Accountants get a financial deal from Barratt

Press reports frequently talk about how difficult it is to buy a first home in the current market, but Barratt Eastern Counties has stepped up the support it offers first time buyers and is successfully helping many young people secure their first home.

Amongst these are Amanda Willett, 28, and Paul Kerslake, 26, who have moved into a new one-bedroom home at Barratt's The Hawthorns in Witham, near Chelmsford.

As accountants, Amanda and Paul are used to making figures add up and had decided to buy off-plan to give them more time to build up their savings. What they hadn't taken into account was how much help Barratt could give them. Paul explains: "We had no idea how far Barratt goes to help first time buyers. They paid our deposit and Stamp Duty and then reduced the price of the property further, so we ended up paying just £150,000 instead of the asking price of £163,000. It was an amazing deal."

Amanda and Paul had each been living with their parents locally in Bicknacre and South Woodham Ferrers and had spent a lot of time driving around the area and looking at new developments before settling on The Hawthorns. "We felt safe buying a home from Barratt because they're a reputable company and we trust them," comments Amanda.

The easy communication links were a major factor in Amanda and Paul's decision to buy. Amanda works as an accountant for a Residential Surveying company in Brentwood, she commutes by car which only takes her 20 minutes, Paul is an insurance accountant in London City and commutes by train. Witham station has a very regular service with up to four trains an hour in the peak reaching London Liverpool Street in around 40 minutes.

For everyday shopping or a relaxing trip to a pub or restaurant, the market town of Witham is only a mile away. Or for a greater choice of amenities, it's just a 15-minute drive to Chelmsford, where Amanda and Paul can enjoy a great choice of shops, restaurants, bars and cafés, or take in a show at one of the town's two theatres.

The Hawthorns, which is located opposite the open green space of a golf course, offers a wide selection of houses and apartments. Amanda and Paul chose a ‘coach house', which suits them down to the ground. Their home is set above a garage and has the benefit of its own private front door. The interior is a modern open-plan arrangement with a large combined living/dining/kitchen area that uses the space very effectively. Amanda comments: "We're delighted with our home, it's a good size, very well designed and has a good range of kitchen appliances."

Currently on sale at The Hawthorns are two-bedroom apartments, priced from £152,995, modern three-bedroom townhouses from £269,995 and traditional four-bedroom family houses from £279,995.

Barratt is offering excellent incentives to help first-time buyers, including payment of their deposit or Stamp Duty. Buyers with a combined household income between £25,000 and £60,000 could qualify for a loan of up to 50 per cent of the property value through the Government's MyChoiceHomeBuy scheme. Or for people with an existing home to sell, Barratt's popular Part Exchange package, is quick, hassle-free and saves the cost of estate agent fees and the HIP pack.

For more information on The Hawthorns, log on to Barratthomes.co.uk.