Shared Ownership Week – North West first-time buyers flock to show for dream homes  

Hundreds of would-be homeowners attended the inaugural First Time Buyer Home Show in Manchester last weekend to take a first-hand look at a wide range of brand new homes available through government-backed schemes such as Shared Ownership.

The first event in the North West from First Time Buyer magazine, after several years of successful shows in London, took place right in the middle of Shared Ownership Week. It drew a wide range of house-hunters looking to get on the property ladder, with an array of housebuilders and housing associations on hand to show them the properties they are offering for sale now and in the near future.

Help to Buy North West was also on hand to tell buyers about the shared equity and mortgage guarantee options of that scheme, while the part-buy/part-rent appeal of Shared Ownership was widely appreciated in the main exhibition hall and in the seminar theatre.

Lynda Clark, editor of First Time Buyer magazine and organiser of the Show, says: "Shared Ownership is a great way for first-time buyers to take that first all-important step onto the property ladder. It allows the buyer to purchase a quality new home in stages and remove much of the upfront cost of buying."

Kate Faulkner, who attended the Show for her website www.propertychecklists.co.uk and who appears frequently in the media on housing matters, says: "One thing I often talk about to first-time buyers is Shared Ownership, a much misunderstood way of owning a home and would you believe sometimes people are quite suspicious of it too. However, for those who need to live in a specific area due to work or family commitments or need a house when they can only afford a flat, it can be a wonderful way to put a roof over your head. I do recommend though you work out what the costs are to buy, to own and run and how much it costs and the process to sell or staircase in the future as this can differ from one property to the next."

Here are some of the properties currently on the market from some of the exhibitors at the show:

Congleton Road, Smallwood, Cheshire – from £45,000 (25% share)

From Snugg Living and ready to move into in 2017 are this pair of two-bedroom semi-detached homes in a small development in the semi-rural village of Smallwood, only ten minutes’ drive from Sandbach and close to the M6. These gas centrally heated homes come with a fully fitted kitchen and appliances as well as landscaped front and rear gardens and two parking spaces each.

Within easy reach are a host of amenities such as doctor’s and dentist’s surgeries, supermarkets, pubs and Congleton Leisure Centre. Chester, Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester and Merseyside are all easily commutable on the local road network.

Snugg Living is part of Adactus Housing Group.

Find out more at www.snuggliving.co.uk ; 01942 267819

Village 135, Wythenshawe, Manchester – £ POA (open market and Shared Ownership)

This development from Garden City Homes is for over-55s who need Extra Care, which means there is a host of domestic and medical services available to tailor to the needs of each buyer in person. The 135 units are available in a mix of tenures, including rent, Shared Ownership and full private sale. 

These properties are especially designed for older buyers, with the peace of mind of secure locking, smoke alarms , CCTV and a 24-hour emergency call system, the homes are also comfortable and with an appealing specification, with a modern kitchen, wet room and modern heating system.

Garden City Homes is part of Wythenshawe Community Housing Group.

Find out more at www.gardencityhomes.org.uk ; 0300 777 7177

The Acorns, Altrincham, Greater Manchester – from £44,975 (35% share)

This new development of one-bedroom apartments is set within the well established and sustainable community of Stamford Brook. Six of these properties have been set aside for the Shared Ownership scheme, and these have an excellent specification including stylish kitchen and bathroom, combi heating, cycle storage and allocated parking.

Altrincham is about eight miles south-west of Manchester city centre, three miles south-southwest of Sale and ten miles east of Warrington, making it easily commutable for anyone working in those areas. The town is well connected by road, rail, bus and Metrolink, with Manchester Airport also just five miles away.

Find out more at www.plumlife.co.uk ; 0161 447 5050

Another London edition of the First Time Buyer Home Show takes place at the Business Design Centre on Saturday 8 October.