New Homes in Brixton and Wembley Park from Network Homes

We talk to Lisa Ley, head of sales and marketing at Network Homes, about Wembley Park’s transformation into one of London’s largest mixed-use destinations, the importance of working with local communities – and why good homes make everything possible.

How long have you been with Network Homes and what are your main areas of responsibility?

I have been with Network Homes for six years and my role involves overseeing all aspects of the sales and marketing process. In any given week I am likely to be liaising with the sales team and agents to ensure our targets are met, reviewing strategies and marketing collateral, signing off advertising schedules or planning our next marketing suite. It’s fast paced with lots of moving parts – but extremely rewarding to be helping people find their new home.

Can you tell us about your work in Brixton and Wembley?

Our headline launch for 2019 is BRX, comprising 96 new one-, two- and three-bedroom private sale homes in the heart of Brixton, SW9. It has been designed by the multi-award winning PRP Architects and includes a mixture of apartments, duplexes and penthouses, with each home having a balcony or terrace, as well as a beautifully landscaped communal garden set amongst new public spaces.

In West London, we’re currently marketing Casa, which is a collection of 27 Shared Ownership apartments at the heart of Wembley Park. Casa follows on from our previous Shared Ownership launch here, Scala, which is now almost all sold. We’ve also got Vibe towards Wembley Central, a smaller but equally impressive scheme.

What do you feel sets these schemes apart from other new build developments?

I think we tend to deliver homes that have a better design and specification than is to be expected at the respective price points. In terms of location, both are excellent.

Brixton is one of south London’s true success stories. It continues to evolve but retains its authenticity and culture, which we think is extremely important. So it’s no wonder it’s a hotspot for young professionals.

Meanwhile, Wembley Park is undergoing a transformation into one of London’s largest mixed-use destinations.  Seemingly every day there are new shops, cafés and restaurants springing up here, making it an exciting time to be moving there. This is illustrated by the recent opening of BoxPark – offering a diverse range of food and beverage vendors year-round as well as a lively events programme. 

How have the schemes been received by the local communities?

BRX has been designed in close consultation with the local community, to preserve and enhance local facilities like the skatepark, while providing a range of much needed homes and facilities.

It forms one of the final parts of the £175m regeneration of the Stockwell Park estate which we have been leading for over 10 years now.  This includes delivery of a wide range of private and affordable homes, new community facilities and improved landscaping which we are extremely proud of. As a business, we are in it for the long term.

Do Network Homes offer any incentives or help to buyers?

We will be offering Help to Buy on some of the apartments at BRX, and all the homes at Casa are available through Shared Ownership. The majority of homes we currently market are shared ownership, which we think is a great option for getting onto the ladder and has really taken off in the last few years. Our customers tend to be pleasantly surprised when they realise then can live in their desired area on a more modest budget than they thought.

Are these homes likely to appeal more to a particular 'type' of buyer?

Generally speaking we cater to the young professional and new family market. That said, we have a small scheme in Hounslow called A55+ which caters for over 55s who are looking to downsize.  We believe good homes make everything possible - no matter what age you are!

Are there any opportunities for buy-to-let investor buyers at these developments?

BRX and Casa are both in vibrant areas popular with young professionals, so naturally there is high rental demand which might appeal to an investor. Although, we are proud to say that most of our buyers are owner occupiers.

What are your predictions for the property market in 2019?

Brexit uncertainty has certainly slowed things down – and I’m sure I speak for many people when I say we just need to get it over with. That said, as we tend to operate at the low-mid market in up and coming areas, we are less impacted than the wider market.  If we were selling million-pound family homes, I’d be more worried!

Build to Rent (BTR) is also going to really take off in 2019. The British Property Federation has said that the number of BTR blocks under construction has surged 40% in a year, which is huge, so it’s an area to keep your eye on. We will be launching our first build-to-rent scheme later this year in Sudbury Hill, so watch this space!

Find out more about Network Homes