Forget Chelsea – Birmingham has better first time buyer bargains

A former cleaner’s cupboard in Chelsea is on the market for £170,000 – and still needs a further £30,000 to make it habitable.

But that kind of money could buy you a brand new, two-storey, two-bedroom home close to Birmingham city centre and still leave you with plenty of change in your pocket!

In fact, Redrow’s Debut @ Castle Vale venture has helped buyers get a foot on the property ladder for as little as £59, 995 - and they’ve been buying in their droves.

Unsurprisingly, Redrow has just under 10 properties left for sale at this 136-home venture and is urging budding buyers to get their skates on or risk losing the chance to get on the property ladder.

While Chelsea’s seven foot by 11 foot ‘apartment’ may benefit from its location in fashionable West London, close to Sloane Street and Harrods, Castle Vale is easily commutable to Birmingham city centre, which has its own collection of sought-after designer labels and shops, including Selfridges and Harvey Nichols, plus plenty of restaurants and entertainment venues.

As well as getting far more space for their money than whoever purchases the Chelsea ‘broom cupboard’ – thought to be the smallest property to ever go on sale in the UK - Debut customers will also enjoy the benefits of living in an award-wining, contemporary, newly built and energy efficient new home with all mod-cons.

Debut by Redrow is helping to make home ownership accessible, affordable and easy to manage for first time buyers.

When Debut @ Castle Vale launched, the first phase was snapped up straight away and since then the venture has welcomed more than 100 home owners.

Julia Pallister, sales director for Redrow Homes (Midlands) says: “These homes have provided a lifeline to people who feared they would never be able to get a foot on the property ladder. One of the innovations of Redrow’s Debut range is that the buyer pays just one monthly service charge, which includes the gas, water and electricity bills, as well as buildings insurance, external maintenance – and even the cost of window cleaning –making it so much easier to budget when setting up home for the first time.

“Because there was so much positive press coverage about the success of Debut when we launched, people may think there are no homes left or that the more affordable properties are now gone. However we released the homes in stages so we still have one ‘Debut One’ studio apartment on the market, for just £59,995 – the perfect pad for the boy or girl about town.”

Among the other homes still available are a selection of two-bedroom, two storey homes with their bedrooms and bathroom at entry level and high ceilinged, open plan living space, dining area and kitchen above. The Debut Four is priced from £94,995, while the Debut Five, priced at just £109,995 has a similar layout, but also has an extra room, called ‘Think’, ideal for a study area.

Much of the cost-saving in Redrow’s Debut homes comes from the way in which they are constructed, using a lightweight structural steel frame and other modern methods of construction, which speeds up the build programme without compromising on quality.

Julia continued: “There is an option to use the Easi-buy scheme which allows buyers to defer 10% of the price of their new 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. In other words, it’s like an interest free loan.”

Set on the outskirts of Birmingham, the development is easily commutable to the city centre. Castle Vale itself has enjoyed massive regeneration in recent years and offers a newly developed high street and commercial centre. Part of Redrow’s development forms an extension of the high quality pedestrianisation of the Reed Square area.

For more information on the final homes at Debut @ Castle Vale, visit debutbyredrow.co.uk.