Move fast to become a home owner in Kent

Holborough Lakes – Berkeley Homes (Capital) Ltd’s flagship development near West Malling in Kent – is now inviting applicants to site who wish to buy a property through the government-backed MyChoiceHomeBuy initiative.

Despite belief that there is a continuous supply of funding for this initiative, the funds are actually released by the government in controlled stages. Holborough Lakes is now taking MyChoiceHomeBuy assisted reservations this Spring and purchasers are urged to act now before all the funds in this cycle are allocated.

MyChoiceHomeBuy is designed to help first-time buyers, key workers and purchasers with an income/combined income of £20,000 and £60,000 become homeowners. The MyChoiceHomeBuy initiative at Holborough Lakes is in partnership with Moat, who is one of the largest and most successful housing associations operating across the South East.

Purchasers using the scheme will be offered an equity loan of up to 50% of the purchase price of a property at the development. One-bedroom apartments start from just £165,000 and are stamp-duty exempt so are exceptionally attractive to those starting out on the property ladder, with the possibility of taking out a mortgage of just £82,500. Families who require a larger property are also being given the opportunity to step onto the property ladder, with the three and four-bedroom homes also available under the initiative.

Piers Clanford, Operations Director at Berkeley Homes (Capital) Ltd comments: “The real issue for those trying to buy their first home is being able to save a large enough deposit in order to be able to obtain a mortgage. With MyChoiceHomeBuy, a purchaser would only need about £4,500 to cover the associated costs involved with buying and moving into a new home. Purchasers at the bottom of the ladder need all the financial help they can get, so the combination of MyChoiceHomeBuy, stamp-duty exempt apartments, prices from £165,000 and the Berkeley Homes standard is one of the best offers available in Kent.”

The MyChoiceHomeBuy initiative also allows the purchaser to buy a bigger share of the property. Buyers can pay back all or part of the shared equity loan any time after one year of receiving the loan. However, the buyer will need to buy a minimum of ten percent at any one time.

Berkeley Homes has been building excellent quality new homes in Kent for decades, with Holborough Lakes being one of the biggest and most striking of all its developments. The one- and two-bedroom apartments, and three-, four-, and five-bedroom homes in the current phase all share a very distinctive New England style of architecture, with weatherboard exteriors painted in pretty pastel colours. There’s also an abundance of white wood detailing, including verandas and Juliet balconies, making for a distinctive and refreshing street scene.

Internally, all the properties are fitted out to the highest of standards, with Bosch appliances, white Villeroy and Boch sanitaryware and wiring for the latest technology, including digital TV, broadband, Sky Plus and Sky High Definition.

Behind the scenes, Super E technology works to create a cleaner, warmer internal environment. Superior insulation and a heat recovery system reduces the need for central heating and, in turn, leads to lower fuel bills. A filtration system also removes dirt and dust particles, leading to less allergy symptoms and a more dust-free home.

Holborough Lakes provides a rural setting next to the beautiful North Downs, yet enjoys excellent links to Ebbsfleet International train station (20 minutes by car). As of December 2009, the new high-speed rail line will reduce journey times from Ebbsfleet to St Pancras to just 17 minutes. Holborough Lakes also enjoys excellent links to the M20, M2 and M25.

For further information about Holborough Lakes, log on to Holborough.co.uk.