Young family secures a stable future with Shared Ownership
Shared ownership was a great opportunity for single parent Jessica Kirby. It helped secure a stable future for her and her young son following the breakdown of her relationship.
“I wanted to stay in the area after I broke up with my partner as we share custody of our son and we needed him to stay at the same school. It also has really easy access to the A10 and A414 for my commute,” she says.
Jessica initially rented an apartment but wanted to buy a new home before she was priced out of the market. That’s when she heard about shared ownership.
“I was unsure about shared ownership at first because I hadn’t heard about it before,” she says. “However, I soon realised that it opened a door to properties I wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise.”
Jessica bought a two-bedroom home at Roman Court in Ware, a boutique development of just seven shared ownership properties by Network Homes. The process was very quick and only took two months.
She bought a 55% share of the house worth £166,100 (full market value £302,000). She used funds from the sale of her previous marital home to raise a deposit of £45,000. Her monthly rent is £311 and her mortgage payments are £456.
Jessica loves her new home: “I love the unusual layout – most of the living accommodation is above our garage, with a room downstairs that leads directly out into the garden,” she says.
“Both bedrooms are really spacious and finished to a high standard,” she adds. “My bedroom has a large fitted wardrobe and there is access to the loft in my son’s room, which is great as we have all that extra storage space.
“The property is well-designed with a lovely finish. There are brick-built bin sheds so you can’t see the bins and there are plants and flowers, which make the property pleasing on the eye. I’m so proud to call it my home.”
The outdoor space has really made a difference, too.
“We shared a garden at my previous rented property but now we have one all to ourselves!” says Jessica. “I also have my own parking space, which is convenient as I work shifts and sometimes come back from work quite late at night and there wasn’t always a space on the street outside my old property.”
All in all, buying through shared ownership has improved her family’s quality of life.
“It’s very peaceful here as the house is at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac. I get a good night’s sleep here and can relax after work!
“There’s a great community at Roman Court. The neighbours are really friendly. They even looked after my son the other day when I had to work late. We are all a similar age and we’ve even got plans to go out for dinner.”
Jessica would definitely recommend shared ownership to others.
“The scheme has given me confidence and I’m happy that I don’t have to worry about any unexpected bills. I can relax as everything in my home is new and there is a 10-year warranty in case anything goes wrong.”