or you can call 0845 474 4734.

East & South East

Getting onto the home ownership ladder in this expensive part of Surrey is notoriously difficult. But making it more affordable for many, is Affinity Sutton who is offering a large selection of homes on a shared ownership basis.

At the Cranes, Cranleigh, Affinity Sutton is offering six x two-bedroom apartments, three x two-bedroom houses, and three x three-bedroom houses. The minimum share available is 25%,

meaning that you can buy a share of a two-bedroom apartment from £56,250 (full purchase price £225,000), a two-bedroom house from £76,250 (full purchase price £305,000), or a three-bedroom house from £82,500 (full purchase price £330,000).

Set against a backdrop of 33 acres of stunning historic woodland, the new homes are situated around a mile and a

half from Cranleigh’s bustling village centre, which is widely referred to as ‘England’s largest village’, and combines an eclectic mix of high street names, such as Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s with boutique shops, bars and restaurants, as well as a monthly Farmers’ Market.

Starting to think that you can buy your own home? Could buying be more cost effective than renting or commuting? Then take a look at this selection of low cost home ownership (LCHO) homes. There are more listed on pages 56-57 and our East and south east directory on page 59. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-homes-near-you

THE CRANES Two-bedroom apartments, two and three-bedroom houses in Cranleigh from £56,250

Two-bedroom apartment: Full value: £225,000 • Minimum share: 25% • Cost of share: £56,250 • 5% deposit: £2,813 Mortgage on share*: £328 • Rent on remaining share**: £387 • Total costs: £715

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

Visit www.homefocus.co.uk/The-Cranes

East & South East Properties

VINEFIELDS Bury St Edmunds. Prices to be advised from 25%

St ANDREWS PARKHalling from £73,500 for 35%

Coming soon from Orbit Homes, is a selection of two and three-bedroom homes in Bury St Edmunds all available under the shared ownership scheme.

Located just to the east of Bury St Edmunds Town Centre, new homes at Vinefields are conveniently located for access to local amenities, road and rail networks.

Bury St Edmunds is a unique market town and is home to medieval architecture, elegant Georgian squares, excellent shopping, an award-winning

Set in the picturesque North Downs, St Andrews Park is close to the historic Medway towns and is surrounded by countryside and a beautiful blue chalk lake.

Halling has its own train station, post office and convenience store as well as a farm shop and two pubs.

Despite its delightful rural setting, Halling is far from remote. Its railway station gives good access to local towns as well as high speed rail links to London, while the nearby A228 gives access to both the M2 and M20.

There is a good selection of schools in the area, with an infant and primary


market, and a variety of attractions.The town boasts an impressive array of

shopping facilities; unique independent shops line the medieval streets alongside well-known high street brands and boutiques creating a host of shopping choices. If you want to eat out, you’ll find a wide range of independent cafes, pubs and other eateries close by.

Interested? Call 0845 4744734 or email

[email protected] with “Vineyards” in the

subject. Remember to include your contact details.

Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Vineyards

Heart of Medway has a range of one and two-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom houses on a shared ownership basis. All homes feature stylish fitted kitchens with integrated appliances, along with allocated parking. The first phase at Halling makes two-bedroom houses available to local people.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £210,000Minimum share: 35% • Cost of share: £73,5005% deposit: £3,675 • Mortgage on share*: £429Rent on remaining share**: £313 • Total costs: £742


[email protected] with “St Andrews Park”

in the subject. Remember to include your contact

details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/St-Andrews-

Park

SAXON GRANGEAmpthill from £122,500 for 50%

At Saxon Grange in Ampthill, Hightown Homes has a lovely three-bedroom family home available for shared ownership.

This three-bedroom house comes with a contemporary Paula Rosa fitted kitchen with a built in stainless steel cooker and hob, plus a fridge/freezer and washer/dryer. There’s allocated parking for 2-3 cars, a private rear garden with water butt, shed and compost bin plus there are solar PV panels to the roof.

Just a short walk away is the town which has several pubs, a wide variety of restaurants, a Waitrose supermarket and a

selection of independent specialist shops. Ampthill is an historic Georgian market

town with a unique charm in a rural setting atop the Greensand Ridge. Many of the town’s Georgian buildings overlook the Market Square, where weekly and monthly markets are held.

Three-bedroom house: Full value: £245,000Minimum share: 50% • Cost of share: £122,5005% deposit: £6,125 • Mortgage on share*: £715Rent on remaining share**: £281Total costs: £996


[email protected] with “Saxon Grange”


details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Saxon-

Grange

school within the village and secondary schools including Sir Joseph Williamson’s, Rochester Grammar School and the Robert Napier School.


East & South East Properties

TRINITY FIELDS Upper Cambourne from £80,000 for 50%

ROEBUCK PARKHellingly from £95,000 for 50%

Flagship Homes has launched a development of apartments, houses and a two-bedroom coach house under the shared ownership scheme. Focusing on the apartments, each one has an open plan lounge/kitchen/diner, two double bedrooms, with an en-suite and bathroom or shower room. Each apartment has an allocated parking spot and entry is via a communal entrance with secure door.

Kitchens are fitted with base and wall units, co-ordinating work surfaces and tiled splash back. An oven, hob and extractor fan is built in, and there’s space for a free standing fridge, freezer and washing machine. Bathrooms include a Roca white suite, Aqualisa shower and vinyl flooring. The central heating system is gas fired.

Two-bedroom apartments: Full value: £160,000 • Minimum share: 50% • Cost of share: £80,0005% deposit: £4,000 • Mortgage on share*: £467 • Rent on remaining share**: £183 • Total costs: £650

Interested? Call 0845 4744734 or email [email protected] with “Trinity Fields” in the subject.

Remember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Trinity Fields

Roebuck Park is a stunning new development of energy-efficient homes located close to the village of Hellingly, East Sussex. Situated in approximately 38 acres of beautiful parkland and surrounded by countryside and woodland, Roebuck Park is also within easy reach of a range of shopping, leisure and entertainment facilities; the market town of Hailsham is just two miles away.

The development allows easy access to the A22 which connects London and Eastbourne and you can easily reach Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings by road.

The last few two and three bedroom homes are being offered on a shared ownership basis through Orbit Homes.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £190,000 • Minimum share: 50% • Cost of share: £95,000 5% deposit: £4,750 • Mortgage on share*: £555 • Rent on remaining share**: £218

Interested? Call 0845 4744734 or email [email protected] with “Roebuck Park” in the subject.

Remember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Roebuck-Park


EADES PLACEGreat Witchingham. Prices to be advised for 80%

Home buyers wanting to live within easy reach of Norwich are encouraged to register their interest in a new development of new two, three and four-bedroom homes – all available under the Help to Buy scheme from Lovell.

Eades Place will feature a range of Lovell’s popular house styles, with homes incorporating stylish fully fitted kitchens with integrated cooking appliances and sleek bathrooms.

Great Witchingham, which benefits from a primary school, butchers, doctors and post office, is located just 12 miles from Norwich, making it an ideal setting for those who want a rural lifestyle with easy access to the city.

Interested? Call 0845 4744734 or email [email protected] with “Eades Place”

in the subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/

Eades-Place

IT research worker and long-term renter Stuart Turner, 32, was delighted to

find that he could actually save money by purchasing his first home in his home town, thanks to an A2Dominion New Homes shared ownership scheme in Surrey.

Stuart, who works in Egham, was so impressed with Viva Stanwell, a brand new regeneration scheme near Staines that he reserved a one-bedroom apartment before it had even been built.

‘I really liked the look and design of the apartment and it was a great price for what I was getting,” he recalls. ‘The location was incredibly practical for me

and the area itself has been regenerated to a really high standard.

Stuart, a university graduate, had returned to the family home after going travelling and he soon decided that the time was right to look for a place of his own. He was keen to remain in Surrey, an area he grew up in and knew well, and began to look at his options.

‘I’d been used to renting as a student and later spending a couple of years as a shared tenant in Cornwall, so I originally explored the idea of renting a place of my own in Surrey,’ Stuart says. ‘I was shocked at how expensive it was to rent an apartment in areas such as Virginia Water

and Camberley. When I realised that it would cost me less money to purchase and own a brand-new home than it would to rent someone else’s lesser-quality property, it was a no brainer. I wanted to remain near my friends and family and learning that I could do so while saving money was almost too good to be true.”

Indeed, it was Stuart’s close family connections that alerted him to the shared ownership properties at Viva Stanwell. ‘My sister-in-law sent me the link to the homes at Viva and I arranged a viewing as soon as possible. ‘I looked at the show room and reserved the apartment off-plan before I left the site that day.

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

Stuart Turner

Previous situation: Shared rental

Scheme: Shared Ownership

Location: Staines

Provider: A2 Dominion

Help to Buy Agent: Help to Buy east & south east

‘it would cost me less money to purchase and own a brand-new home than it would to rent someone else’s’



In prioritising MOD personnel, The Government is offering extra special help to servicemen and women to get them onto the home ownership ladder. The Forces Help to Buy scheme enables military personnel to secure an interest-free Government loan of up to 50% of their salary to put towards the cost of their first home or to help them move to another house. The money can be used towards a deposit and other costs such as

solicitor’s and estate agent’s fees.Saving the deposit required for a first

home can be difficult, especially for service personnel who move around throughout their military career. So the Forces Help to Buy scheme is an excellent opportunity for these would-be buyers to put some roots down and get on to the property ladder. Purchasers can borrow up to a maximum of £25,000 and the normal term of the loan is 10 years.

In response, Taylor Wimpey is making this scheme available on a wide selection of stylish apartments and spacious new houses on their developments throughout Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.

Forces Help to Buy is available on all three of the developments shown on the facing page.

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

FORCES HELP TO BUY Two-bedroom apartments, two, three and four-bedroom houses all over the south west

South West



South West Properties

CHERRY TREE GARDENS Plymouth from £127,996 for 80%

Taylor Wimpey is offering two and three and four-bedroom houses in Plymouth for specially held pre-showhouse prices – but only for the moment! And making them even more accessible…the Help to Buy scheme.

A typical four-bedroom, end-of-terrace house, features a spacious living/dining room opening through French doors to the private rear garden, with a kitchen/breakfast room and a guest cloakroom completing the ground-floor layout. Upstairs, the landing leads to an en-suite master

bedroom, three further bedrooms and a main bathroom, while there are two allocated parking spaces outside.

Cherry Tree Gardens is located off Ham Drive, close to a wealth of facilities for day-to-day living. For the weekly shop, there are three supermarkets within two miles and one less than half a mile away.

Three-bedroom house: Full value: £159,995Minimum equity: 80% • Cost of equity: £127,9965% deposit: £8,000Mortgage on 80% equity*:£737 • Total costs: £737***Forces Help to Buy available


[email protected] with “Cherry Tree

Gardens” in the subject. Remember to include your

contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/

Cherry-Tree-Gardens

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

www.homefocus.co.uk/Cherry-Tree-Gardens

www.homefocus.co.uk/Trevenson -Meadows

www.homefocus.co.uk/Tregorrick-View

TREVENSON MEADOWS Newquay from £119,996 for 80%

If you’re looking in Newquay, Taylor Wimpey is launching a range of stylish two-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom coach houses – perfect for first-time buyers – plus spacious three and four-bedroom houses which would suit growing families. Each new home at Trevenson Meadows is completed to a high standard specification, including energy efficient central heating, double glazing and a fitted kitchen with an integrated oven, hob and hood. All homes are offered under the Help to Buy scheme.

Families will appreciate there are schools for all ages within walking distance of the development, and a Morrisons supermarket close by. Trevenson Meadows enjoys a quiet, semi-rural setting in Trencreek, just a mile and a half from Newquay.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £149,995 • Minimum equity: 80%Cost of equity: £119,996 • 5% deposit: £7,500 • Mortgage on 80% equity*: £691 Total costs: £691***Forces Help to Buy available


[email protected] with “Trevenson

Meadows” in the subject. Remember to include

your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/

Trevenson-Meadows

TREGORRICK VIEW Three bedroom houses in St Austell from £150,396 for 80%

Help to Buy is ensuring great value homes at Tregorrick View, Taylor Wimpey’s development in St Austell.

A new selection of homes has just been released for sale, each ideally suited to contemporary family lifestyles, with plenty of space for day-to-day living as well as for entertaining or working from home.

The ‘Danbury’ features an open-plan ground-floor layout, including a large living/dining room opening through French doors to the private rear garden, a kitchen/breakfast room and a guest cloakroom.

Upstairs, the first-floor landing leads to a spacious family room with attractive Juliet balcony overlooking the garden, plus

a well-proportioned guest bedroom and a bathroom. An en-suite master bedroom, two further bedrooms and a shower room occupy the top floor, while outside, the property benefits from two allocated parking spaces.

The new homes at Tregorrick View occupy a convenient location just to the north of the town centre.

Three-bedroom house: Full value: £187,995Minimum equity: 80% • Cost of equity: £150,3965% deposit: £9400 • Mortgage on 80% equity*: £866Total costs: £866***Forces Help to Buy available


[email protected] with “Tregorrick View”


details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Tregorrick-

View


20 homefocus • JULY/AUGUST 2014 homefocus • JULY/AUGUST 2014 21homefocus • JULY/AUGUST 2014 11

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

South West Properties

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

HEATHFIELD GARDENS Taunton from £87,500 for 50%

WHITLEY COURT Paignton from £103,125 for 75%

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

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

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

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

“Heathfield Gardens” in the subject. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Heathffield-

Gardens

Sanctuary Group has built an extra care scheme for the over 55s, in Hayes Road, Paignton and is making homes available there, through the shared ownership scheme.

Whitley Court is made up of individual self-contained apartments, some with sea views, plus bungalows and they’re all designed to give residents maximum independence with care and support on site as needed. Living in an age exclusive development means that alongside the benefits of continuing to live on your own.

And even though you’re able to buy a 75% share at Whitley Court on a shared ownership basis, under the terms of this extra care scheme, there’s no rent to pay each month. As with all leasehold properties, service charges will be applied.

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £137,500 • Minimum share: 75% Cost of share: £103,125 • Rent on remaining share: n/a on this scheme


“Whitley Court” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or

visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Whitley-Court

First time buyers Ashley and Chelsea Evans, and their nine month old

daughter Nevaeh, had been looking for just the right property for ages, one that was affordable, child friendly and big enough for them to grow into.

So they were pleased when they found Locking Parklands, an award winning development of homes offered by St Mowden. This new community on a former RAF site, is tucked behind mature woodlands, enjoys views over beautiful open parkland, and is less than 15 minutes from the Weston-super-Mare seafront. Chelsea said: ‘We’d been looking for a house for over a year, but when we saw the green spaces on offer at Locking Parklands we knew the development would be a safe, welcoming and beautiful

place to bring up our daughter’.Chelsea acknowledges that getting a

mortgage and saving for a deposit is a struggle for the majority of young families nowadays so, when the St Mowden sales office told them about the Help to Buy scheme, they were keen to check it out and see if it was a feasible option.

Chelsea and Ashley looked at two and three-bedroom homes, all with high or vaulted ceilings and large windows and great external facades – all gains from the previously military style of the RAF buildings. They settled on a three-bedroom terrace house, with a designer kitchen, open plan dining and living areas, and high quality fittings throughout.

‘Purchasing under Help to Buy has

meant that we have been able to buy a larger house than we were originally looking at. The extra space is great when you have a baby in the house, especially the open plan living, and it means we can really start planning for our future. The St. Modwen Homes sales team took us through the process step by step, explaining everything along the way and helping us decide what options worked best for our own situation. I would certainly recommend Help to Buy to other people searching for a new property, it really has helped us buy our perfect home.’

When complete, Locking Parklands incorporate a district centre will shops, a library, school and additional leisure facilities.

Ashley and Chelsea EvansPrevious situation: Renting

Scheme: Help to Buy

Location: Weston-super-Mare

Provider: St Mowden Homes

Help to Buy Agent: Help to Buy south west

‘we have been able to buy a larger house than we were originally looking at’

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

It’s free, fast and simple to switch and we’ll take care of all the paperwork.

Do you want to pay less for your energy

Billscutter is part of the group

The Garden Court Apartments at The Apex in Ealing have only just completed and comprise 23 x one, two and three-bedroom apartments. But all of the one and two-bedroom apartments are already reserved and, as homefocus goes to press, there’s just five, three-bedroom apartments remaining. And they’re all available from Affinity Sutton through shared ownership.

intelligently designed to maximise the natural daylight. Neutral colours have also been used in the apartments to add to the spacious and airy feel. Many apartments benefit from a balcony or small garden.

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

London

THE APEX Three-bedroom apartments in Ealing from £137,500



All apartments at The Garden Court have been designed to suit a modern lifestyle and are equipped to a great specification with quality fitted kitchens; with a stainless steel oven, hob and extractor fan and a fridge/freezer.

The open-plan living areas are spacious and airy and have been

One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £550,000 • Minimum share: 25% • Cost of share: £137,5005% deposit: £6,875 • Mortgage on share*: £802 • Rent on remaining share**: £945 • Total costs: £1,747

London Properties


Visit www.homefocus.co.uk/The-Apex

THE ARCSurrey Quays from £138,125 for 25%

With all of the one and two-bedroom apartments already reserved, Affinity Sutton now offers three-bedroom apartments at The Arc on a shared ownership basis. All properties have stylish kitchens with a full range of integrated appliances, contemporary bathrooms and light and airy open plan living areas.

There’s a great selection of shopping and entertainment options at Surrey Quays Shopping centre which is under a mile away, Canary Wharf is just across the river, and there’s easy access to central London.

* 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

Transport links are great; Canary Wharf can be reached in two minutes on the underground, London Bridge takes six from Canada Water. Living so close to the Thames, residents will be able to use the Thames Clipper for journeys to Canary Wharf in five minutes or North Greenwich for the O2 which takes sixteen minutes.

Three-bedroom apartments: Full value: £552,500Minimum share: 25% • Cost of share: £138,1255% deposit: £6,907 • Mortgage on share*: £806Rent on remaining share**: £950Total costs: £1,756


[email protected] with “The Arc” in the

subject. Remember to include your contact details.

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

CANAL WALK APARTMENTSHackney from £81,250 for 25%

Canal Walk Apartments is a collection of stylish one, two and three-bedroom homes available from ISHA on a shared ownership basis.

Each apartment has been individually designed with a light, bright, contemporary living space and enjoys a high level of specification. And every home comes with a stylish kitchen, incorporating laminate worktops and a stainless steel oven, extractor hoods and sink and built-in appliances.

For a cosy night in, there’s a communal digital TV aerial and satellite dish already

cabled for Sky and HD. And when you entertain visitors, they can announce themselves via a video entryphone system.

If you’d prefer to go out, Hoxton is just round the corner and has it all: arts, entertainment, bars, cafes, restaurants and a vibrant culture scene.

One- bedroom apartments: Full value: £325,000Minimum share: 25% • Cost of share: £81,2505% deposit: £4,063 • Mortgage on share*: £474Rent on remaining share**: £559Total costs: £1,033


[email protected] with “Canal Walk”


details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Canal-Walk-

Apartments

SCHOLARS PLACE Croydon, prices be confirmed

At Scholars Place you’re just a short distance away from the bustling centre of Croydon where you will find a wide range of amenities to cater to your every need. Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s supermarkets are within easy reach of the development and both East and West Croydon railway stations are close by.

Perfect for first time buyers, a selection of one and two bedroom apartments will be available from Orbit

constructed with energy efficiency in mind and incorporate features such as low energy lighting, modern central heating systems and water efficient fittings.The apartments come complete with a contemporary fitted kitchen including integrated appliances, fitted carpets to living areas, a secure door entry system and furthermore, most apartments come with an allocated parking space too.


[email protected] with “Scholars

Place” in the subject. Remember to include your


Scholars-Place

Homes under the shared ownership scheme. Homes at Scholars Place are


London Properties

Emily and Jess Evans are twins. And they’re both dancers. And back

in 2012 they took part in the closing ceremony at The Olympics. What could top that? Well maybe actually living in The Olympic Village – part of the legacy now called East Village.

The twins had been living with their parents in Dormons in Surrey along with Tom Baird, who is Emilie’s partner. When they decided to move to London, the 23-year-olds, felt that teaming up to make their first step onto the property ladder seemed the only sensible option.

Emily explained: ‘with renting, you feel your money goes straight in the bin –

plus you have to work so hard to afford the rent. It’s quite tough. By splitting ownership, we’re actually putting our money into an investment. As well as being cheaper, it’s also a much nicer way to live: we’re moving into somewhere brand new that will be all ours. I’m sure we’ll have to set some ground rules, but making our first step onto the property ladder together feels good. By teaming up, we’ve been able to buy what feels like the perfect place to live while we’re in London; I don’t see us selling up until we need or want to move out of the city.’

The trio plumped for East Village as they knew and liked the area – and

of course the twins appearance at the closing ceremony gave them an extra special connection. ‘So it already feels like home,’ said Emily. Additionally, Tom works in Westminster, so he loved the location of the homes and being able to commute in so easily.

Between them, the trio have bought a 65 per cent share of a £380,000 two-bedroom flat and enjoy underfloor heating, contemporary stainless steel ironmongery, and three strip engineered oak flooring to reception, hallway and kitchen. All three love having a brand new home which they said ‘was much better’ than anything else they had seen.

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

Tom Baird, Emily & Jess Evans

Previous situation: Living with family

Scheme: Shared ownership

Location: East Village

Provider: Triathlon Homes

Help to Buy Agent: First Steps‘with renting, you feel your money goes straight in the bin’


RATIO Erith, prices to be confirmed

CHANDOS APARTMENTS Edgware, prices to be confirmed

Coming soon are three-bedroom shared ownership homes to be offered by Orbit Homes.

Situated in the popular and well-established residential area of Slade Green, Ratio benefits from easy access to a range of local amenities. In nearby Erith you will find the Riverside shopping centre, which is home to around 40 stores, a new library and a large Morrison’s supermarket.

Life at Ratio means you’re never far away from the diverse range of leisure, entertainment and shopping facilities that the capital has to offer. And first class road and rail links make Ratio an excellent choice for commuters. Slade Green Railway station is just a few minutes walk from the development and offers regular direct services into London Bridge and London Cannon Street in around 40 minutes.


“Ratio” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or visit

www.homefocus.co.uk/Ration

For a London address without the hefty price tag, first time buyers might well look to up and coming Edgware to take their first step onto the property ladder.

Origin Housing’s Chandos Apartments offers 15 high quality one and two-bedroom apartments available for shared ownership. With an attractive exterior of glass panels and floor to ceiling windows, the striking new building is positioned on High Street Edgware.

Internally, specification at Chandos Apartments meets high standards. The light filled open plan kitchen/living/dining rooms have a range of built in appliances, attractive laminate units and worktops, and high quality Amtico flooring. Bedrooms are carpeted with fitted wardrobes, and bathrooms offer smart white sanitaryware. Most properties come with a generous balcony.


“Chandos” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or visit

www.homefocus.co.uk/Chandos-Apartments

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Three-bedroom house: Full value: £217,950 • Minimum equity: 80% • Cost of equity: £174,360 • 5% deposit: £10,898 Mortgage on 80% equity*: £1,004 • Total costs: £1,004***

Midlands



Located on the edge of Duston, off Tollgate Way, Westleigh New Homes’ Highgrove Fields development provides a range of traditional family homes, with three-bedroom semi-detached, plus four and five-bedroom detached properties.

In keeping with the style of the development, the showhouse has been designed to give the property a modern country feel with some glamour thrown in. It’s dressed to be friendly, relaxed and welcoming – just right for a family focused environment.

The homes are spacious, light and airy and very functional to meet modern needs. The bedrooms are all a good size and the garden is a real stand-out feature.

The development is situated in a very pleasant area alongside the Millway Primary School, only a few minutes walk from a large retail park, yet close to the village centre.

Highgrove Fields is well placed for access into Northampton and sits just four miles from junctions 15A and 16 of the M1.

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

HIGHGROVE FIELDS Three, four and five bedroom homes in Duston from £174,360 for 80%

Midlands Properties


GLEN COTTAGES Ketley from £63,750 for 50%

SENWICK ROAD Wellingborough – prices to be advised

Unusual, in the sense that it provides a mixed development of new-build and refurbished properties, Sanctuary is offering two new, and two refurbished, two bedroom houses under the shared ownership scheme. The refurbished homes are semi-detached and priced just a little lower than the new-builds - one of which is end terrace, and the other, mid-terrace.

The development is in Brickhill Lane, Ketley, where the four shared ownership houses form part of an overall £1.6

A development of new affordable homes in Senwick Road, Wellingborough is available via a partnership scheme between Westleigh Partnership Homes and Derwent Living.

The former allotment site has been transformed, and six shared ownership properties will be made available to provide local people with high quality affordable living.

million project incorporating fourteen homes. As you’d expect, each home has been finished or upgraded to an exacting high standard.

Ketley is a suburb of Telford with easy access to the restaurant, shopping and entertainment facilities that central Telford has to offer.

Two-bedroom houses: Full value: £127,500Minimum share: 50% • Cost of share: £63,7505% deposit: £3,188 • Mortgage on share*: £372Rent on remaining share**: £146 • Total costs: £518


[email protected] with “Glen Cottages” in

the subject. Remember to include your contact details.

Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Glen-Cottages

UPLANDS MILLBiddulph, Staffordshire Moorlands from £66,250 for 50%

Staffordshire Housing Association is selling two and three-bedroom houses in the first phase of a new development at Uplands Mill in Biddulph in Staffordshire Moorlands. More houses will be available later in the year and all of the properties are available, on a shared ownership basis.

Each home has a modern kitchen with integrated white goods and the lounge in the three-bedroom homes is large enough to incorporate a dining table – great for those of you who enjoy entertaining in their new home. The lounge gives access to the garden via a rear or patio door.

There is a downstairs toilet and family bathroom on the 1st floor and

each property has a drive or 2 allocated parking spaces.

Uplands Mill is located on the north side of Biddulph but close to the town, local amenities schools and leisure activities.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £132,500Minimum share: 50% • Cost of share: £66,2505% deposit: £3,313 • Mortgage on share*: £386Rent on remaining share**: £152Total costs: £1,004***


[email protected] with “Uplands Mill”

in the subject. Remember to include your


Uplands-Mill

www.homefocus.co.uk/Highgrove-Fields


Senwick Rd is on the outskirts of Wellingborough, a popular market town boasting major high street chain stores in its town centre. Supplementing these town centre shops are several out-of-town retail parks and supermarkets including a Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Aldi and Morrisons. The town has a market three times a week.


[email protected] with “Senwick Rd”


details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Senwick

-Road


Midlands Properties

Anna Wilkie, a sixth-form teacher has taken her first step on to the

property ladder at Barratt Homes’ Kings Rise development in Kings Norton thanks to the Help to Buy equity loan scheme.

Anna (27) decided that the convenience of a new-build house and the chance to take advantage of Help to Buy was too good to turn down. And key to the opportunity was that she only had to save for a five per cent deposit.

Anna, from Solihull, said ‘I’d been living with friends in an old Victorian townhouse and although it looked

wonderful, the reality of heating and maintenance costs soon took the shine away. I visited Kings Rise and what instantly appealed to me was the variety of each house style, each house has its own character.’

She continued, ‘using Help to Buy was a big help for me as having to save for a ten per cent deposit would have meant another 12 to 18 months of hard saving. Barratt’s sales adviser was on hand to answer any queries throughout the entire process, which was relatively plain sailing.’

With no roommates in sight, Anna

has put the extra space in her new house to fine use –‘having the entire house to myself means I can have a huge walk in wardrobe, also known as the spare room!’

King’s Rise offers three and four- bedroom houses with prices starting from £179,950 and a good proportion of the buyers there have used Help to Buy to get their foot in the door. This means putting down a deposit of £8,998 and raising a mortgage of £134,962, with the remaining £35,990 coming from the Government in the form of a Help to Buy equity loan.


Anna Wilkie

Previous situation: Living with friends

Scheme: Help to Buy

Location: Kings Norton

Provider: Barratt Homes

Help to Buy Agent: Help to Buy midlands‘a ten per cent deposit would have meant another 12 to 18 months of hard saving’


EDISON PLACE Rugby from £171,996 for 80%St. Modwen Homes is offering Help to Buy on all of their properties at the Edison Place development, located off Technology Drive, Rugby.

The houses are designed to offer a contemporary and spacious layout with large windows whilst retaining some desirable, traditional features such as higher than average ceilings.

Ideally situated off Leicester Road, Edison Place is located just 500m from Rugby railway station, with regular connections to London Euston and Birmingham Stations in 45 minutes.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £214,995 • Minimum equity: 80%Cost of equity: £171,996 • 5% deposit: £10,750Mortgage on 80% equity*: £990 • Total costs: £990***


“Edison Place” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or visit

www.homefocus.co.uk/Edison-Place

CITRUS GROVEKegworth from £28,750 for 25% Citrus Grove is

a development

of spacious

two-bedroom

apartments

in Kegworth,

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.A thriving village, Kegworth has its own primary

school, library, chemist and supermarket. The village is well

connected to locations throughout the east Midlands. so homes

at Citrus Grove are perfect for commuters.

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


“Citrus Grove” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or

visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Citrus-Grove






PYLERS WAY Lydney from £49,000 for 50%

SOUTHSIDE EMBANKMENTKings Worthy from £94,000 for 40%

Two Rivers Housing is offering shared ownership on nine two and three-bedroom properties in a small close in Lydney. Access to this site is via a no through road, good for security, and where there are already a number of older style properties – so an established community feel.

The town of Lydney offers a wide range of shopping facilities within walking distance plus schools for all ages. The main line rail station provides travellers a regular service to Cardiff, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Birmingham and Nottingham.

More shops and services are available at Chepstow, Ross -on-Wye and Monmouth, respectively 9, 16 miles and 13 miles away.

You can buy a 40% share in the three-bedroom and 50% in the two-bedroom properties.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £98,000 • Minimum share: 50% • Cost of share: £49,0005% • Deposit: £2,450 Mortgage on share*: £286 • Rent on remaining share**: £112 • Total costs: £398

Interested? Call 0845 4744734 or email [email protected] with “Plyers Way” in the subject.

Remember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Plyers-Way

Located in the pretty Hampshire village of Kings Worthy, just two miles from historic Winchester, Southside Embankment is a collection of 10 brand new homes, specifically designed for first time buyers. Southside Embankment is available on a shared ownership basis from Hyde New Homes.

The village of Kings Worthy, set in the Itchen Valley, is a traditional Hampshire village which provides the perfect backdrop for family life. Living here, you won’t have to travel far to meet your daily needs. The village is home to a good selection of shops and services including a Tesco Express, a convenience store, pharmacy, post office, a couple of pubs, hairdressing salon, doctor’s surgery and a good primary school.

Two-bedroom house: Full value: £235,000 • Minimum share: 40% • Cost of share: £94,0005% deposit: £4,700 • Mortgage on share*: £548 • Rent on remaining share**: £323 • Total costs: £871

Interested? Call 0845 4744734 or email [email protected] with “Southside Embankment” in the

subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Southside -Embankment


COOPERS WORKYate from £56,000 for 40%

Two brand new, two-bedroom apartments are up for grabs for people looking for ‘affordable’ opportunities in Yate, Bristol. They’re being offered by Merlin Housing Society, the first time that Merlin has marketed shared ownership. The two apartments each benefit from their own off-street parking space.

The Coopers Works development is right in the heart of a semi-rural community, and yet, only five minutes from the diverse Yate Shopping Centre. If you enjoy exercise and leisure pursuits, then Coopers Works boasts its own lake and is opposite Westerleigh Common, popular for walking and other recreational activities.

Two-bedroom apartments: Full value: £140,000 • Minimum share: 40% • Cost of share: £56,0005% deposit: £2,800 • Mortgage on share*: £327 • Rent on remaining share**: £193Total costs: £520

Interested? Call 0845 4744734 or email [email protected] with “Coopers Work” in the

subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Coopers-Work

Waterside tranquillity in the heart of Reading - just a thirty minute train journey to London Paddington! And Raglan is offering ten apartments there on a shared ownership basis.

Sport, art, music, nature, shopping, gastronomy or nightlife: whatever your passion, you’ll find it a stone’s throw from your front door at Kennet House.

All of the apartments have a fresh modern feel, echoing the sleek exterior

architecture. Light and airy living rooms, some with Juliette balconies overlooking the river Kennet, extend into fully-fitted kitchen areas. These offer ample space for cooking and eating and are completed by Zanussi appliances.

The serene ambience and cool décor flows into the bedrooms: a relaxing space where you can kick your shoes off and

totally unwind. And the bathrooms and en-suite shower rooms all feature contemporary white suites, fully-tiled surrounds and modern chrome fittings.

Plush carpets and cushioned vinyl flooring underfoot complete the feeling of complete comfort.

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

KENNET HOUSEOne and two-bedroom apartments in Reading from £72,000 for 40%

South



One-bedroom apartment: Full value: £180,000 • Minimum share: 40% • Cost of share: £72,0005% deposit: £3,600 • Mortgage on share*: £420 • Rent on remaining share**: £309 • Total costs: £729***


www.homefocus.co.uk/Kennet-House

South Properties



THE CLOISTERS Southampton from £50,000 for 40%

CENTENARY QUAYWoolston from £43,750 for 35%

Situated in a leafy residential area, just two miles north of Southampton’s bustling city centre, is a new development comprising ten x two and three-bedroom houses and eight x one and two-bedroom apartments. This selection of contemporary houses and apartments has been designed to suit a wide range of buyers.

Not only are these houses and apartments at The Cloisters in a fabulous location, (once the setting for Poor Clares Convent) but they are affordable for any first time buyers or professionals – they’re being offered for shared ownership via Affinity Sutton.

One-bedroom apartments: Full value: £125,000 • Minimum share: 40%Cost of share: £50,000 • 5% deposit: £2,500 • Mortgage on share*: £292Rent on remaining share**: £172 • Total costs: £464


“The Cloisters” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or visit

www.homefocus.co.uk/The-Cloisters

Spectrum Housing Group is offering one and two bedroom apartments at the brand new development, Centenary Quay in Woolston on a shared ownership basis. Woolston is located on the eastern bank of the River Itchen.

This phase of the development consists of two x one-bedroom apartments and fourteen x two-bedrooom apartments all built to a high standard, with excellent fixtures and fittings. This development will make an ideal perfect location for people to live, work and relax. And a state-of-the-art marine quarter will complete the look of the new complex.

One-bedroom house: Full value: £125,000 • Minimum share: 35%Cost of share: £43,750 • 5% deposit: £2,188 • Mortgage on share*: £256 • Rent on remaining share**: £187 • Total costs: £443


“Century Quay” in the subject. Remember to include your contact details. Or

visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Century-Quay

J ess and Jean Paul Leonel needed a bigger property to meet the needs of their

family but knew that they couldn’t afford one! But then they came across the shared ownership.

Jess said ‘we owned our previous home for five years, a small one-bedroom cluster house. This became increasingly too small as our son, Leland, began to grow up. But due to the recession, we were in negative equity so were unable to afford a larger house on our own.’

The couple sold their one-bedroom home, and moved in with Jess’ father in order to save towards a deposit and look for the new, bigger home through the shared ownership scheme. ‘We needed more space;

our son was sleeping in our bedroom and we wanted to have enough room for him to play, especially a garden he could run around in’ said Jean-Paul.

After registering with their local Help to Buy Agent, the couple were emailed information on a three-bedroom townhouse in Waterlooville, available on the shared ownership scheme through Radian. ‘The process was very easy’ said Jean-Paul, ‘after having a financial assessment with a mortgage advisor we were pleased to hear that the scheme would be affordable. We visited the home in Waterlooville, loved it, and everything went smoothly from there,’ Jess and Jean-Paul were able to buy a 35% share in their home

for £73,500, paying around £660 per month in mortgage repayments, rent on the remaining share and small service charges.

Jess says, ‘this feels like a mansion! We love our new home, the bedrooms are so big and my son loves to run around in them. Having a brand new washing machine, fridge freezer and cooker is all a wonderful bonus too,’ explained Jess. ‘The house is further away from both our work places but it’s worth it for our son’s happiness.

We were stuck with nowhere to go, due to the recession putting our home into negative equity, and having no space to move – Radian and shared ownership saved us!’


‘stuck with nowhere to go...no space to move –shared ownership saved us!’

South Properties

Pan MeadowsIsle of Wight

for a 40% share plus a monthly rent and service charge

Crack

the Crunch

with the get move-in

FREE Smart-Start Plus

package+!

Help with your deposit

Mortgage and rent

payment protection

Protection against falling

property values

44

4

+ subject to terms and

conditions

Pan MeadowsIsle of Wight

[email protected]

Jess and Jean-Paul Leonel

Previous situation: Homeowners

Scheme: Shared ownership

Location: Waterlooville

Provider: Radian

Help to Buy Agent: Help to Buy south


Inconversationwith...

What attracted you to becoming a DIY expert and what do you like most about the job?I have always loved how each DIY project and house makeover I do is different, and every job I tackle can be challenging in its own right. I didn’t consciously set out to become an expert, but just to improve my skills and over the past twenty four years I have developed a wealth of knowledge that I like sharing with others.

When did you buy your first home, what was it like, and what made you choose it?I bought my first house back in 1997, it was a little old derelict detached cottage in Newport Shropshire. I fell in love with it straight away. It was set back off the main road, surrounded by trees but close to the town centre and of course I knew it had huge potential. It had a good fair bit of land around it that I needed to be able to build a big garage and workshop. The cottage itself wasn’t in good condition when I first bought it and I had to do a lot of work both on the inside and outside to make it habitable. I ended up living in a caravan in the garden for a couple of months with no electric, gas or running water!

What do you believe are the most important aspects of a home?Having somewhere where you and your family can feel safe, relaxed, and enjoy being there. I think whatever your job is or wherever you work you should always look forward to going home to your own house. You may not have much control over how your home looks from the outside but you should have some say and control of what it looks and feels like on the inside, for example, the colour scheme and texture of the walls, flooring and ceiling, and your choice and style of furniture and layout. All these things can give your home its own identity and will help make you feel happy and comfortable and want to spend time relaxing there. What is your vision/opinion on the lack of affordable housing in the UK?I feel quite sad that there are not enough affordable homes in the UK, and that even most of the smaller starter homes are going up in value so much. It’s simply not in line or affordable with the standard/average wages and I think the government

should be trying to do more to help the first time buyers on the property market. One option is to maybe take more of the Stamp Duty revenue that the government gains from the more expensive homes and use it towards building more affordable homes. And, of course, keep the interest rates lower for the lower earners to manage better.

What advice/DIY tips would you give to those looking to purchase their first home?If anybody is looking to purchase their first home and plans on doing the DIY work themselves then I say definitely go for it, because the sooner you get on the property ladder the better. Do of course get as much advice as possible, both when it comes to choosing your first home through to the purchasing of it. When it comes to DIY, decorating, and garden improvements you really want to be doing as much as you can yourself - within your limits! Remember, everyone has to start somewhere and the more you do, the more you learn. I always say your home is probably the biggest investment you’ll every make in your life so it’s in your best interest to learn as much as you can about maintaining it to the best of your knowledge. This will help to keep its value or even add value to it. A great way to learn more about DIY skills is to watch online videos - I’ve made loads over the last fourteen years since working on TV makeover shows. Finally, remember when doing any DIY that your safety comes first so ensure you are wearing the correct protective clothing for the task you are undertaking.

Tell us about what you are currently working on and what’s next for you?I now have over twenty units in my property portfolio which I’ve ether built from scratch or fully refurbished, and I’m just coming to the end of redeveloping my very first cottage again and turning the old workshop into a bungalow. I start shooting 60 Minute Makeover again next month with Peter André, and then in September I will be re-developing a huge old detached house in my home town of Liverpool. This will be my own dream home to live in myself and will hopefully be documented by Channel 4 for Grand Designs. Alongside all this I am working with BLÅKLÄDER, a company who develop, produce, and sell workwear, gloves, and shoes all of which I wear when working. For more information about Blaklader workwear please visit www.blaklader.com/gb

Inconversationwith...

Craig Phillips

Craig Phillips started his working life as an apprentice bricklayer, and after several years of studying went on to set up his own successful construction company. In 2000 his life took a dramatic change when he won Britain’s first ever reality TV show, Big Brother. Craig put his new found fame to use, and went on to combine his knowledge of construction and media savvy to forge a brilliant career as one of the UK’s leading DIY and home improvement experts. In between re-developing his first cottage again, and filming for his next TV appearance we asked Craig to give us some DIY tips, and tell us about his work and home.

REALITY TV WINNER & DIY EXPERT


HomeStyle

The bathroom is one room in the house where even the most conservative of us can shed our interior decoration inhibitions. It’s the perfect private space in which to express your style and add some individuality to your home. From simply using colourful pieces to liven up a plain white suite, to introducing a whole new dimension to your bathroom with themed accessories, the possibilities are endless.

BeautiesBATHING

1 Zig Zag bath towel £8 www.wilko.com

2 Zig Zag bath mat £8 www.wilko.com

3 Ceramic soap dispenser £9.50 www.berryred.co.uk

4 Vintage medicine cabinet £29.95 www.dotcomgiftshop.com

5 Alessi Otto floss dispenser £9.50 www.redcandy.co.uk

6 Bathroom mirror £8 www.very.co.uk

7 Toothbrush holder and timer £12.95 www.houseofbath.co.uk

8 Qualy Cherry toilet brush £29.95 www.thegiftoasis.com

9 Biba black croc bathroom accessories from £14 www.houseoffraser.co.uk

10 Striped laundry bag £12.95 www.idyllhome.co.uk

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

910

French farmhouse style from www.matalan.co.uk


50% of this one-bedroom apartment in Welwyn Garden City, from Moat for £77,500

50% of this two-bedroom

apartment in Hemel

Hempstead, from Hightown

Homes for £87,500

Pre-owned and creating more choiceThe second hand market for shared ownership homes increases your options

40% of this one-bedroom apartment in St Albans, from Hightown Homes for £92,000

25% of this one-bedroom apartment in London SE28 from Currells for £32,500

More informationIf you want more information about the resale homes featured here, or to search for other properties featured in homefocus, please visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Search. Or you can email [email protected] or call 0845 474 4734.

When Michael and Victoria Powell, and their three young children, started to quickly outgrow their two bedroom home in Bordon, the couple knew that they would need to move up the property ladder to a larger home for the family.

Searching the internet for three bedroom properties, they came across information about shared ownership and discovered that being home owners meant that they would not be the highest priority for the scheme. On the other hand, they realised that there was still a chance of being offered a home if their existing property was no longer suitable. With their two bedroom home too small and unable to afford to buy a larger home without assistance, they decided to look into shared ownership.

‘We came across a number of properties on the radianhomes.co.uk website that we really liked’ said Victoria. ‘We registered our interest in a three- bedroom house in Lindford - a shared ownership resale - and were given the chance to view the house. Michael viewed it initially, and we were really pleased when Radian offered us the property” she added.

As existing home owners, the Powell’s needed to have an offer in place on their existing home before being offered the new home in Lindford and the timing worked out perfectly. After a financial assessment and the usual conveyancing, Michael and Victoria became proud home owners of an ideal three bed house, with garden and parking.

‘All of the rooms are much bigger than we initially expected. We have three generous bedrooms and a lovely large living/dining room area. Our garden is all we need and it’s great having two off road car parking spaces.’ said Michael. “We live on a lovely new estate and really pleased with our new home.’

Purchasing a 40% share in the £215,000 home, the couple pay approximately £500 per month in mortgage payments and £385 in rent and service charges, making their new home comfortable, both in size and monthly outgoings.

‘We needed a larger property and wanted to stay in the area for the children’s education and great local community’ said Victoria. She continued, ‘we really could not see how we were able to continue climbing the property ladder after having two more children in a two bed house. We were so lucky to have been offered this leg up to continue growing as a family.

‘We needed a larger property and wanted to stay in the area’

MoreChoice

50% of this two-bedroom coach house in Welwyn Garden City, from Hightown Homes for £112,500

Just a taste

don’t seem to have a name for pre-owned homes. Second hand doesn’t fit at all. So in shared ownership, we call them resales.

Your Local Help to Buy Agent will have details of many of the resales properties available in their area or you can visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-homes-near-you. 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.

More choice…Resales add to the choice of homes you could buy. Of course, a lot of the resale homes will be nearly new, simply because most shared ownership homes were new build at the time of their first purchase. But there are other kinds of property available too – including older properties that have been refurbished and sold through shared ownership in the past. So if you’ve got your heart set on an older property, check out the resales available in your area.

When you’re looking to buy a home through 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 want to stay living in the area you know and it hasn’t seen any new development for a while? What if staying close to family and friends is a key factor in your life? What if your children have issues about schools that make moving away a real problem? And what if you’re already a home owner that has outgrown your home? Well maybe looking at a ‘resale’ shared ownership property could increase your chances of finding what you want!

Pre-ownedA ‘resale’ is an existing shared ownership property that’s already been bought through a shared ownership scheme, and now the owners are looking to sell their share and move on. So it’s been pre-owned. We call pre-owned cars ‘used’, we call pre-owned clothes ‘retro’ and we call pre-owned furniture ‘distressed’. Or sometimes we just say second hand! But we

More places…Buying a resale property might also 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. You may already know the development, have friends or family in the area, and fancied buying a home there yourself but weren’t ready when the homes were being sold new. In fact, a resale property might not be part of a development at all, because early low cost home ownership schemes did allow people to buy homes other than new builds.

Share and share alike…With most resale properties you buy the share that the sellers own – so if they’ve bought 35%, you buy 35%. But if you want to buy more, you can. Let’s say you can afford 50% of the home you want, but the sellers only own 35%. In that case, you buy their 35% plus a further 15% 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.

Selling up…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 are in now – keen to buy and looking for an affordable home in the area. And you will have to give your housing association the opportunity to find you a buyer - they want to keep your home in shared ownership so more people can benefit in the future. But if you’re unlucky and they don’t succeed, you’ll be able to go out to an estate agent.

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 touchIf you want more information about resales, visit www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-homes-near-you Or you could call 0845 474 4734

Here’s just a sample of the kind ofproperties you could find as a resale...



A recent report from the HomeOwners Alliance says that a quarter of homeowners aged 25-34 borrow from family

in order to take that first step onto the housing ladder. Paula Higgins, chief executive of HomeOwners Alliance, says that young buyers can no longer rely on their own savings. ‘As house prices rise and home ownership levels drop, young people are left with no choice but to resort to desperate measures to realise their dream of owning their own home’.

But what if the cupboard of mum and dad is bare? Well, the survey also showed that one in ten young people has used a government scheme such as shared ownership or Help to Buy to buy their home with a deposit of 5%. In fact, in the first 9 months of the Help to Buy scheme – up until March of this year, more than 17,000 households bought their home thanks to the Help to Buy scheme. So if you have a problem raising a full deposit on the home you want, you’ll find plenty of others in the same situation. And like many of them, you’ll need to find ways to fund your new home.

How it works If you can afford 80% of the property you want, then the other 20% will be lent to you – in the form of an equity loan - by the government. Just as an example, let’s imagine you see a new build property on the market for £180,000 (it’s a sort of typical price across the country). With Help to Buy you will need to put down a 5% deposit of £9,000 and find a mortgage for £135,000. If you can do that, then the Government will lend you the extra £36,000 to make up the difference. Crucially, there’s nothing to pay on that

£36,000 equity loan for the first five years and after that, there’s a small interest charge which rises each year.

You will have to pay the equity loan back eventually, but for the time being, it’s bridged the gap. It’s helped you buy the house you want with just a 5% deposit and you’ve avoided the rental trap where you’re paying out each month to pay someone else’s mortgage.

Help to Buy equity loans are only available on brand new properties where the developer is participating in the scheme – and a lot of them are. Properties up to a maximum full value of £600,000 are included, and there are no maximum income limits for you to think about.

Not just first time buyersYou can use Help to Buy if you’re a first time buyer, but you can also take advantage of the scheme if you’re already a home owner. So if you need to move to a more expensive area, to be nearer a job, or schools for your growing family, then a Help to Buy equity loan is worth considering.

Moving on…When it comes to selling up, you simply sell your home and split the proceeds. Assuming you haven’t paid a lump sum off of the equity loan, you get 80% of the sales price and the government gets the other 20%. That’s fair. If you’ve already paid off the equity loan, you get to keep the whole 100%. And if you sell up within the first five years, you’ve had the benefit of the equity loan without having to pay anything at all towards it.

One in four young people borrows from their parents to get onto the home ownership ladder. But there are other ways…

Highgrove Fields Three, four

and five-bedroom houses in Duston

available from Westleigh from £174,360.

Full asking prices start at £217,950

HELP TO BUY CAN BRIDGE THE GAP


Here’s a few of the fantastic homes you could purchase through Help to Buy right now…

HelpToBuy

Debdale Rise Three-bedroom homes from Rippon Homes in Mansfield from £122,360. Full asking prices start at £152,950.

Crest Heights Four and five-bedroom homes from David Wilson Homes in North Hykeham from 206,400. Full asking prices start at £258,000.

Brigadier HouseOne and two-bedroom apartments and Mews Houses in Colchester, available from Taylor Wimpey from £123,996. Full asking prices start at £154,995.

NightingalesThree and four-bedroom houses at Graylingwell Park, Chichester available from Linden Homes from £319,996. Full asking prices start at £399,995.

Edison Place Three-bedroom houses in Rugby available from St Mowden Homes from £171,996. Full asking prices start at £214,995.

Edward (30) and Katerina Lee (28), bought a three bedroom Barwick style house, from Barratt Homes at their Kings Rise development in Kings Norton. But before they did, they calculated that, with Help to Buy, buying would be better than renting.

Edward said; ‘We had been renting for a while but wanted to move into our own home, so we decided to take advantage of Help to Buy. After calculating that we’d save over £70,000, throughout the lifetime of the mortgage, it was a no brainer.’

Overall, the new development on Walkers Heath Road has proven popular with buyers using Help to Buy scheme, with over half of the properties being bought there using the scheme.

King’s Rise offers three and four bedroom houses priced from £199,950 to £249,950.

‘We’d save over £70,000…it was a no brainer.’

THE HELP TO BUY MORTGAGE GUARANTEEYes, there is another part to Help to Buy. This is called the Help to

Buy Mortgage Guarantee Scheme. And it lets you buy a place with

just a 5% deposit. But don’t mix the two parts up! This scheme

relates just to your mortgage. And you can’t get a Help to Buy

Mortgage for a Help to Buy equity loan property! You can’t have it

both ways. If you get yourself a Help to Buy equity loan on a new

property, you can’t then pay for it with a Help to Buy Mortgage.

But the Help to Buy mortgage will let you buy any property, new

or old, up to £600,000 and the Government guarantees 15% of

the loan for 7 years. Now that’s not making any guarantees to you,

it’s making them to your mortgage lender. Effectively it’s making you

a better bet when they lend you money. So in theory, the bank or

building society should be able to offer you a better interest rate than

if you were applying for a 95% loan in any other way.


Top Table BarbecueThe stylish Joya table top barbecue grill makes outdoor cooking and entertaining easy no matter what size your garden, patio or balcony. It’s perfect for any occasion and cool to touch so even children can safely try their hand at a bit of barbecuing. The outer ceramic burner box is filled with water ensuring it doesn’t overheat and silicone feet provide extra protection for table tops. The stainless steel inner burner box and grilling grid are both dishwasher proof, and the ceramic outer burner box can be cleaned with a damp cloth. £119 www.barbecook.com

You’ve Got Soul If all your summer activities are leaving you short on time try a Soulful Food

Pot. These quick, tasty snacks, come in five different flavours including Moroccan Chicken Tagine and British Pulled Pork Stew. Each pot is filled with 100% British ingredients and contains 2 of your 5 a day. We tried all

the flavours and our favourite was the Butternut, Lentil, and Spinach Stew. £3.49 available from Ocado and other independent stockists.

May The Force Be With YouFlip your burgers with the ruthless precision of a Sith Lord with the Star

Wars Lightsaber™ BBQ Tongs. With a handy pair of pincers at one end and the lightsaber’s iconic hilt at the other, they are the perfect bit of kit

for budding BBQ fans. And yes, they even make the noise (so you don’t have to). £19.99 available from

www.thefowndry.com

SUMMER SIZZLEIt’s time to enjoy some fun in the sun whilst savouring the tastes of summer with our pick of the latest foodie ideas…

FoodFocus

Method• Place the beef mince in a blender and excluding the Boursin Black Pepper Portions and vegetable oil, add all other ingredients. Pulse until combined. Split the mixture into four equal portions and shape into burger patties • Take the four Boursin Black Pepper Portions and shape into four individual balls. Push the balls into the middle of each of your burger patties, ensuring you seal around the cheese to keep it in the middle. Set aside until cooking

• For the skinny chips, peel the potatoes and cut into 5mm slices, then place them flat on the surface and cut into 5mm chips • Once prepared, place all of the chips into a bowl and run under cold water until all of the water runs clear from the surface of the chips, in order to remove all traces of starch. Drain and leave to dry • Heat 3cm of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan at 130°C. Use a cooking thermometer to check the temperature, add the chips and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft. Increase the temperature of the oil to 180°C and cook the chips for about three minutes until golden in colour

• Remove the chips from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain and season with salt, keeping warm until required for serving • Meanwhile, to cook the burgers, place a griddle pan or a heavy based frying pan on a high heat. Add a little oil and then immediately add the burger patties, cooking evenly for approximately 3 minutes on each side. Once cooked, remove from the pan and allow to rest for two minutes before serving

To serve: place the burgers into a warm bun, garnished with sliced gherkins and tomatoes, alongside a generous helping of skinny chips, sprinkled with salt and vinegar

Burger Ingredients500g beef mince 1 x rasher of smoked bacon, finely chopped ½ a white onion, finely chopped 1 x garlic clove, finely chopped 100g field mushrooms, finely chopped ½ tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp butter 1 tsp English mustard 1 tsp Dijon mustard Salt & pepper to taste 4 x Boursin Black Pepper Portions Vegetable oil for cooking Optional: Sliced tomatoes & gherkins to serve

Skinny Chips Ingredients2 x large Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes Vegetable oil

Tip: This method allows for the burger patties to be cooked rare, if you prefer them cooked through, place into a preheated oven at 180°C for 5-6 minutes


BEEF & MUSHROOM

BURGERSwith a Boursin black pepper centre

Serves 4Preparation time: 40 minutesCooking Time: 10 minutes

TV chef Marcus Bean has created a range of delicious recipes using Boursin - to see the full collection visit www.boursin.co.uk

Hot, Hot, Hot!Newman’s Own Smokin’ Hot

Dog Sauce will add some extra

hot flavour to your cooking

this summer! Whether grilling

or barbequing, this authentic

American style tangy sauce tastes

great on sausages, steak and

burgers. Founded by Hollywood

actor Paul Newman, the Newman’s

Own Foundation donates all post-tax

profits to charity, with over £1million

already being donated to a wide

range of charities in the UK. So not

only does the sauce taste great

(we tried some at a bank holiday

BBQ) but purchasing it helps donate

money to charity. £1.89 available

from Morrisons.

Luscious LeavesSteve’s Leaves, a bunch of

pioneering farmers based in

Hampshire, are launching Persian

Cress & Luscious Herby Leaves,

a rather peppery mix of Persian

Cress complemented with Baby

Green Batavia, Baby Red Cos,

Wild Rocket and Chives.

Persian Cress has a small,

delicate frilly leaf which makes an

attractive addition to any salad, or even as a barbeque

burger garnish. £1.40 for a 60g bag, available from Waitrose.

BUDGETPLANNERIf you’re trying to get to grips with your finances, you must do a budget – it’s so easy to miss

off important expenses. Remember to budget everything on a monthly basis, even if you only get and pay the bill once a year! So we’ve come up with a handy sheet to help. Our advice? Photocopy it a few times so you’ll have something to fill in as your budget changes. Or go to www.homefocus.co.uk/Budget_Planner to download an electronic version and print off as

many times as you need.

MoneyMaestro

BUDGET BUSTER

Are you a spender or a saver? Do you feel like your money trickles through your fingers? Are you always struggling at the end of the month? We can’t give you more income to play with, but if you follow our simple steps, we can help you get your finances under control. And that’s important when you’re saving for that vital deposit, and the fees you’ll need to buy your home. Keep it up once you’ve bought your home, though, and you could still manage to fund the things that make life fun, whether that’s a spot of retail therapy or a week in the sun. Don’t know where to start? Read on…

At the beginning…Get to grips with your budget right from the start. Not only will it make saving for your deposit and moving costs easier, it’ll also make life much more relaxing once you move. If you have your money sorted, that’s one less thing to panic about.

First and most importantly, know yourself. Think about your money management history. Have you always been able to make ends meet or save for a special purchase? Ask friends and family what they think you’re like with money, too (and tell them to be honest, not kind!) and then plan your budget plan accordingly.

Make sure you’re not spending on anything you don’t have to. If you’re already responsible for utility bills, head off to a price comparison site and switch to the cheapest. Same for broadband, phones and car insurance.

Plan of action...Make a plan of what you have coming in each month and what you spend. If you’re a serial fritterer then keep a money diary for at least a month. Write down everything – and we mean EVERYTHING – you spend. This will give you a good idea of what you spend on and where you could save.

Secondly, think about what to do with your

savings so you’ve got them available for your deposit. If you’ve worked out how much you can save each month, make sure you transfer that out of your account as soon as you get paid – a standing order is ideal. Don’t pay tax on your savings if you don’t have to – take up your full ISA allowance and choose your savings account carefully to receive as much interest as possible.

Next, clear your debts. It might seem tempting to put any spare money you have straight into a savings account so it can go towards your deposit, but it’s a false economy if you’ve got credit cards, loans and store cards to pay off. No savings account will bring you the rate of interest you’ll be paying on your cards. Transfer your existing credit card balances to new ones with zero percent on balance transfers, and pay it off as soon as you can. Then start saving. That way, when you do move into your new home, you won’t be taking your debts with you.

Finally, make sure your credit rating is as good as possible. That could be the difference between you getting a mortgage for your dream home or not, or influence the rate you have to pay. Check your rating online in case your records are not correct. Make sure you don’t miss payments on loans, cards or bills, as that’s the biggest influence on your credit rating. If you’re having problems, it’s always better to contact the organisations concerned and sort out a manageable payment plan.

Get moving…If you’ve followed our advice, got your finance under control and saved for your deposit, now’s the time to make the scary decision to go ahead and buy a home. The first step is to find an independent financial advisor (IFA) who specialises in Low Cost Home Ownership (LCHO) and they will be able to get you’re the best mortgage and know the industry inside out.The affordability assessment carried out through your Help to Buy Agent or housing

1 – Income

Wages or salary (net after deductions)

Partner’s wages or salary (net)

Tips, commission or overtime

Other earnings (net)

Maintenance/child support

Working Tax Credit

Children’s Tax Credit

Child Benefit

Any other benefit income

Interest on savings

Other income

TOTAL INCOME (BOX 1) £

2 – Housing and utilities

Mortgage payments

Rent

Other loans on your home

Council tax

Service charge and/or ground rent

Buildings/contents insurance

Life or redundancy insurance

Water and sewerage rates

Gas

Electricity

Other fuel costs

Other housing costs

TOTAL HOUSING COSTS (BOX 2) £

3 – Important expenditure

Telephone and internet (including mobiles)

Credit card payments

Loan repayments

Maintenance payments

Pension

TV licence

HP or rental payments (car, tv etc)

TOTAL IMPORTANT COSTS (BOX 3) £

4 – Everyday expenditure

Food & Drink

Housekeeping

Travel & fares

Car expenses (tax/petrol/servicing etc)

Childcare (nursery/minder/babysitter)

Children (pocket money, activities, events)

School meals

Pets (food, vet’s bills, insurance)

Cigarettes and other ‘vices’

Clothes and shoes

Household items (repairs etc)

Health costs (dentist, optician, prescriptions)

TOTAL EVERYDAY COSTS (BOX 4) £

5 – Other expenditure

Religious and charitable giving

Entertaining, eating out

Holidays

Hobbies (activities, gardening, books etc)

Gifts (eg birthdays)

Christmas or festivals and presents

Courses and professional fees

Catalogue/mail order payments

TOTAL OTHER COSTS (BOX 5) £

6 – Your budget

Total income BOX 1 £

Housing costs BOX 2

Important expenditure BOX 3

Everyday expenditure BOX 4

Other expenditure BOX 5

Total Outgoings

(add boxes 2,3,4,5 & 6) BOX 6 £

MONEY LEFT OVER (BOX 1 – BOX 6) £

association will make sure that you don’t sign up to pay out more than you can afford on your home, which is reassuring. Keep it up…Once you’ve bought your home, it’s very easy to go out and splurge on things for it – after all, you don’t have to save for that deposit any more! Don’t be tempted spending or borrowing more than you can afford, no matter how nice the sofa and how good the deal.

By now, you’ll have plenty of experience in setting yourself a budget and keeping to it, as well as making sure you’re getting all the best deals. So make a new home owner’s budget – and be realistic. Don’t scrimp on the amount you set aside for bills. If you have no idea what your bills are likely to be, ask your new neighbours – it’s a great way of introducing yourself!

You’ll find that your budget changes now that you’ve got your own space. Instead of going out, you might want to entertain at home more. Or perhaps your travel expenses are less if you’ve moved closer to work and don’t have to pay to commute.

It’s a good idea to keep the savings habit going to create a bit of a cushion. Paying your deposit is likely to have wiped your savings out, so create a fall-back fund so your bills are covered for at least three months. And make sure that things like your mortgage and even your income are covered by insurances should the worse happen and you lose your job. It might seem like wasted money, but it’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.

If it all sounds too simple, that’s because it really is – your money makeover doesn’t have to be difficult, time-consuming or stressful. It’s just a matter of organisation and being realistic, and getting to grips with your budget could just put you in a great position to finally buy a home of your own. Now that HAS to be worth a go…


Adam Adam has been renting locally for 4 years and wants to stay in the area to be near to his friends, family and his job. Although Adam can’t raise the deposit needed to buy even a studio apartment in the usual way, he does have some savings and a fair salary. He is frustrated by renting as he considers it throwing away money and would really like to own his own place. At the moment Adam would manage fine in a one-bedroom apartment but would be really be pleased to have the extra space, flexibility and opportunity that a two-bedroom home would bring.

S-T-R-E-T-C-HThe Residences in Coulsdon will give Adam just the choice he needs. It’s a development of new-build apartments that offers a choice of shared apartment or Help to Buy on each apartment. Adams savings and income will let him buy a 35% share of a two-bedroom apartment using a deposit of just over £12,000 and a mortgage of £63,000 (there is also a rent to pay each month). A one-bedroom apartment in the same block under Help to Buy means a deposit of £7500 and a mortgage of £11, 2500. The difference in outgoings is less than £20 per month.

Sarah and NickSarah and Nick had a plan. After renting as a couple for three years, they decided to move in with Sarah’s mum so they could really save hard for a deposit. They started to look for a home that they could grow into - a family home – one that will be right for them now and one they could stay in after they started their family. Sarah has fallen pregnant, and now is the time to leap into home ownership.

S-T-R-E-T-C-HA2Dominion’s development of two and three-bedroom houses near Billingshurst might be just what they’re looking for. It’s good for the station, near to pre-schools and a primary school, with countryside and leisure facilities on the doorstep. Sarah and Nick have now saved more than enough for a 5% deposit on the 50% share that’s on offer on the homes. The combined mortgage and rent on one of the two-bedroom houses is under £1000 per month and the couple are wondering if, through shared ownership, they can stretch to one of the three-beds?

STRETCH YOUR MONEY, RATHER THAN YOURSELF Jay and SophieJay and Sophie currently live separately with their parents, just outside Northampton; but when they marry they want to start married life in a place of their own. Sophie earns £22,000 and Jay £30,000 a year. The couple both moved back with their families so they could save hard for a deposit, and they save they did. But even if they saved for another year, they could still only just manage to scrape enough to get a mortgage on a small house in the area. But they’ve got plans to start a family at some stage and would prefer to buy somewhere bigger with a garden.

S-T-R-E-T-C-HThe Help to Buy option at Westleigh’s development in Dustan could give the couple the chance to buy a brand new three-bedroom house for just 80% of the full price and have the remainder covered by an equity loan on which there are no repayments for five years. The house costs £217,950 but through Help to Buy the couple only need to come up with £174,360 initially – do-able on their salaries. Their 5% deposit would be £8,718 so they’ve already saved enough. And their mortgage comes to around £1000 a month.

Here we go again. House prices are on the rise, but not matched by jumps in income levels. People seem to be acknowledging slightly better times in London and the south east but that’s not reflected on other parts of the country. So what do you do if your household income doesn’t allow you to buy the home you need?

Well, you could squeeze your family into a smaller place and hope you can afford to buy somewhere bigger in the future. Or carry on renting. Or you could try low cost home ownership (LCHO).

LCHO means you get to stretch your money, rather than yourself. So make your money work for you by making it go further.

S-T-R-E -T-C-H


SmartBorrower

When you’re looking for a mortgage you might find that the process has become a bit intrusive. It’s

become the job of the lenders to really look into your finances and to find out - not only how much you earn, but how you spend it. But it’s done to make sure that you’re only borrowing what you can afford to pay back.

It’s all part of the Mortgage Market Review which came into effect in April, and according to reports, is repsonsible for the recent slow down in mortgage approvals. That may be the case, because its purpose is to reign in on risky lending and to help protect you, the consumer. And to be fair, it’s not so very different from the financial affordablility procedure that housing associations have always used to make sure that you borrow responsibly. So it just means that now everyone has to face the same rigourous financial process, not just shared owners. And under these new rules, the responsibility falls fairly and squarely on lenders to ensure you are a suitable candidate to borrow money.

What does this mean in practice? • Affordability: This is a top priority with the lenders having to consider your ability to repay now and making a judgement call on future anticipated income before deciding if they are going to grant you a mortgage. This is significant as we all have a tendency to over-estimate our future income whilst at the same time under-estimate our outgoings. Lenders need to establish that you can afford the monthly repayments both at outset and in the forseeable future.

• Credit history: To complement the affordability assessment are credit scoring and credit histories. These have long been a bedrock of assessing the ability to take on a mortgage, but it is now more important than ever to ensure your credit rating is as high as it can be. The following tips might help :-

- Obtain a copy of your credit report (the 3 major credit reference agencies are Experian, Equifax and Callcredit and ensure it is accurate. Take steps to correct any inaccuracies.

You may have read that it’s getting even harder to get a mortgage, so we asked mortgage expert Richard Stone to offer some practical advice on maximising your chances of getting

the loan you need.

- Check that you are on the electoral roll. Not being registered greatly reduces your chances of being accepted.- Try to pay off any existing debts before you apply, or at the very least , reduce them by as much as possible.- Don’t miss or make any late payments on any loan, credit card or untility bill. - Keep within your bank overdraft limit and preferably keep in credit for at least 6 months prior to applying for a mortgage.- Avoid any job moves or major changes to your financial circumstances before you apply.

• Lifestyle: Lenders now have to verify all information provided by you. This might sound obvious but a glance at your payslips and bank statements to check income is no longer enough. They will review your lifestyle choices, items such as gym membership, how often you eat out, do you indulge in on-line gambling, do you have pets and so on. Your bank statements will be scrutinised in ever increasing detail, all to help decide how much you can borrow. If your bank statements show a modest lifestyle, it’s likely that you’ll be able to borrow more than you might have thought. Extravagent? You might finish up with less than you thought your income deserves.

• Stress testing: The lenders will also think about what happens if interest rates go up – they refer to this as stress testing. There are no clearly defined rules but it’s safe to assume that since interest rates are at an all time low, there’s only one way for rates to go – upwards. Lenders will be required to review the impact of say a 2% or 3% interest rate rise, and how this will impact on your outgoings. The outcome could mean that they will lend you less now than they would have done before the Mortgage Market Review in April.

For further information on boosting your credit ratings go to www.homefocus.co.uk/creditratings

WILL I GET THEMORTGAGE

I NEED?



homefocusCompetition

To be in with a chance of winning one of six cases containing 6 x 75cl bottles worth over £35 simply answer the below question:From which country does Blue Nun Rivaner Riesling wine originate?

A: GermanyB: FranceC: Spain

How to enter:

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

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

TERMS AND CONDITIONS • The closing date is 10th September 2014• The Editor’s decision is final• No purchase necessary• There is no alternative cash prize• We accept no responsibility for entries not received

Blue Nun Rivaner Riesling, in the

classic and iconic blue glass fluted

bottle, is a fresh, crisp and fruity

German wine, which tastes really

great matched with aromatic, spicy

or oriental foods. It has perfect

balance, softness, and depth of

fresh fruit flavours, so is easy

to drink and ideal for sipping

over the summer months at

barbeques or picnics.

The iconic brand is owned

by the Langguth family in

Germany, who have used

their passion, heritage and

expertise to create this quality

wine made from the Rivaner

and Riesling grape varieties

that really deliver on taste.

To enjoy at its best, lightly chill

before drinking - cheers! (Alc

10.0 % Vol). or try it in the

Barbecued Sticky Kung Pao

Chicken recipe here.

Blue Nun Rivaner Riesling is

available in most supermarkets

nationwide with a RRP of

£5.99. For more information

visit www.bluenun.co.uk

or www.facebook.com/

BlueNunUK

WIN ONE OF SIX CASES OF BLUE NUN RIVANER

RIESLING WINE

WIN

MethodMix all the marinade ingredients together & add the chicken. Leave covered in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour, ideally 24 hrs to soak up all the flavour.Then make the salad. Peel and cut the carrots into wafer thin strips, and add to a large mixing bowl. Then cut the spring onions thinly on a sharp diagonal and also add to the bowl. Cut theChinese cabbage down the middle, de core, slice to add to the mix and finally de-seed the cucumber, slice thinly and add too. Mix well. For the dressing, simply mix all the ingredients together and set aside.

When you are ready to eat, heat up a grill to very hot (or if you are barbecuing make sure it is hot and ready). Take the chicken out of the marinade and then place on a grill tray and cook for 8 minutes each side until cooked throughout and caramelised. Then add the dressing to the salad, mix well and serve a big pile of salad with the chicken on top.

Ingredients8 boneless/skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

Marinade:2 tbsp dark soy sauce1 tbsp of Sherry or for a lower sugar marinade use Blue Nun River Riesling1 tsp honey1 tsp chilli flakes

Salad:½ head of Chinese white cabbage3 spring onions½ cucumber1 carrot1 red chilli (depending on level of heat required)50g roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Dressing:4 tsp soy sauce2 tsp Chinese rice vinegar1 tsp sesame oil

BARBECUED STICKY KUNG PAO CHICKEN

with cashew, carrot, radish,

cucumber and spring onion salad

Serves 4Prep time: 20 minutes plus 1 hour marinating time

Cooking time: 15 minutes



Finally, after all the searching and dealing

with mortgage advisors and solicitors, you’ve

exchanged contracts and have been given a

date to move in!

And then you get to thinking… ‘Who do I

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

about moving all my stuff?’

Supposedly, moving home is one of the

most stressful things you can do. But the actual

process doesn’t have to leave you sitting up in

bed at night, eyeballs out, panicking because

you haven’t told the library your new address!

So take a deep breath, make yourself a cup

of tea and have a quick browse through our

moving checklist. We’ve come up with all the

people you generally need to inform about your

move – if you have extra people we haven’t

thought of, we hope you remember to tell them!

Consider yourself reminded by homefocus…

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

‘stuff’ than you ever believed possible! Now is

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

any more – if you think you might be able to

sell them put them all in a separate box marked

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

again when you get to your new place!

It goes without saying that you should use

strong boxes – and don’t make them too heavy

to lift! Use smaller boxes for books, photo

albums and other heavy items or they might as

well be bolted to the floor – and mark on top

that they’re heavy to stop you doing yourself an

injury when you try to pick them up. Label each

box clearly with the contents and which room

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

nineteen boxes the day you move in just to find

the TV remote is beyond the pale…

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

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

rented accommodation, or live with family and

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

be cheaper to move everything yourself. Just

enlist anyone you can find to help, particularly

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

very good friend indeed when you’re moving. If

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

likely to work out cheaper than a removal firm.

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

professional movers are essential. Look for ones

that are members of the British Association of

Removers (BAR) which has a code of practice

that protects you and your possessions. Get at

least three quotes and make sure your contents

insurance covers moving – get it set up for your

new place to cover it if need be.

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

stressful to have them looked after by someone

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

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

make sure you know where it is! If you make

sure your bed is one of the first things you put

together when you get to your new home you

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

the day – and leave all the unpacking until the

next morning!

CHECKLISTMOVINGPRACTICAL PLANNING FOR MOVING DAY

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

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

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

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

n Arrange for utility connections at your new home

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

n Notify schools, churches etc of your impending move

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

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

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

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

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

n Return things you’ve borrowed from friends

n Start to run down the contents of your freezer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

n Tell credit and store card companies your new address

n Finish up your frozen food supply or give it away

n PACK!

n Find and label keys

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

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

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

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

n Disconnect your cooker, washing machine and dishwasher

n Confirm minders for children and pets

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

n Lock all windows and doors when you leave

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

People to telln Friends and family

n Post Office

n Inland Revenue

n Schools and colleges

n Local councils

n House insurance company

n Electricity and gas suppliers

n Water and sewerage companies

n Telephone company

n Internet supplier

n Satellite/cable TV provider

n TV Licensing

n Banks and building societies

n Credit card/store cards

n Doctor

n Dentist

n Car insurance company

n DVLA

n Car breakdown company

n Library

n Milkman

n Newsagent/magazine subscriptions

n Sports and social clubs

n Church/place of worship

n Children’s clubs

First night kitn Kettle

n Mugs, cutlery, plates, glasses

n Coffee, tea, milk, sugar, water

n Washing-up bowl and liquid

n Rubber gloves

n Map

n Vacuum cleaner/dustpan and brush

n Tea towels and cloths

n Toilet roll

n Bin liners

n Towels/soap/shampoo

n Lightbulbs

n Candles and matches

n Fuses

n Screwdriver

n Local takeaway menus!

n Bottle of champagne

OnTheMove

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


WhereNext

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

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

Step 2 – Work out how much you can affordThere’s no point falling in love with a place only to find out that it’s way above your price bracket. Outside London, your Help to Buy Agent will take you through a basic financial check, just to confirm that you’re eligible for shared ownership and/or Help to Buy and will give you an indication of how much you’re likely to afford. The figures will be more closely reviewed later on in the process. In London, your housing association will go over the figures with you once you’ve found a home you like. No matter where you live, we advise that you go to a specialist financial advisor who understands the LCHO market inside out. You can find one on page 67 of the magazine.

Step 3 – Home huntingNow for the fun part. Take a look at some of the affordable homes around, including the ones we feature in our regional property sections from page 14 of the magazine. There’s a fuller list on pages 56-59 or at www.homefocus.co.uk/Low-cost-homes-near-you. Or you can go to www.homefocus.co.uk/Search where you’ll get directions to a full listing of LCHO properties in the region you’re searching.

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

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

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

Your steps to making all the right moves…

54 homefocus • JULY/August 2014

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

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

We’ve colour coded our development sections on pages 14-33 and our homefinder property listings on pages 56-59, to make finding a property in your area a little easier. The key is as follows:

ShowDiary

FORTHCOMINGEVENTS

Can we help?

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

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

Until the next issue of homefocus… happy homehunting!


FIND OUT ABOUT EVENTS NEAR YOU!

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

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

In London you should look for the First Steps logo!

The London Homebuilding & Renovating and Home Improvement Show Olympia, London 26-28 September 2014

Wandsworth Affordable Housing ShowScheduled for 23rd October – date to be confirmed

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

LONDON www.sharetobuy.com/firststeps

SOUTH www.helptobuysouth.co.uk

SOUTH WEST www.helptobuysw.org.uk

EAST & SOUTH EAST www.helptobuyeastandsoutheast.uk.com

MIDLANDS www.helptobuymidlands.co.uk

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

Hampshire’s biggest affordable home show The Ageas BowlBotley RoadWest EndSO30 3XH0845 604 1122Wednesday 23rd July 20143pm – 7pm

Raglan Housing will be present at:The Old Coal Yard SparkfordRNAS Yeovilton International Air DaySomersetBA22 8HT26 July 201410am – 5pm(admission fee payable)www.raglanhomesforsale.co.uk or email [email protected]

PropertySearch

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


PropertySearch

56 homefocus • JULY/AUGUST 2014homefocus • JULY/AUGUST 2014 57

EAST & SOUTH EAST

LONDON

Help to Buy Agent: Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association www.helptobuyeastandsoutheast.uk.comKents Hill Bedgebury Place 1 3 bed house 2015 AragonMedway 2 Hayter House 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonMilton Keynes Felstead 2 1 bed flats Now Affinity SuttonRamsgate Weyburn Place (PH2) 4 2 & 3 bed houses December Orbit HomesRedhill The Kilns Canalside 3 1 & 2 bed flats Now Southern HousingRochester Ruxton Square 3 2 bed flats Now Red Loft Sandy Sunderland Road 13 1 & 2 bed flats, 2 & 3 bed houses 2014-2015 AragonShefford Stanford Road 2 2 & 3 bed house 2013-2015 AragonShenley Brook End Garthwaite Crescent 1 3 bed house 2015 AragonSt Albans Scholars Court 1 1 bed flat Now Hightown HomesSt Albans Mistral Court 1 2 bed flat Now Hightown HomesSt Leonards on Sea Oakwood Rise 11 2 & 3 bed houses October Orbit HomesStotfold Beauchamp Mill 6 1 & 2 bed flats Now Hightown HomesStrood De Montford apartments 1 2 bed flats Now Red Loft Tandridge Oakgrove 18 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 bed houses Spring/Summer Affinity SuttonUpper Caldecote Biggleswade Road 4 2 & 3 bed houses, 2 bed bungalow 2015 AragonWatford Wise Court 2 1 bed flat Now Hightown HomesWaverley The Cranes 12 2 bed flats, 3 bed houses Summer Affinity SuttonWaverley Riverside 12 1 & 2 bed flats, 2 bed houses Winter/Spring Affinity SuttonWealden Clayhills 10 1 & 2 bed flats Winter Affinity SuttonWelwyn Garden City Mirage 1 2 bed coach house Now Hightown HomesWelwyn Hatfield Princes Gate 13 2 bed flats, 2 & 3 bed houses Summer Affinity Sutton

Help to Buy Agent: FIRSTSTEPS www.sharetobuy.com/firststeps Barking & Dagenham Academy Central IMR 27 1 bed flats Now L&QBarnet The Lexington NW11 4 1 & 2 bed flats Autumn Affinity SuttonBexleyheath Clock Tower Court 43 1 & 2 bed flats Now Hyde New Homes Bow The View 2 bed flats Coming soon East ThamesBow LIVE3 9 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 bed dublex house Coming soon Gateway LivingBrentford Brook Road South 2 3 bed houses October Red Loft Brentford Lateward Road 1 4 bed house October Red Loft Bromley Rokewood Apartments 16 1 & 2 bed flats Summer L&QBromley The Ridge BR5 20 1, 2 & 3 bed flats & duplexes. Summer Affinity SuttonBromley The Ridge BR5 1 2 bed flat wheelchair accessible Summer Affinity SuttonBromley Hardwick House 1 1 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonBromley Amethyst Court 4 1 & 2 bed flats Now Affinity SuttonBromley William Petty Way 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonBromley Cray View Close 1 1 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonBromley Fordcroft 11 2, 3 & 4 bed houses Spring Affinity SuttonChingford Mayfield 6 3 bed houses Coming soon East ThamesCroydon The Deacons 7 2 bed flats Spring Affinity SuttonCroydon Bedford House 35 1 & 2 bed flats Spring Affinity SuttonCroydon Scholars Place 12 1 & 2 bed flats August Orbit HomesDagenham Castle Green Place 10 3 bed houses September NewlonEaling Chiswick Point 23 1 & 2 bed flats Summer Affinity SuttonEaling The Garden Court Apartments 19 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Spring Affinity SuttonEaling The Garden Court Apartments 4 2 bedflat wheelchair accessible Spring Affinity SuttonEast Ham Butterfly Gardens 1, 2, & 3 bed flats Coming soon East ThamesElephant & Castle L&Q @ Trafalgar Place 20 1, 2 & 3 bed flats, 3 & 4 bed houses Spring L&QEnfield St Paul’s Court 13 1 & 2 bed flats Summer L&QEnfield Watermill Lane 30 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 bed maisonette March Newlon Erith Ratio 12 3 bed houses August Orbit HomesErith Erith Park 81 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 bed houses October Orbit Homes Feltham Manor Lane 4 2 bed flats Now Red Loft Feltham Chichester 2 4 bed houses September Red Loft Fitzrovia Cleveland Street@Fitzroy Place 14 1 bed flats Late Autumn OctaviaGidea Park Dreywood Gardens 1 2 bed flat Now East ThamesGreenwich L&Q @ Greenwich Square 144 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now L&QHammersmith & Fulham Fulham Riverside 52 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Summer Affinity SuttonHarold Wood Kings Park 5 1 bed flats, 2 bed houses Now East ThamesHarrow Essence 12 1 & 2 bed flats Now Origin HousingHarrow Chandos 15 1 & 2 bed flats Summer Origin HousingHornsey Rise Harrington Court 14 2 bed flats, 3 bed maisonettes Spring L&QHounslow Hawker Terrace 2 3 bed house December Red Loft Hounslow Muntz House 3 2 bed flats December Red Loft Hounslow Packwell Place 10 3 bed maisonettes, 2 bed flats February Red Loft Hounslow St Valery Place 1 2 bed house November Red Loft Hounslow Redwood 2 3 bed houses February Red Loft Hounslow Crane Lodge Road 2 3 bed houses October Red Loft Isle Of Dogs Triangle E14 8 2 bed flats October Gateway LivingIslington The Fable Apartments at the Lexicon 70 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Summer Affinity SuttonKensington The Baronets 9 1 & 2 bed flats Summer Affinity SuttonKensington Bard Road 14 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Winter Affinity Sutton

Help to Buy Agent: Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association www.helptobuyeastandsoutheast.uk.com Ampthill Saxon Grange 1 3 bed house Now Hightown HomesArun Kingley Gate 6 2 & 3 bed houses Autumn Affinity SuttonArun Brooks Nursery 4 2 & 3 bed houses Winter Affinity SuttonBedford Aspire 9 2 & 3 bed houses Coming soon Orbit HomesBerkhamsted Belton Road 1 2 bed flat Now Hightown HomesBerkhamsted Old Oak Gardens 1 1 bed flat Now Hightown HomesBexhill on Sea The Point 8 1 & 2 bed flats December Orbit HomesBexhill on Sea Moleynes Mead 40 2 & 3 bed houses Coming soon Orbit HomesBiggleswade Kings Reach 18 1 & 2 bed flats, 2, 3 & 4 bed houses 2014-2015 AragonBigglewade Saxon Fields 1 3 bed house Now Hightown HomesBletchley Newton Leys 3 3 bed houses Now Hightown HomesBrighton Super B 53 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now Hyde New Homes Brighton One Hove Park 30 1, 2 & 3 bed flats January Hyde New Homes Brighton Alexandra Apartments 13 1 & 2 bed flats Summer Affinity SuttonBrighton Alexandra Apartments 1 2 bed flat wheelchair adaptable Summer Affinity SuttonBrighton Matthew House 1 1 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonBrighton Old Mill Mews 1 3 bed house Now Affinity SuttonBrighton & Hove The Edge 4 2 bed flats Now Southern HousingBroadstairs Hereson Place 14 2 & 3 bed houses September Orbit HomesBrogborough Leeward Point 6 3 bed houses July Orbit HomesBury St Edmunds Vinefields 7 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesChatham Admirals Place 8 1 & 2 bed flats, 2 bed houses Coming soon Orbit HomesChatham St Marys Island 24 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 & 4 bed houses Coming soon Orbit HomesChatham Amherst Heights 9 2, 3 & 4 bed houses Now Red Loft Chatham Theatre Royal 9 2 bed flats January Red Loft Chelmsford St John’s 18 1 & 2 bed flats Coming soon East ThamesChichester Canal Walk 13 2 & 3 bed houses Summer Affinity SuttonChichester Affinity Sutton at Graylingwell Park 22 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 bed houses Now Affinity SuttonChichester Apple Treed Road 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonChichester Bleaches Court 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonChichester Middleton Gardens 1 3 bed house Now Affinity SuttonChichester St Margarets 14 2 bed flats Spring Affinity SuttonChigwell Grange Manor 9 2 bed flats Coming soon East ThamesChilham Chilham Place 30 1, 2, 3 & 4 bed houses Coming Soon Orbit HomesCocking, Midhurst The Croft 4 2 & 3 bed houses Hyde New Homes Crawley Haweswater Place 1 1 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonCringleford Aura @ Round House Park 6 2 & 3 bed houses August Orbit HomesDiss Frenze Hall Mews 8 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesEast Wittering Hawthorn Close 2 4 bed houses Hyde New Homes Eastbourne The Old Pump House 101 TBC Coming soon Orbit HomesEastbourne Churchdale Road 1 3 bed house Now Affinity SuttonGreat Blakenham Blakenham Fields 60 2 & 3 bed houses Coming soon Orbit HomesGuildford Little Street 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonGuildford The Paddocks 9 1 & 2 bed flats Autumn Affinity SuttonHadleigh Hadleigh Park 14 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesHalling St Andrews Park 7 2 bed houses Now Red Loft Halling St Andrews Park 11 3 & 4 bed houses Spring Red Loft Halling St Andrews Park 18 3 bed houses, 1 & 2 bed flats Autumn 15 Red Loft Hastings Sycamore Chase 16 2 & 3 bed houses November Orbit HomesHastings Kings Wood Gate 11 2 bed flats & houses Coming soon Orbit HomesHitchin Lavender Place 10 1 & 2 bed flats Now Origin HousingHorsham Gatehouse 1 2 bed flats Now Southern HousingHorsham Kilnwood Vale 3 2 & 3 bed flats Now Southern HousingHoveton Meadow View 11 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesHurstpierpoint Chalkers Lane 6 3 bed houses Spring Affinity SuttonIpswich Scholars Quarter 4 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit Homes

AFFORDABLE PROPERTIES

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

NEAR YOU!

PropertySearch



LONDON

MIDLANDS

homefinderEast &South East

homefinder East & South East

SOUTH WEST

SOUTH

SOUTH

Help to Buy Agent: FIRSTSTEPS www.sharetobuy.com/firststepsKidbrooke SOKV 61 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Summer Viridian HousingKidbrooke Halton Court 14 2 bed flats - over 55s Now Viridian HousingKingston Affinity Sutton at Kingston Heights 18 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Now Affinity SuttonKingston The Langley Apartments 8 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Spring Affinity SuttonLewisham Goldcrest House 29 1 & 2 bed flats Summer L&QMitcham Lavender Gardens 16 1 & 2 bed flats Now L&QPaddington Merchant Square 20 1 & 2 bed flats Summer OctaviaPlumstead Kings Highway 30 3 bed houses, 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Hyde New Homes Putney Putney Plaza 24 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Launching 2016 OctaviaSouth Woodford Chigwell Road 4 2 & 3 bed flats September Newlon Southwark Roseberry Street 14 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 & 4 bed houses Now Metropolitan Southwark Old Kent Road 13 2, 3 & 4 bed flats Now L&QSouthwark The Arc 13 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Spring Affinity SuttonStepney So Stepney 1 3 bed flat Now East ThamesStonebridge Spring 27 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Sep-15 Hyde New Homes Stratford Stratford Plaza 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Coming soon East ThamesTottenham Rivers Apartments 100 1, 2 & 3 bed flats March Newlon Tottenham High Road 9 1, 2 & 3 bed flats September Newlon Tower Hamlets The Dockyard 23 1, 2 & 3 bed flats Coming soon East ThamesWalthamstow The Grangeway 15 1 & 2 bed flats, 2 bed w/chair units, Now L&Q 3 bed housesWalthamstow Abbots House 27 1 & 2 bed flats Now L&QWandsworth Spectra 19 1 & 2 bed flats Late Summer OctaviaWandsworth The Schoolyard 20 1 & 2 bed flats Summer L&QWembley Elizabeth House 7 1 & 2 bed flats Now OctaviaWoodford Green Meadow Gate 4 2 bed houses Coming soon East ThamesWoolwich L&Q @ Woolwich Central 60 2 & 3 bed flats Now L&QWoolwich The Liberty 98 2 bed flats - over 55s Summer Viridian HousingWoolwich Cambridge House 24 1 & 2 bed flats Hyde New Homes

Help to Buy Agent: Orbit www.helptobuymidlands.co.uk Bedworth Old Leekes Site 11 2 & 3 bed houses December Orbit HomesBidford Upon Avon The Waterways 5 2 & 3 bed houses November Orbit HomesBlisworth The Haven 18 2 & 3 bed houses Coming soon Orbit HomesBrackley Normandy Lodge 4 2 & 3 bed houses 2014 AragonBreedon on the Hill Breedon 1 2 bed house & bungalows Now Hello HomesBurton Latimer Glade Gardens 94 2, 3 & 4 bed houses Now Orbit HomesEnderby St Johns 2 3 bed house Now Hello HomesHathern Terracotta Gardens 5 2 & 3 bed houses Now Hello HomesHenley in Arden Henley Point 1 2 bed flats TBC Orbit HomesKegworth Citrus Grove 4 2 bed houses & flats Now Hello HomesKettering Westhill 4 TBC Coming soon Orbit HomesLeamington Spa Chesterton Gardens 225 TBC Coming soon Orbit HomesLeicester Leicester Square 11 2 bed flats Now Metropolitan Leicestershire Watermead 5 2 bed flats Now Metropolitan Lincoln Cherry Bank 1 2 bed flats Now Metropolitan Long Marston Beaufort Mead 29 2 bed flats, 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesNarborough Copt Oak Gardens 1 2 bed house Now Hello HomesNorthampton Upton Square 82 2 bed flats Now Metropolitan Northampton Booth Park 52 2 & 3 bed houses Now Orbit HomesNorthamptonshire Paling Close 5 1 & 2 bed flats Now Hello HomesNottingham Southreef 4 1 bed flats Now Metropolitan Pineham Butterfly Gardens 200 2, 3 & 4 bed houses Coming soon Orbit HomesRoade Stonecutters 54 2, 3 & 4 bed houses Coming soon Orbit HomesThrapston The Sidings 130 2, 3 & 4 bed houses Coming soon Orbit HomesWellesbourne Ettington Road 18 2, 3 & 4 bed houses December Orbit Homes

Help to Buy Agent: Radian www.helptobuysouth.co.uk Aldershot The Orchard 4 1 bed flats Now First WessexBracknell Forest The Parks 15 2, 3 & 4 bed houses Summer Affinity SuttonBristol Maytrees 1 2 bed flat Now Affinity SuttonEast Cowes Victoria Walk 3 2 bed houses Now Spectrum HousingEastleigh Knowle Hill 2 3 bed houses Summer Affinity SuttonEmsworth Redlands Grange 7 2 & 3 bed houses Now - Sept First WessexEmsworth Redlands Grange 8 1 & 2 bed flats Now First WessexGlastonbury Chilkwell Street 6 2 & 3 bed houses November Raglan HousingGosport Alver Village 1 3 bed house Now First WessexHavant Manor Farm 9 2 & 3 bed houses Now - Sep First WessexHavant Nursery Fields 5 2 & 3 bed houses Now - Oct First WessexHythe Emerald Rise 6 2 bed flats Now First WessexKingsworthy Southside Embankment 10 2 & 3 bed houses Now Hyde New Homes Newport IOW Pan Meadows 4 2 bed houses Now Spectrum Housing

Help to Buy Agent: Radian www.helptobuysouth.co.uk Reading Kennet House 10 1 & 2 bed flats October Raglan HousingReading The Cedars 17 1 & 2 bed flats, 3 bed houses Coming Soon Southern HousingSouthampton Centenary Quay 8 1 & 2 bed flats Now Spectrum HousingSouthampton Queensway 12 2 bed houses & 1, 2 & 3 bed flats December Raglan HousingSouthampton The Cloisters 18 1 & 2 bed flats, 2 & 3 bed houses Now Affinity SuttonSouthampton Raleigh House 2 1 bed flats Now Affinity SuttonSouthampton Studland Road 2 2 & 3 bed houses Now Raglan Housing

Help to Buy Agent: Sovereign & Westward www.helptobuysw.org.uk Bournemouth Broadway Mews 9 2 & 3 bed houses Autumn Spectrum HousingShaftesbury Melbury Grange 1 4 bed house Now Spectrum HousingShaftesbury Cranbourne Heights 3 3 bed house Autumn Spectrum HousingSparkford The Old Station 6 2 & 3 bed houses October Raglan HousingTaunton Monkton Heathfield 4 3 bed houses Now Raglan Housing


Interested in any of the properties listed?

Call 0845 4744734 or email the name of the property to [email protected]

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

from Hightown Homesshared ownership

Get on the property ladder with

Call us: 01442 292381Visit us: www.hightownhomes.com

Bedfordshire, South Northants &

Milton Keynes

A home of your own with Shared Ownership

Tel. 01525 844460www.grandunionhousing.co.uk

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


Milton Keynes




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

0300 100 0303affinitysutton.comemail: [email protected]

homefinderSouth West

homefinder South Westhomefinder East & South East


INTERESTED IN ANY OF THE PROPERTIES IN

HOMEFOCUS?Call 0845 747 4734

or email the name of the property to [email protected]

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

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

n The latest affordable developments in your region

n Who to ask and where to find an affordable home

n Information about shared ownership, New Build HomeBuy,

FirstBuy, and all low cost home ownership schemes

nAdvice on legal and mortgage matters from specialists






Call: 0800 068 [email protected]

www.originsales.co.uk

Origin HF directory ad 12.8.11:Layout 1 12/8/11 14:57 Pa

Shared Ownership • Discounted Rent

AffordableHyde New Homes

Call our sales team now!Tel: 0845 606 1221Email: [email protected]

Follow us on and

homefinderEast &South EastContinued

Need a helping hand to get on the property ladder?

HampshireWiltshireDorset, DevonIsle of Wight

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

Affordable propertiesin various locations:

Name ______________________________

Address ____________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

Postcode ___________________________

Phone number ______________________

Email address ______________________

____________________________________

Signature ___________________________

Date _______________________________

Payment options:



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

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

Redlands Grange, Emsworth

4281 Southern Housing HF ad_HR.pdf 1 28/03/2014 16:32

homefinderLondon

homefinder London

Telephone: 020 8709 4352Fax: 020 8709 4400Email: [email protected]

409-413 Mile End RoadLondon E3 4PB

Providers of quality affordable homes

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

Developing homes in London

octaviaafforDabLe homeownership

feeLs gooD when you finD what you’re Looking for

3998 OH Home Focus Ad_V2.indd 1 10/02/2014 10:44

Homes for sale on a shared ownershipbasis across London

0300 100 0303affinitysutton.comemail: [email protected]




Follow us on and

homefinder London


Call: 0800 068 [email protected]

www.originsales.co.uk

Origin HF directory ad 12.8.11:Layout 1 12/8/11 14:57 Pa

Get on the London property ladder with an Shared Ownership home

www.lqgroup.co.uk/pricedin

Ownership home


Ownership homeOwnership home


LAQ_044_HomeFocus_91x61mm_v3.indd 1 06/02/2014 14:45

Developing where people want to

www.viridianhousing.org.ukTel: 0800 012 1442

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.

Call the sales team now

0800 058 2544

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

www.newlonhomeownershi .org.ukpSALES & MARKETING CONSULTANCY AND AGENCY SERVICES

shared ownership homesin London & the South East

Find out more: 0844 225 3077 · www.redloftsales.co.uk



n The latest affordable developments in your region n Who to ask and where to find an affordable home nAdvice on legal and mortgage matters from specialistsn Information about shared ownership, New Build HomeBuy, FirstBuy, and all low cost home ownership schemes






Name ______________________________

Address ____________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

Postcode ___________________________

Phone number ______________________

Email address ______________________

____________________________________

Signature ___________________________

Date _______________________________

Payment options:



homefinderMidlands

homefinder Midlands

CITRUS GROVE, KEGWORTH2 BEDROOM GROUND FLOOR APARTMENT 25% SHARE AVAILABLEFROM £27,312

TERRACOTTA GARDENS, HATHERN3 BEDROOM TERRACED HOUSE 25% SHARE AVAILABLE FROM £37,500

‘hello homes’ throughout the EAST MIDLANDS…

Say ‘hello’ to our dedicated sales team on: 0844 892 2506 / [email protected]: www.hellohomes.org.ukPart Buy / Part Rent / For Sale / For You…‘hello homes’ is part of East Midlands Housing Group Limited.


homefinder South

Need a helping hand to get on the property ladder?

HampshireWiltshireDorset, DevonIsle of Wight

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

Affordable propertiesin various locations:

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

n The latest affordable developments in your region

n Who to ask and where to find an affordable home

n Information about shared ownership, New Build HomeBuy,

FirstBuy, and all low cost home ownership schemes

nAdvice on legal and mortgage matters from specialists






homefinderSouth

Redlands Grange, Emsworth




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Milton Keynes





Milton Keynes








T: 020 85096800 E: [email protected]

Property Solicitors

Residential Conveyancing

Commercial Conveyancing

Affordable Housing

Housing Association Schemes

Staircasing

Right to Buy

Lease Extensions

Landlord & Tenant

Personal Injury

Family Law

Wills and Probate

(formerly GTCLaw)

legal&financialadvice

Buying a new home requires essential legal and

financial advice…contact a mortgage advisor

or specialist solicitor

homebuyersGUIDE

legal&financialadvice

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

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

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

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

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

HOMEBUY / STAIRCASING / RESALES

ALL HOUSING ASSOCIATION SCHEMES

RESIDENTIAL / COMMERCIAL CONVEYANCING

Put your conveyancing in

experienced hands

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

� Right to Acquire � Staircasing� Shared Ownership resales

� Equity Loan redemption/remortgaging

Contact us for a friendly, no obligation quote:

London Office: 020 7158 0031Kent Office: 01227 812733

[email protected]

www.directionlaw.co.uk


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 [email protected]

• Shared Ownership

• Shared Equity

• First Buy

• Resales

• Staircasing

• Right to Acquire

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

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



n The latest affordable developments in your region n Who to ask and where to find an affordable home nAdvice on legal and mortgage matters from specialistsn Information about shared ownership, New Build HomeBuy, FirstBuy, and all low cost home ownership schemes






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

PRIVATE SALE - MARKET RENT - SHARED OWNERSHIP

WHO KNEW THERE WAS SO MUCHCHOICE?

At Genesis, we o� er more homes for more people, than ever before, in a wide range of styles, to suit all budgets.

We provide more ways to get the home you want, including shared ownership, open-market renting and outright purchase.

Our new and refurbished homes are exceptionally well designed and

carefully located.

The choice is all yours.

0800 954 0147genesishahomes.org.uk

hf july 2014 whole issue

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