While shared ownership is often thought of as a first step onto the property ladder, for Tina and Lewis, it provided the perfect middle ground after traditional home ownership became too costly. 

Tina and Lewis have recently moved into a three-bedroom house in Woodlands Green, Staplehurst. They were previously paying off a mortgage on a home for outright ownership but were finding that the payments and cost of maintaining their home were quickly stacking up.

“We had to sell our previous home, as we could not afford the mortgage - in the past we both got made redundant and had to go onto an interest-only mortgage. This meant we were not able to ever buy our old home outright, and we couldn’t afford to make any repairs to our old home.”

After researching their options online, they came across Moat’s shared ownership programme. Paying off a smaller mortgage in a newly built house provided the ideal solution, and they were attracted to countryside living in charming Staplehurst.

“The house [in Woodlands Green] is new, and we do not have to replace anything; it’s great that all appliances are in the property. This has saved us money, so that we have been able to buy all new furniture.

“We only had to get a small mortgage which will be paid off when I retire.” 

The couple moved into their new home in July 2020 and all that’s left for them to do now is “just to relax and enjoy our new home”.

Don't miss out on our other beautiful properties for shared ownership in Maidstone - including Violet Fields in Coxheath and Russet Grove in Marden.

Errol and Antonio are the proud owners of a brand new apartment at Greenwich Peninsula, purchased through shared ownership with Moat.

Following years of renting privately, the couple decided that it was time to set down roots and find a place that they could really call home.

Time for change

Faced with yet another move at the end of a tenancy agreement, both Errol and Antonio agreed that they’d reached a point in their lives where owning their own home had to become a priority. However, they didn’t want to be pushed further out of London by property prices that were totally unaffordable.

When they realised that they were both ready to embark on their own home ownership journey, Errol and Antonio started to consider their options. They knew that a traditional purchase through the open market in London was out of the question, but when they heard about shared ownership there was a glimmer of hope. They found sharetobuy.com – an online, one-stop-shop which led them to discover Moat and the affordable homes on the Greenwich Peninsula.

“We liked the look of the apartments on the website so we decided to visit the area, given that we’d always lived in South West London and didn’t know Greenwich at all,” Antonio recalls. “When we walked out of North Greenwich tube station, we were instantly delighted by the high-tech environment. Once we’d seen the homes and got a feel for the community, we got really caught up in our Peninsula Dream!”

Enhanced optimism

Totally smitten, Errol and Antonio made the decision to get the ball rolling. Errol remembers the shared ownership purchase process to be very straightforward “Everything was clearly explained and broken down into palatable steps, so we knew where we were throughout the process. The team at Moat was always available and willing to offer guidance and our financial advisor was extremely professional and knowledgeable.”

They reserved from-plan at the end of October 2015 and just over six weeks later, in mid-December, Errol and Antonio completed their purchase, moving in just in time for their first Christmas as home owners. “We feel like a weight was lifted from our shoulders,” Antonio says. “Our quality of life has definitely improved and we are more relaxed and optimistic about the future.”

Moat’s homes in Greenwich have been thoughtfully designed, inside and out. They come with balconies and a great specification, with features such as a video entry system and Zanussi appliances included in the price. The Peninsula itself is vibrant, active and welcoming, with plenty of great transport links into the City, event venues such as the O2, bars and restaurants. But it isn’t all hustle and bustle; Greenwich Peninsula also has plenty of protected, green spaces to escape into at times when city life gets a little too hectic.

“Our new home is amazing and we absolutely love it; we love being ‘Peninsula People’. We love the neighbourhood, our new neighbours – everything!” Errol enthuses. “It’s everything we could have ever wanted and more.”

The pitter-patter of tiny feet brought with it a moment of realisation for Lee and Michelle: It was time to buy a home.

After six years spent renting a two bedroom property in Charlton, South London, they knew it was time to set up a more secure future for their family.

Staying local

Having both been born and raised in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Lee and Michelle wanted to remain in the local area familiar to them and weren’t keen to completely relocate. However, with the cost of buying a home in London continuing to rise, this wasn’t looking likely. “We weren’t in a position to get a full mortgage because we only had a small amount of savings for a deposit,” Lee remembers. “We wanted stability for our future and buying a home was a way of laying those much needed foundations; shared ownership seemed the best way to get onto the property ladder.”

Lee and Michelle’s rented home was very close to the Greenwich Peninsula and the uber-modern Greenwich Millennium Village (GMV). “We passed through the Peninsula and GMV on the way to work every day,” Michelle explains. “When we started looking into shared ownership, GMV was a natural first choice for us – especially since we wanted to stay close to our friends and family.”

With a plan forming, the couple went online to sharetobuy.com – the one-stop-shop for shared ownership sales. They spotted Moat’s apartments at GMV and decided to make some enquiries. “From the start we made it clear that we had a tight deadline due to the new baby’s arrival and our tenancy agreement ending,” says Lee. “The team at Moat were great; they were quick to respond to our queries which I think played a big part in being able to complete the whole purchase process within three months.”

For a decade GMV has been an established, sustainable community at the forefront of a monumental regeneration. The fantastic amenities situated locally such as The O2 Arena, along with a superb transport network including North Greenwich Station on the Jubilee line, have made GMV a thriving and developing community. GMV also has its own parkland, including the Ecology Park, and easy access to the landscaped Central Park running the length of the Peninsula.

Alleviating concerns

Both Lee and Michelle love their new home. “We both work in central London and commute via the Jubilee Line at North Greenwich,” Michelle explains. “Now that we’ve moved our commute is not only ten minutes shorter, but the walk along the river to the station is much nicer than sitting on a bus in traffic!”

“Buying our home has given us the security we wanted,” Lee adds. “It’s a great feeling knowing that some of what we are now paying for our home is going into ownership. It has taken away the common concerns of renting such as rent increases, security of tenure and short term tenancies.”

“We love it here – it suits us perfectly,” Michelle proclaims. “Its very well designed, spacious and has lots of storage which is a great help. The views are lovely and having two balconies is a real bonus!”

On 13 June 2016, Lee and Michelle’s son, Zac, was born at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Greenwich. The whole family is now loving life in their new home at GMV.