A First Home In A Childhood Town Thanks To Help To Buy

A couple from Poole have bought their dream first home near to their family hometown after previously thinking it was unaffordable.

Laura Gower (30) and Jack Hearne (23) both grew up in Poole and were unsure if they could afford a home together in the popular seaside area they’ve loved since they were kids.

The couple came across Barratt Homes’ Canford Paddock development, close to the picturesque town and harbour and thanks to Help to Buy were able to purchase their first home together. The development, situated close to the River Stour, was the perfect location for Laura and Jack, close to the area they adore, and within easy reach of their work and family.

Laura said: “With Poole and the coast on our doorstep and the development near to both our families and work, it is in the ideal location. We’ve always loved the area and were afraid we would have to move away to afford our first home together.”

It was the Help to Buy scheme, open to all first-time buyers, which meant the couple could, in fact, stay in the Poole area and secure a brand-new home. Help to Buy allows first-time buyers to secure a new home under the value of £437,600 in the South East with just a 5% deposit. The government lends the buyer 20% of the value of the property in the form of an interest-free equity loan for five years, meaning that buyers then gain access to some of the great mortgage rates currently available with just a 75% mortgage.

Jack said: “Without Help to Buy, our dream of owning a home together here would have been unachievable. The scheme has meant we can stay in the area we love and get on that all-important property ladder.”

And with Laura and Jack both working remotely, having done so since the start of the pandemic, they now have the space they need to work comfortably from their new home.

Laura added: “Before we bought and moved into our new home, Jack was working from his parents’ house and I was working from my bedroom in a shared house. I’m so happy we don’t have to do that anymore! We have so much space here. We’ve also been over the moon with the help we’ve received from the Barratt Homes sales team. Bethany, especially, went above and beyond to ensure our house buying process ran smoothly, easing any anxieties we may have had.”

The first-time buyers chose the three-bedroom ‘Maidstone’ property. This home comes complete with an open-plan kitchen/diner and a spacious lounge, along with a cloakroom and handy storage, downstairs. Upstairs there is a main bedroom with en suite, a further double bedroom, single bedroom and a family bathroom.

Barratt Homes’ Canford Paddock is an exclusive collection of three-bedroom homes in a beautiful new development, designed with lots of open space. With the River Stour and a large natural greenspace on the doorstep, along with easy access to Wimborne, Poole and Bournemouth, it’s in an ideal location. Find out more from Barratt Homes.

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