A newly-wed couple could afford to buy their own property after taking advantage of the popular Help to Buy scheme, which allows buyers to purchase a new home up to the value of £600,000 with just a 5 per cent deposit.
Thanks to the scheme, first-time buyers Matthew and Elizabeth Ely, from Nottingham, moved into their new three-bedroom Finchely home at the Hucknall development in December following three years of renting.
“We wanted a home big enough to start a family but didn’t want to have to spend any extra time or expense doing it up once we were in, as we both work full time,” explained Elizabeth (31), a HR Assistant from Nottingham.
“This is a great starter home for us; it’s low maintenance and stress free which is exactly what we wanted. The location was also another big deciding factor for us and Merlin Park is ideal; it’s well positioned near the M1 for commuting to work and everything’s just a stone’s throw away including shops, the gym and the countryside.”
Matthew (36) a Procurement Analyst, said: “We were renting before, so buying is better value for money for us. Plus we’ve also found that our energy bills are cheaper than you’d expect for a three bedroom property as the house needs minimal heating and warms up really quickly.”
The couple is also reaping the benefits of buying a new property. Research from housing developer Barratt Homes found that owners of new homes save on average £600 per year on their heating bills compared to people in older properties thanks to energy-efficient fittings and techniques used in new homes.
“We’re really happy with our new home, the finish of the house is exceptional and the service we’ve received has been excellent. The whole moving experience has been fantastic from day one. Barratt Homes couldn’t do enough for us,” Matthew said.
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