Help to Buy is the answer for couple in Kent
The couple, along with their four-month-old son Bobby, moved into their brand new two-bedroom ‘Dunnock’ property in March 2016 – and were grateful for the sought-after initiative that made it all possible.
Under Help to Buy, eligible first-time buyers and those with a property to sell can access a government loan for up to 20% of the price of their chosen property, meaning they require only a 75% loan-to-value mortgage and a 5% deposit. It is available with new build homes priced up to £600,000 and there is no salary cap for those taking advantage of the scheme.
Hayley, 28 says: “With Sean being self-employed we wouldn’t have had enough between us to get a regular mortgage, so Help to Buy was the financial boost we needed – without it we wouldn’t have been able to afford what we bought. The scheme was really easy as well, the Taylor Wimpey staff talked us through it all and everything went very smoothly.
“I was living in Croydon before and Sean was in Tenterden, so this was our first home together and we were so pleased that it all worked out.”
The couple are delighted with their new home, and were looking for a new build property at this point in their lives. “Having just had a baby we wanted a nice two-bedroom home that was within our budget, and it’s nice with a new build because you’re the first person to live there so everything’s your own – there’s no need for any DIY as everything’s all done!” adds Hayley.
“We also love having three bathrooms with the downstairs guest cloakroom as well as the en suite and family bathroom – when you’ve got a little one that makes a big difference. We wanted to move to Repton Park because it’s a spacious development – the houses are nicely spread apart and there’s plenty of parking for us and visitors, so it doesn’t seem as cramped as other new build estates.
“It also has a nice quiet feel to it – we’re not overlooked by other homes, we can just see trees, so it’s in a beautiful setting and the neighbours are really friendly. There’s also a nursery and school on site which will be handy for Bobby, as well as two parks.
“The good thing about Ashford is everything’s on your doorstep, such as a shopping centre, train station and supermarkets. It’s brilliant to have everything close by while I’m off on maternity leave, and we’re only five minutes from the M20 which is really handy as I have family in Surrey so it’s nice that they can just whizz up the motorway to visit us.”
Before they moved in the couple also took the opportunity to personalise their new home with additional high-specification items from Taylor Wimpey’s interior Options range.
“We got to pick our choice of tiling for the kitchen and bathrooms, which was great,” says Hayley. “We also went for a really nice cream carpet in many of the rooms while in the kitchen we decided to upgrade the units and go for a double oven.
“The Taylor Wimpey staff were fantastic throughout the whole process, constantly updating and advising us, and always there to pick up the phone, so we were delighted with how it all turned out.”
Two-bedroom apartments are currently available at Repton Park from just £166,500.
Repton Park lies within easy reach of Ashford’s large range of high street shops, traditional boutiques and bakers. There’s a choice of primary and secondary schools also located close by.
Good public transport is a vital part of the overall plan for the development, and a new bus service will link the community with Ashford town centre and railway station, with rail connections to central London, Maidstone, Folkestone and to continental Europe. The new high speed rail link means it is now just a 38 minute journey from Ashford International to St Pancras.
To find out more, home-hunters can visit the Sales and Marketing Suite, located at 4 Park View, Sir Henry Brackenbury Road, Repton Park, Ashford, TN23 3FN, while the sales executive can be contacted on 01233 220632.
Find more Help to Buy properties in Kent here