Use Help to Buy to get yourself a slice of New England in Berkshire

The government’s Help to Buy scheme is now available at Green Park Village in Reading, where developer St Edward is creating a substantial collection of New England-style homes .

With the Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) starting from the Berkshire town in 2019, there is already a sense of anticipation in the area, with London workers looking forward to frequent and fast connections right through the heart of the capital on a brand new service linking east and west.

Just a 12-minute drive from the station, Green Park Village is bringing a wide range of properties in an attractive timber-clad style commonly seen in the picturesque north-eastern corner of the USA. With Help to Buy, purchasers only need to provide a 5% deposit and will benefit from a 20% equity loan from the government, meaning they only have to find a 75% mortgage – putting less pressure on their earnings expectations and often leading to a more competitive interest rate.

Currently, there is a mix of apartments and houses for sale, with an open-market price range of £290,000 to £525,000, all well within the £600,000 limit of the Help to Buy scheme in England. The 20% equity loan – which is interest-free for the first five years – means the up-front price to the buyer ie deposit plus mortgage, is only 80% of that full price.

St Edward, part of the Berkeley Group – Best Large Housebuilder and winner of several other categories at the WhatHouse? Awards 2016, the most prestigious housebuilding event of the year – has provided some professionally decorated show homes for visitors to the site to look around to check out layouts and build quality for themselves. These and the marketing suite are open Monday to Friday, from 10.00am to 6.00pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 10.00am to 5.00pm. A visit to the site also provides a chance to find out more about the Help to Buy scheme from the expert sales team.

Situated next to a lake, the development has an attractive setting, with the homes laid out among numerous open spaces, nature paths and trim trails. Plans for the whole site include a market square and community hall as well as a brand new primary school. Adjacent Green Park offers  a range of shops, sports and leisure facilities, and childcare, as well as a terrific mix of casual and formal dining options.

Find out more about Green Park Village from St Edward.