In the spirit of Get to Know Your Customers Day, we are sharing some St. Arthur customer experiences.

Cathryn & Tarryn – “Even though both of us have good jobs, with the current economic climate we knew we’d be looking for a shared ownership property. Without using a scheme like that, we wouldn’t have had a hope of buying our own home for several more years.”

Jade & Michael – “Shared Ownership was the easiest option for us and our circumstances, and it proved to be more affordable than Help to Buy. We purchased a lovely two-bedroom semi-detached house at Midanbury Lane in Bitterne, Southampton in a quiet and peaceful cul-de-sac of just nine houses. Our rented flat was smaller, we had no outside space, the parking was a nightmare and being in a block of flats with other families, you can’t get away from the natural level of noise created from the neighbours. It’s so nice to live somewhere quieter and we have our own garden! It’s been something we have really appreciated having during the recent pandemic.”

Jade continues:“St. Arthur Homes were different to other Shared Ownership providers in that they offer starting shares at 50%, whereas others start from 25%. Our main aim was to own 100% of our home within five years and being able to purchase a higher share from the start was really appealing and meant we would be able to reach that goal – a lower share would have taken a longer time as the extra shares you purchase are in set increments. We are really pleased to have been able to achieve full ownership, this is a great investment for our future, and also means we aren’t paying rent anymore.”

Emma & Stephen of @thewhiteleyspruce – “I would say that as someone who came into Shared Ownership with very little prior knowledge, the process was much smoother and supportive with St. Arthur Homes than with other HAs that we looked into at the beginning. We are amazed by the size and quality of our property and the specifications included. We always thought Shared Ownership would be the very basic and cheapest finishes, but our home feels luxurious and has far surpassed our expectations. This is definitely our forever home.”

Louisa Mulford – “Like everyone the ideal would be to buy a property on the open market, but this just wouldn’t be something I would be able to afford. I had also looked into using Help to Buy however it wasn’t a viable option for me and I also felt that the properties in this area that are available with Help to Buy tend to come with a slight premium. Initially I was a little resistant to the idea of Shared Ownership, so I decided to look into it more and soon realised it would be a great way to get on the ladder. I am very happy I made that choice to go ahead and would certainly recommend it to anyone who is struggling to buy a property and maybe thinks buying somewhere is out of reach or is unsure about Shared Ownership.”

Louisa continues: “I was able to purchase a 30% share in a two-bedroom first-floor apartment that has a private balcony I can access from my living area, and I also have my own parking space outside the apartment building. The full market value was £230,000 and I put down a deposit of £16,000.”

Shared Ownership could be your answer to getting on the property ladder. Learn more about the scheme and how it works here: Shared Ownerships Buyers Guide.