West Midlands: Debut go girl
The first new residents have moved in at an innovative Stoke development for first time buyers and the ‘Bridget Jones’ effect was clear to see. When the homes first went on sale, many queued through the night to secure an affordable home. Now the first residents have moved in and amongst them, a large single female contingent can definitely be seen.
This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, though, given the findings of a recent study by Halifax. The research has shown that nationally single women are the fastest growing group of purchasers to take out a mortgage. This has become known as the Bridget Jones effect, after cinema’s iconic independent woman.
One young woman to have invested in a home at Redrow’s Debut @ Pavilion Lock development, in Hanley, is nursery nurse Kim Burton, 24.
She said: “I was living with my mum and dad in Trentham, Stoke. It was good, but I’ve always fancied moving into a place of my own. I really didn’t want to rent because the money is effectively going straight down the drain.
“The other options I looked at were terraced houses, but they weren’t cheap in the first place, and there’s always the worry that if there was something wrong with the house it could turn into an expensive nightmare.
“When I saw the Debut homes advertised before the launch, they just looked perfect for first time buyers. I was especially drawn to it because the properties are brand new and that means there are no worries about big repairs. They also look stylish and I especially love the high, sloping ceiling in the living area.
“Also, with the utility bills and external maintenance coming as one monthly bill, it makes it so much simpler to look after the money and work out exactly how much you’re spending.”
Impressed with the sense of community among the young people at the development, Kim said: “Just after I moved in, my new next door neighbour came and introduced himself while we were putting down some flooring. We ended up sharing a bottle of wine and having a good laugh together.”
Kim has moved into a one-bedroom, two-storey Debut three home, which features a bedroom and bathroom downstairs and an open plan kitchen/living/dining room upstairs.
Like Kim, another girl who has bought a Debut home of her own at Pavilion Lock is Sammie Mahar. Sammie, 22, was among those who queued overnight on the day of the launch to secure her first home.
Sammie, who is set to move in to her one-bedroom home in November, said: “I left university in July 2005 but I haven’t been able to afford to buy a home since then and renting just means your money is wasted. Debut was the perfect chance to get my own home, it’s a great start, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity.”
Debut’s one and two-bedroom homes boast a fresh modern design, with sloping high ceilings, lots of window space to let light flood in and a contemporary layout. Prices and running costs are kept as low as possible, including a single monthly service charge to cover the main utility bills and external maintenance for easy budgeting.
Redrow’s own management company will maintain the carefully designed communal squares and landscaped areas. Cycle stores are incorporated into layouts and waste segregation facilities enable recycling of household waste.
When buying a Debut home customers can use Redrow’s interest-free deferred payment scheme. This means home owners have the option of deferring a proportion of the price (usually 10%) of their new Debut home for up to 10 years, on a fixed sum basis, which can be paid back via occasional lump sums, monthly repayments or in whole at any time.
There are still Debut homes available at Pavilion Lock, with prices from just £65,995*.
To find out more, visit debutbyredrow.co.uk.
*Starting price for single storey one-bedroom Debut home is £56,995. If customers choose the Debut ‘Easi-buy’ option the initial outlay is just £51,995. The fixed sum contribution can be repaid at any time within 10 years from the date of the property purchase.
