First time lucky at Bauhaus

First-time buyers don’t usually expect to be able to afford a chic apartment in a landmark building in one of the country’s most dynamic urban centres. But most first-time buyers have not found Bauhaus, Durkan Estates’ development of chic one- and two-bedroom apartments, three-bedroom penthouses and two-bedroom mews houses in Croydon.

Two first time buyers who have, however, are Natalie Bedford and her fiancé, Kieran McGourty, both 28. They bought a one-bedroom apartment with help from the Government’s HomeBuy Direct shared-ownership scheme, aimed at helping first-time buyers climb onto the property ladder. "We certainly got more than we ever expected," says Natalie. "I didn’t know anything about property, but Kieran is a builder so he knew a bit about the market and recognised the value and quality that Bauhaus offers.

"We paid £168,000 for our flat, including a parking space. It was a real bargain because it was originally on at £205,000 with the parking as extra."

Natalie and Kieran are both very impressed by the luxury of their first home. The tenth-floor apartment has spectacular views across the whole of Croydon full-length windows and hard-wood flooring in the hall and living room. The kitchen features a built-in hob, oven and fridge and security features including a security guard and video entry systems – a major consideration for Natalie, who works in Croydon in the personnel department of a construction company.

But none of this would be theirs without the HomeBuy Direct scheme, which Natalie and Kieran applied for when it was launched last year. Only specific developments, and units within them, are included in the scheme, so the couple knew where to start their search.

"We couldn’t believe our luck," says Natalie. "There is no way we could have afforded to buy anywhere without the scheme; at the time, lenders were demanding deposits of 15 to 20 per cent. Under the scheme, we own 77 per cent of the equity, with the remaining 23 per cent owned jointly by Durkan Estates and the Government."

Having rented together for four years, Natalie and Kieran moved in with Kieran’s parents in Croydon for a year while they saved as much as they could to put towards their first home. They moved into their Bauhaus apartment in December last year.

Bauhaus brings urban chic to Croydon. Each home has elegance and style built in, including contemporary Lemongrass kitchens with integrated stainless steel oven and ceramic hob, luxury bathrooms with ladder towel rails, interior-designed communal areas, a built-in Portico wardrobe to the master bedroom and a daytime caretaker service. The ground-floor foyer is a real design statement, created by the designer and sculptor William Mitchell, whose high-profile commissions include the Egyptian Room at Harrods and the Ritz in Paris.

The development is right on the doorstep is Croydon’s cultural quarter, where the shopping and entertainment facilities rival those of London’s West End. A short walk away is East Croydon station, which offers direct rail links to London Bridge and Victoria in under 20 minutes and, later this year, will be connected to the tube network via the extension to the East London line. The area will also benefit from the Gateway development next to the station, which will include a state-of-the-art arena.

Prices at Bauhaus start from £155,000 for a one bedroom apartment. There are currently three properties available through HomeBuy Direct. Interested purchasers can visit the Bauhaus marketing suite and showhome seven days a week from 10am to 5pm. For further information or to arrange an appointment, visit bauhuas-croydon.com.