ADVICE
Joseph Grant is the Development Sales Manager for Thrive Homes, recently joining it on its mission to produce high quality and affordable homes in the surrounding counties to London. Having started his property career in lettings for an independent agency in north west London, he quickly resonated with the demands of a fast- paced industry and allowed his passion for property to grow.The new homes sector came calling and this was to be his niche, establishing his name with a 5-star developer and now working with a leading housing association. Having spent many years working both in and out of London, he is no stranger to the motivation of today’s buyers on their quest to find the perfect place to call home q Location based question – I am a first time buyer and I am struggling to find wants and needs were fulfilled and this allowed them to live the lifestyles they wanted as homeowners, and this is key and can greatly influence where you buy.
Joseph Grant, Development Sales Manager, Thrive Homes
phenomenal amount of time on the commute. The likelihood is that you will be in similar company on a development out of London with a mixture of existing locals wanting to be on the ladder just like you and wanting to stay close to their family network. Our Parkside development in Watford is a great example of an outer London location with superb connectivity back into London, with notable value for money. Offering enough space to entertain the friends and family that will visit you, enough room for the cat or dog (we welcome both) and the potential affordability to change London’s typical studio/ one bedroom applicant into potentially a two-bedroom applicant. It could open a world of opportunity, just be sure to verify numbers with a broker first, as London and outer London have salary caps for shared ownership. Deposits start from as low as £3,875 (5%).
something suitable. My affordability to buy in London means I am not able to buy what I really desire, so what would be the next best thing? A An excellent question and the answer can really get you thinking. London will always be the holy grail location with more and more innovative developments being constructed.The ever-impressive resident amenities on offer can enable homeowners to never actually have to leave their buildings in some cases. But naturally this comes at a cost, not only because of the London location but factoring in the cost of these amenities too.Then we have the more practical side of things to consider like parking and transportation links, not only for commuting purposes, but for those friends and family members we hope will come and visit once you move in. Going deeper into it, you have to spare a thought on longevity as well as affordability; for example, will that studio flat in the most amazing complex be the end goal or is this just scratching the surface? I think it’s fascinating what the same budget can get in different locations, and the question to ask as a buyer is, what actually is important to me? What do I need for my first home? Besides the obvious roof and four walls, the question can seem too simple, but the answer often isn’t. I remember selling an “almost one bedroom sized” studio apartment in south London (a plot in high demand let me assure you) and in the back of my mind remembering less than a year prior, I had sold a two bedroom house with its own private garden for £50,000 less outside of London (both properties available via shared ownership).The buyer profiles were almost identical, young first time buying professionals who worked from home, both cat lovers and keen to get on the property ladder. Both were over the moon come completion day because their individual
Neighbouring towns have definitely caught the eye of the traditional London audience, with more and more buyers opting to leave their London roots behind and seek better value for money outside the capital. I often refer to the M1 motorway as the gauge of affordability, with the pricier hotspots being London and Milton Keynes. Now, the areas in between are the ones seeing the growth and desirability because of the ease of connectivity to go in either direction. Use this as a starting point, or for those who do not drive, use the National Rail services from the more notable London stations, Euston, King’s Cross St Pancras, Liverpool Street etc.There are often services that travel directly and this can save a
The clue really is in the name. The Parkside development is a modern collection of 127 one, two and three bedroom
apartments neighbouring 6.4 hectares of public green space. All apartments have an outdoor offering by way of a balcony or terrace, and residents additionally have communal landscaped grounds directly in the centre of the development as a picturesque background. Being that Watford is the largest town in Hertfordshire, its transport links are unrivalled to and from London with trains to London Euston in as little as 15 minutes. Pricing starting from £310,000 is available with a minimum 25% share and deposits as low as £3,875. • One bedroom from £310,000 • Two bedrooms from £390,000 • Three bedrooms from £492,500.
parksidewatford.co.uk
*Based on a 25% share with a full market value of £310,000
16 First Time Buyer June/July 2018
December 2024/January 2025
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