At The Hill Group, we don’t just sell properties, we build relationships with our customers so we can support each and every one of them to secure their dream home. From first-time buyers who need extra mortgage advice to second-steppers requiring guidance around their sale, buying a new build home means you can reap a whole host of rewards. Gearing up for a headline sponsorship role at the London New Home Show on 27-28 January 2024, we shed some light on precisely what new build buyers stand to gain and what we have in place to make the process a smooth one.
1. Make your deposit go further
Hill provides multiple support options that can help ease buyers’ financial situations. One is its deposit boost scheme, available on select developments. Using the scheme, buyers can receive a 5% deposit boost from Hill. At Aspects in Stevenage, for example, buyers who reserve homes by the end of January 2024 can receive a boost of up to £15,875. Buyers in west London can also benefit, with a deposit boost of up to £15,000 available to those purchasing apartments at Lampton Parkside, which sits on the edge of 40 acres of parkland while also being just moments from Hounslow Central Tube station.
An incentive in the form of a deposit contribution allowed first-time buyers, software project manager Samantha Morgan (30) and coffee machine engineer Sean Binding (29), to get onto the property ladder two years earlier than expected. The couple moved into their two-bedroom end of terrace house at Chesterford Meadows in Saffron Walden in September 2023.
Samantha explains: “We were renting an apartment which was an eight-minute drive away and registered to get Hill’s newsletter when we briefly looked into buying in 2021. We quickly discovered that we weren’t going to be able to afford to buy somewhere for at least another two years, which was really disappointing. This is an expensive part of Essex, and, as first-time buyers, we were constantly being priced out of the market. In April, we received an update about Chesterford Meadows, did some sums, and again realised that we weren’t in a position to buy. The homes looked beautiful, and I couldn’t get them out of my mind, so one Sunday I persuaded Sean to come and takena look at them. We met Alan in the sales office here, and he was really encouraging. He worked out that with Hill’s deposit contribution incentive, which they calculate by taking into account each individual buyer’s circumstance, we could receive a gift of money towards the house. This meant we were then able to meet the 10% threshold and could secure a mortgage with a lender.”
She continues: “I’d presumed that we’d need to use a government scheme and had no idea that going straight to a developer like this would give us the extra support we needed. It feels like we were in the right place at the right time, but I’d definitely advise other first-time buyers to do the same. We still can’t believe we’re here.”
Another financial benefit available from Hill is its Stamp Duty Land Tax incentive. This is offered on selected plots at a range of developments including Eden Green in the beautiful village of Finchingfield and Heartwood in the pretty village of Docking, North Norfolk.
Hill is also able to offer the Deposit Unlock scheme, developed in collaboration with lenders and the housebuilding industry, the scheme helps first-time buyers get on the property ladder. Second-time buyers can also use it to keep them moving. The scheme enables people to buy a home with a deposit of just 5%. It is available for Hill properties costing up to £833,250.
Eden Green show home
2. Part Exchange on your existing home
It’s not just first-time buyers who need a helping hand. Alongside deposit and Stamp Duty incentives, there is Hill’s Part Exchange offer. Those buying a Hill home and who have an existing property could be eligible to use the scheme. Doing so can take much of the stress out of the buying and selling process. The buyer has no agent fees to pay, and the risk of a sale falling through is removed, as is the need for endless viewings of the existing property. Instead, Hill obtains three independent valuations of the seller’s property, then makes an offer to buy it acting as a cash buyer. All the seller then has to do is accept the offer, and they can move ahead with their new Hill home purchase.
Part Exchange is available for properties at multiple Hill developments and can speed up the purchase process significantly. Eden Green is one such development. Located in one of the most photographed and picturesque villages in England, this charming collection of three-, four- and five-bedroom homes offer luxury and a wonderful rural setting, less than an hour from central London.
Knights Park
3. Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with a 10-year warranty
Newly built Hill homes across the UK come with a 10-year structural warranty, courtesy of NHBC, meaning buyers enjoy full peace of mind regarding the quality of their new homes, knowing they are protected should anything happen. For additional reassurance, Hill provides a two-year customer service commitment to address any snags so that buyers can move into their new homes with the utmost confidence.
The 10-year warranty is a comfort not just to domestic UK buyers but also to those overseas. Hill developments such as Kew Bridge Rise in London often attract interest from international buyers. Located just a few minutes’ walk from the new Kew Bridge overground station, the development provides a hidden enclave above the city, with apartments available in layouts of one to three bedrooms.
This is on top of the comfort that comes from buying from an award-winning five-star housebuilder. Hill was named both Best Large Housebuilder and Housebuilder of the Year at the WhatHouse? 2023 Awards. Furthermore, the exceptional apartments at Rubicon at Knights Park in Cambridge scooped two WhatHouse? Gold Awards in 2023, for Best Development and Best Exterior Design, and two Bronze Awards, for Best Apartment Scheme and Best Sustainable Development.
The Knights Park development also won a prestigious Housing Design Award for being the most sustainable residential scheme in the UK, with director David Birkbeck naming it, “an exemplar of designing for climate change with a 360-degree vision.”
Lampton Parkside
4. Make significant energy bill savings
Every Hill home comes with energy-efficient appliances included as standard, along with stylish fixtures and fittings and the most up-to-date technology. In addition, buyers can expect double or triple glazing throughout the home, increased insulation, ventilation systems, and low-energy lighting.
Finishing touches like stone worksurfaces and features like en suites also come as standard, and buyers will experience further savings on their energy bills, on average £135 a month.
Kew Bridge Rise
5. Enjoy outstanding customer service
Hill supports its buyers every step of the way. The company provides a consistent point of contact throughout the purchase process, as reflected in its Trustpilot rating of 4.9 – the highest score of any firm in the Home Builder category on the UK site. Hill has also been awarded the Home Builders Federation’s coveted 5-star status, which is reserved for companies where over 90% of customers would recommend them to a friend.
During the purchase process, one of Hill’s sales executives informs the buyer of build progress and any completion updates while also being on hand to answer questions. Hill provides a guided move-in process to ensure that each buyer settles into their new home well. The process includes a home demonstration, a seven-day check-in, and a 28-day visit. So, there’s always someone on hand to answer queries.
Samantha Mogan adds: “So many people told us that buying a home would be incredibly stressful, but I can honestly say, this was not our experience. Hill’s support and advice made the whole process feel so easy and the fact that their build standards are so high meant there were no added extras to surprise us along the way. The sales team were very transparent, and we used one of their recommended mortgage advisors and solicitors, with no complications. We reserved in April, when the house wasn’t finished, visited numerous times to see the build progress, which was super exciting, and moved in five months later.”
Anyone keen to find out more about the advantages of buying new – including buying new with Hill – is invited to come along to the London New Home Show at Islington’s Business Design Centre on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 January 2024. The show is free to attend, and tickets can be booked in advance.
