Help To Buy London Leads To Dream First Home
After discovering The Scene, a partnership between Peabody and Sherry Green Homes, John and Anna took the plunge and successfully purchased their dream property in the trendy south London area of Deptford, SE14 using Help to Buy London.
Having previously rented a one-bedroom flat nearby for two years, freelance digital marketer John Cooper, 27, and engagement and events manager Anna Costa, 28, always knew their long-term goal was to own a home. John says: “Although we had always dreamt of buying a property, we thought we were not financially ready to buy. However, after spotting The Scene whilst Anna and I were out for a walk together, we began looking into the options available to us and realised that with the support of Help to Buy, owning a home was more achievable than we first thought. By being able to use a lower-level deposit with Help to Buy London providing a 40% equity loan, we were able to purchase a spacious two-bedroom duplex home. We paid £600,000 and the developers also helped us with Stamp Duty and our legal fees. We now pay £730 per month for our mortgage which has cut our monthly outgoings by half when compared to what we were paying out when renting. It’s been fantastic being able to save money and buy a home – it’s exactly what we wanted and more! We feel very lucky to have been offered the Help to Buy London scheme – it is so important for first-time buyers like us to have options available to help support getting onto the property ladder”.
As John works from home, finding a home with plenty of living space and somewhere for a dedicated home office was a priority. John comments: “When we first viewed the two-bedroom duplex at The Scene we knew straight away it was exactly what we wanted. It ticked all of our boxes; a second bedroom that we could convert into an office, much more space for us to enjoy living in and spending time together, lots of storage, private outdoor space and even better we have stairs! Most importantly, we wanted to stay in an area that we already knew and love – Deptford is really central and has good commuting links, which is great for Anna to get to work easily”.
The two-bedroom duplex works perfectly for both John and Anna’s lifestyle, particularly with the second bedroom that doubles up as John’s study and also provides somewhere for visitors to stay. John comments: “Lots of our friends are from Europe, and although I use it most of the time it is a really good size for guests – the room is big enough for my desk and a sofa bed which is perfect when we have friends to stay with us. The room is easily adaptable – one moment it is my office and with a quick shuffle around, it is an impressive extra bedroom”.
John continues: “Another lovely addition we love here is the private outdoor space available - we have really been enjoying using our terrace and balcony. In the spring, we will have beautiful views of the blossoming trees and flowers in the surrounding area. Another lovely part of this development is the tight-knit community. Anna is Brazilian and we have found neighbours here that are as well, so there is a wonderfully friendly atmosphere here.”
Occupying a fantastic setting, The Scene borders the popular urban villages of Deptford and New Cross, for John and Anna this location offers everything and more with a wide choice of local amenities, excellent transport links and refreshing green spaces. John comments: “We are thrilled to have found a home in Deptford; we really love the area as it has so much to offer. We enjoy going to the arches under the railway station which have been converted into a selection of bars, restaurants and little boutique shops. We also feel very fortunate to be close to some beautiful parks and green spaces in nearby Greenwich which other areas of London lack. From New Cross station we can easily reach central London in just 10-minutes and for Anna, her commute is an easy 15-minute train journey. Deptford really has everything”.
Having never purchased a property before, first-time buyers John and Anna were incredibly grateful to have the help, expertise, and patience of the Peabody and Sherry Green sales teams. “We were so impressed with the team’s knowledge and the support they gave us throughout the whole home-buying process. One of the team in particular who really went above and beyond was Emerson, he made this a really enjoyable journey rather than a stressful one and he still continues to offer his support now we have moved in”.
Two-bed apartments and duplexes are available from £565,000, with select homes benefitting from Help To Buy.
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