The perfect option for buyers ‘going it alone’

Soaring property prices over the last decade has meant that many first-time buyers have found themselves priced-out of the market. As a result new trends have emerged, including buying a property with a friend or member of the family, which have provided many buyers with a chance to get a first foot onto the property ladder.

This alternative method of buying is finally paying off for this generation of pioneering first-time buyers and thanks to smart investment and rising values, many are now in the position to ‘go it alone’.

In 2005, Julia Spencer couldn’t afford to purchase a home by herself and so decided to club together and buy with a friend in St Albans. The compromise paid off, as the sale of the property raised enough capital to buy a stylish two bedroom apartment at Mezza Luna, Crest Nicholson’s latest development in the area.

Julia comments: “About three years ago, I was itching to get on the property ladder but at that time, house prices were out of my reach. A friend of mine was in the same position, so we decided to join forces to strengthen our buying potential. This turned out to be the perfect solution to affording my first home, and proved to be extremely profitable.

“The profit from the sale of my first home allowed me to move onto the property ladder by myself much sooner and more easily than I otherwise would have been able to do. It left me financially ready to buy my own property and the affordability of the homes at Mezza Luna meant that I haven’t had to compromise on location or specification.”

As well as Mezza Luna, which comprises 22 stylish and sophisticated apartments arranged across 3 separate buildings, Crest Nicholson has a number of other sites across Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, including thehub:mk in Milton Keynes, Viridian Square in Aylesbury and the recently launched Sentinel in Watford.

The Home Counties represent the perfect choice for commuters to the capital, with high speed train links running directly into London’s mainline stations. As Julia, who is able to reach Kings Cross in just 21 minutes, says: “Mezza Luna suits my lifestyle perfectly. I can get into London for work in under an hour, door to door.”

The Home Counties represent an alternative, and affordable, location each with its own thriving social scene and a wealth of pubs, bars and café’s that define the cosmopolitan heart of each town. With a wealth of shops and restaurants, as well as sports, leisure and entertainment facilities in Milton Keynes, Aylesbury, St Albans and Watford, the wider region boasts a number of significant attractions for first time buyers looking outside of London.

Julia comments: “At weekends St Albans city centre offers a lively restaurant and bar scene. The shops are just a short car ride away as is the city’s magnificent old Abbey. The apartment itself is so chic and luxurious, I can’t quite believe that it is all mine! It is fantastic to own my own property at such a promising development, in an area that offers its residents so much.”

Sales and Marketing Manager, Helen Watts of Crest Nicholson (Chiltern) Ltd, comments: “The dramatic rate at which these homes have sold right across the region is testament to the high specification and location of all of our developments. For young purchasers like Julia, who don’t expect to be able to afford such a striking apartment for such an affordable price, we offer some fantastic deals for first time buyers.”

For more information and price details, visit Crestnicholson.com.