For Hamzah, a 27 year old primary school teacher from Slough, his 2 bedroom Shared Ownership apartment at Horlicks Quarter wasn’t just about getting onto the property ladder, it also meant securing a place for him and his young family to call home in an otherwise unaffordable area of Slough.
Prior to their move, Hamzah, his wife, and two young children lived with his parents and younger brother in Wexham, Slough. Whilst they’d loved being so close to his family, they knew it was time to find their own home. However, property prices in Slough, to rent or buy on the open market had proved beyond their reach. Hamzah explains: “House prices in Slough are always rising, making it difficult for first-time buyers like us. Even a decent-sized apartment in the area costs around £1,300 a month, which just wasn’t affordable. So, I started looking online for alternatives and discovered Shared Ownership.”
Discovering Shared Ownership
As Hamzah researched the scheme he realised it was ideal for a first-time buyer such as himself. “Shared Ownership [at Horlicks Quarter] was the perfect middle ground, even though we’d be paying rent and a mortgage, it was still £200-£300 cheaper than renting. Plus, the lower deposit requirements made saving much more achievable.”
Finding the right home
“I’ve always lived in Slough, so we searched for Shared Ownership properties in the area. A few developments came up, but Horlicks Quarter was always our first choice. You’ve got everything you could need in walking distance - there’re two great schools about 15 minutes away and its only 10 minutes to the high street, whereas before I’d have to drive there.”
Starting the Shared Ownership journey
Hamzah registered his interest in Horlicks Quarter via Rightmove and contacted a Mortgage Advisor from Sovereign’s panel to ensure his monthly repayments were affordable. After completing his financial assessment, Hamzah visited Horlicks Quarter. He was welcomed by Sean Eastman, the on-site Sales Consultant, who gave him a tour of the development and available apartments.
Once they’d picked their dream home preparations were made to get the sales process underway. “Sean was really inviting and helpful throughout, he answered all our questions and explained how we could claim our incentive.”
Life at Horlicks Quarter
Now happily settled in, we asked Hamzah his thoughts on his family’s new home: “You can tell it was built to a high standard. I can see us living here for a long time and we’re planning to buy a greater share of our home in the future [via staircasing]. Our household bills are definitely lower, we love our Juliet balcony, and having the integrated appliances in the kitchen was amazing, it really helped us settle in!”
Speaking on the wider Horlicks Quarter development, Hamzah said: “Aquifer Gardens are beautiful, my kids loved going there over the summer months. The communal gardens have been a great place to meet people – my wife has already made friends with some of the neighbours, and my kids are making friends too, it’s great to see my family so happy.”
Reflecting on their homebuying journey, Hamzah concluded: “I’m really happy with our new home - Sovereign have been a great partner throughout and made the buying process as smooth as possible. I thought we were years away from owning a home in Slough – we’re so thankful for Shared Ownership, and to Sovereign for making affordable homes for people like us.”
We still have Shared Ownership homes available at Horlicks Quarter, with prices starting from just £71,250. Plus, get £2,000 to help with your move when you reserve. To find out more click here