RENT, SAVE, BUY
LONDON LIVING RENT WITH L&Q
BARKING Barking Riverside L&Q offers one, two and three bedroom London Living
Rent homes at one of Europe’s most ambitious new developments, Barking Riverside – a landmark neighbourhood bringing new homes to east London. Increasing connectivity and providing quick routes for commuters, the development benefits from its own Overground station on the newly renamed Suffragette Line and an Uber Boat by Thames Clippers Pier. The apartments benefit from flexible open-plan living spaces, spacious bedrooms and contemporary kitchens complete with integrated appliances, and each home also has a private balcony or terrace. Families are well catered for, with seven schools outlined in the masterplan, five of which are already open; this includes Riverside School, an Ofsted-rated Outstanding secondary school. Prices start from £1,154pcm for a one bedroom apartment.
Londoner Olauria Mafura’s experience of the capital’s property market had consisted of years of private rentals in the east of the city. It wasn’t until she had to move back to her parents in Romford that she began to consider longer-term options. Olauria, 27, explains, “Everything has become more expensive in recent years, especially London rents. I’ve lived alone, leasing via private landlords. However, after my stint back home, it was becoming increasingly apparent that I would struggle to find anywhere affordable to rent on my income – let alone to buy. “I came across L&Q, a housing association offering homes through an initiative called London Living Rent. I wasn’t aware of it, so did some research and learnt that it is an affordable rental scheme designed for those living and working in London. I could put aside my savings while saving for a deposit to buy a home of my own in the future.” Eager to stay in east London, Olauria started her search by viewing LLR homes in Rainham. However, upon discovering a new development from L&Q in Hendon, that would offer her excellent transport links, Olauria decided it might be time for a change. “Location was the number one priority for me,” Olauria explains. “I needed to find a home that had good connections into my work near St Paul’s and to reach friends and family. I hadn’t considered leaving east London, but when I saw Rookery Grove on the L&Q website, the apartments looked so beautiful, I knew I needed to see it.” Impressed by the interior spec of the homes and the location, Olauria began the process to secure her new one bedroom LLR home at Rookery Grove. Ideally positioned in one of north London’s best-connected areas, Rookery Grove offers a brand new collection of 46 London Living Rent homes. The development comprises studios as well as one and two bedroom apartments and is situated within the Brent Cross Cricklewood scheme, one of the biggest regeneration projects in Europe. Olauria says, “I like the idea of moving into a new build – they are more energy efficient than older properties and L&Q’s homes all came with integrated appliances so I wouldn’t have to worry about them breaking or buying new ones. I also needed space to work from home, and the open-plan layout of the apartments at Rookery Grove really worked for that.” Since relocating to north west London, Olauria describes what she likes most about her new neighbourhood. “Hendon is really green,” she comments. “It’s rare in London to feel so close to green outdoor spaces. Plus, we’ve also got the convenience of nearby shops – there’s a Sainsbury’s and a cafe on the corner of the road. My main consideration was my commute; the development is really well connected via Hendon Central and Colindale underground stations on the Northern Line and there are also Thameslink services into central London.” “Having lived alone for a few years, I ultimately didn’t want to go back to sharing and the private market no longer felt like an option for me. London Living Rent has allowed me to start planning for the future and longer-term investments, with my savings going towards a deposit for a property.” Olauria put down a deposit of £1,320 on her one bedroom apartment and her monthly rent is £1,056. On average she is saving between £200-£300 a month.
lqhomes.com
HENDON Rookery Grove
Nestled among a wealth of
green spaces in the popular north London neighbourhood of Hendon, is Rookery Grove, an L&Q development where a collection of one, two and three bedroom London Living Rent apartments has recently launched. A range of features are included with L&Q’s homes, including bicycle storage, integrated kitchen appliances and generous internal storage. Every home offers either a large private balcony or a terrace. Residents also benefit from excellent transport links including two Northern Line stations, Hendon Central and Colindale, both within walking distance. Prices for L&Q’s London Living Rent homes at Rookery Grove start from just £1,120.76 per month for a one bedroom apartment (minimum household income of £29,050 required). Eligibility criteria applies.
lqhomes.com
For more information, please visit lqhomes.com
34 First Time Buyer June/July 2024
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease