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"When we came across The Scene we booked a viewing and fell in love and instantly knew we wanted to buy. Within two months of viewing we had bought, completed and moved in.”
First time buyers use Help to Buy to purchase at The Scene in Deptford
A recent Zoopla report states that a sharp rise in the cost of living has led the average rent to increase to 37% of a renter’s gross earnings.
London city renters, Will (40) and his partner Chris (40) decided to make the change from renting when they found that they could get more for their money by purchasing their very first home at Peabody New Homes and Sherrygreen Homes' Deptford development The Scene, SE14.
The couple found everything they were looking for and more in their very own two bedroom apartment - all for the same cost of their previous monthly rent.
We fell in love and instantly knew we wanted to buy here
Will, a Visual Merchandiser, and Chris, a Hospitality Operational Manager, previously rented a one-bedroom apartment together in London Bridge, next to The Shard.
Will comments: “While we enjoyed living in the city, our rental flat was very small and we wanted somewhere bigger. It was actually our cats that made us think about looking for somewhere new – we felt like they were bored and needed a bigger space to run around, as well as some outside space. Buying wasn’t on the cards for us initially and we began looking for a bigger property to rent, but when we came across The Scene we booked a viewing.
We fell in love and instantly knew we wanted to buy here instead. We put in an offer and everything happened so quickly – within two months we had bought, completed and moved in!”
As first-time buyers, the couple used the Help to Buy scheme to purchase
As first-time buyers, the couple used the Help to Buy scheme to purchase their new home. Will comments: “Our monthly rental payments were initially £1,600 when we moved in, but during the pandemic our landlord dropped the cost to £1,250. Ironically, that is the exact price we pay for our monthly mortgage payments now, but for our very own property that is twice the size! The Help to Buy scheme allowed us to put down a 5% deposit of £28,375 which is a great price for a property in London. We found the Help to Buy process really straightforward – although we had a lot to read to understand the process, it was really easy and The Scene sales team helped immensely.”
One of the key factors that drew Will and Chris to their property was the fact that it had outside space in the form of a balcony. Will explains: “I had always wanted an apartment with a balcony, so we knew this would be perfect for us. Not only does it mean that our cats have more space to roam, but we have an amazing view too – we can see the whole city which is incredible, and we can even see The Shard, where we used to live!”
The Scene has such a nice community
He continues: “Our balcony has even helped us make friends with the neighbours! We have decorated it like a garden, with a table and chairs, and an outdoor rug which we like to fill with cushions and chill out on a sunny day. We’ve got herbs, lots of flowers and around 20 tomato plants growing, which I’ve promised that I will give to some our neighbours. It’s such a nice community here; we have a WhatsApp group so that we can all get to know each other, and some of them have already been round here for dinner!”
For passionate baker Chris, the home’s kitchen was the perfect place to experiment with his culinary creations. Will commented: “Chris is a great baker and recently got a long way through the selection process for The Great British Bake Off, so has been making full use of the beautiful kitchen in our new home to practise. With the high-quality appliances and stylish stone effect work surfaces, Chris has been able to enjoy working on his skills and creating new and delicious recipes. His cinnamon carrot cake buns are a definite favourite!”
We love walking along the river to Greenwich
“What I love about the area is how mixed and trendy it is. In Deptford High Street, there’s a weekly market and lots of restaurants that we are still exploring. We love walking along the river to Greenwich too, which takes about 15 minutes and is beautiful, especially on sunny evenings. It’s so easy to get back into the City if we need to – New Cross Station is a two-minute walk from our home, and London Bridge is one stop away, which takes less than five minutes!”
“The green feel to this development is a breath of fresh air compared to living in Central London. The site also has solar panels which is something you don’t see in Central London as much, so you feel like you’re helping out the environment too.”
Will concludes: “Buying with Peabody New Homes and Sherrygreen Homes was a fantastic experience, and I’ve already recommended them and this development to some of my friends that are looking to buy. The sales team, especially Tracey and Emerson, were so helpful and were even better than our solicitors and brokers in helping us through the process! Buying our first home has been a dream come true, and I’m so pleased we have done it.”
Help to Buy has now ended -Discover other ways to buy your home.
Although homes at The Scene are still available to buy through private sale, after providing Londoners with an affordable route on to the property ladder, the Help to Buy scheme has officially closed its shutters. However, as one door closes, another one opens. The Help to Buy scheme may have ended, but you can still get help to buy your first home.
The Help to Buy scheme is ending on the 31st of March 2023, but the scheme already closed to new applicants on the 31st of October 2022.
As the light begins to dim on the Help to Buy scheme, the shine turns to Shared Ownership as a great way to help first time buyers get their foot on the property ladder. Enabling you to buy a smaller share of your home, and pay rent on the remainder, Shared Ownership is a popular option for anyone struggling to buy their first home.
BENEFITS OF SHARED OWNERSHIP