REAL LIFE
HEAR FROM L&Q’S BUYERS: FINDING A HOME THAT WORKS FOR YOU No two homebuying journeys look the same. From finding a more affordable way to rent while saving for the future, to taking a first step on to the property ladder or buying outright, there’s no one right route With homes available through London Living Rent, Rent to Buy, Intermediate Rent, Shared Ownership and private sale, L&Q offers options for people at different stages of their journey. But don’t just take our word for it – hear from three L&Q residents who found a home, and a route to it, that worked for them.
PUTTING DOWN ROOTS WITH PRIVATE SALE
For Louise Clarke, finding the right home meant returning to her roots. After two years renting in London, an opportunity to fulfil her role as a Corporate Crime Lawyer in Manchester prompted Louise to return to Lancashire, where her family and friends are based. “I missed the community lifestyle that London just didn’t give me, and being far away from my family and friends made making the move up north a natural decision,” she explains. After temporarily moving back in with her parents, Louise discovered Whalley Manor, a development by L&Q and Lovell set in the picturesque Lancashire village of Whalley.
SAVING FOR THE FUTURE WITH LONDON LIVING RENT
Before moving to L&Q at Brent Cross Town, Giovanni and Ayumi were renting a studio flat in west London. As they began looking for more space, they also wanted to continue saving towards eventually buying a home. “We knew we needed more space, but we also
I realised this was the
place I wanted to be
wanted the chance to save for the future,” Giovanni explains. “The London Living Rent scheme offered us exactly that, and for almost the same monthly outgoings – but with two extra bedrooms.” London Living Rent (LLR) is designed to help Londoners save towards homeownership, with rents based on one third of average household incomes within the local area. “The discounted rent was an absolute game changer,” Giovanni adds. “The LLR scheme now means that we can save each month towards buying a home in the future, which gave us the confidence to go for it.” Outside the capital, Rent to Buy offers a similar route, with homes typically available at up to 80% of market rent to help residents save towards buying in the future.
Whether you’re looking to rent a three bedroom home on the edge of Delamere Forest in the North West, buy a studio apartment in Zone 2 of the capital, or find something in between, L&Q offers a range of homes to suit different lifestyles, locations and stages of life. To explore homes available from L&Q across the country, pay a visit to lqhomes.com/locations Louise purchased a three bedroom semi-detached home, giving her the countryside lifestyle she wanted while remaining connected to Manchester and destinations across Lancashire. Reflecting on the sales process with L&Q, Louise explains, “From start to finish, the whole experience has been faultless. If I had any questions throughout the process, the team were on-hand to speak to me and I felt supported the whole way through.” “I was set on living in a new build home,” she says. “I really wanted something a bit different and to live in the countryside – that’s when I realised this was the place I wanted to be.”
STEPPING ON TO THE LADDER WITH SHARED OWNERSHIP
For nurse Vili and her daughter Elena, rising rents prompted them to consider whether buying could offer a better solution. After 15 years renting a one bedroom flat in Haringey, the pair purchased a 25% share of a two bedroom Shared Ownership apartment at L&Q at Alexandra Gate in north London. “We realised we actually couldn’t afford to rent a two bedroom home, but through Shared
Ownership, we could afford to buy one,”Vili explains. As a single parent,Vili had previously thought homeownership was beyond reach. However, when Elena began working full time in accounting, buying together became an option. “I’d spent years bringing Elena up on one income,” says Vili. “Homeownership just didn’t feel possible for someone in my position.” Their new home has given the mother and daughter the additional space they needed, alongside the security of having a place of their own.
54 First Time Buyer October/November 2026
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