New home incentives for London servicemen and women

London’s military servicemen and women are being offered special incentives to help them get their feet on the property ladder. Personnel employed by the Army, Royal Navy or Royal Air Force as well as anyone who has served in the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq all qualify for Barratt’s Armed Forces Discount Scheme. Anyone set to retire from the forces this year will be eligible until the end of 2009.

They will be offered a £500 discount for every £25,000 (or part thereof) on the cost of the property they are buying. For example, on a home costing £250,000 they would qualify for a reduction of £5,000.

The launch of the country-wide offer will coincide with the first ever National Armed Forces Day on 27th June.

“This country rightly celebrates the achievements of its Armed Forces which many regard as the best in the world,” said Alastair Baird, managing director of Barratt London.

“We have an established track record of helping people into home ownership and this offer should enable servicemen and women finally to own the roof over their heads and save thousands of pounds.

“Now is a good time to buy because prices and mortgage rates are significantly lower than they were two years ago. We are offering some superb deals which won’t be on the table much longer as our stock levels have reduced significantly.

“What gives us the edge over other people selling homes is that we can provide customers with innovative financial incentives which enable them to get a mortgage – the key issue for anyone buying today.

Homes currently available with the Armed Forces Discount Scheme from Barratt in London include Great West Quarter in Brentford, West London, centred on the Art Deco magnificence of the famous Wallis House.

The latest phases includes Beecham House and Firestone House, comprising 57 newly-built studio, one and two bedroom apartments with extensive wrap-around terraces and verandas taking advantage of views over Great West Quarter’s central piazza and boulevard.

Studios are available from £200,000, one bedroom apartments from £250,000 and two bedroom apartments from £298,000. The marketing suite is open daily from 10am to 6pm, or visit gwq.uk.com.

Other key schemes include Maple Quays in Rotherhithe, South-East London, where a new phase of 186 apartments, called Montreal House, is under way as part of a wider regeneration that will include new town centre amenities, including a library, civic plaza, leisure, shops and play space.

Prices at Montreal House start from £250,000 for one bedroom apartments and £365,000 for two bedroom apartments. A stunning marketing suite is open alongside Canada Water station, complete with a fully-furnished show apartment, open daily from 10.00am to 6.00pm. Visit barratthomes.co.uk for more details.

Brand new in the heart of London’s East End is St Andrews, a spectacular new development of almost 1000 homes right on the edge of the Olympics zone in Bromley-by-Bow. As such, it offers homebuyers an early opportunity to buy into East London’s future at low off-plan prices – starting at just £199,995. See barratthomes.co.uk/standrews for more information.

Coming soon to leafy North London is a major new Barratt project on the North Edgware/Stanmore border. The first phase of one and two-bedroom apartments is due for release later this summer and prices are expected to start from around £200,000 – log on to Barratthomes.co.uk for more information.