As part of New Homes Week, we are shining a light on the benefits of Shared Ownership and the buyers that made that all-important first step on the property ladder thanks to the scheme.  

We spoke with St Arthur homeowner Emma (@thewhiteleyspruce on Instagram) about her experience buying in the current climate, Shared Ownership, and the energy efficiency of her new home. 

Q: How did you find the Shared Ownership buying process? 

A: “Before finding St Arthur Homes, we tried elsewhere and found it so complicated. We were relieved when we found St Arthur Homes and found the process quite straightforward and had reassurance and updates throughout the process.”

Q: Did you hear any myths about Shared Ownership? 

A: “We thought that shared ownership properties would be the most basic/budget specification, but actually our home is finished to a really high quality. We were also so surprised at the size of our rooms and the amount of space for our family to grow.”

Q: What tips would you give those considering Shared Ownership? 

A: “Definitely consider it as an option, no matter your circumstances. Given the current housing market and prices in our area, there is no way we would have been able to afford a big enough home for our family on the open market. Shared ownership has allowed us to buy a home we really love with the option to staircase to a higher share when we can.”

Q: Do you have any personal tips on buying a home in the current climate?

A: “If you are renting, it is really difficult to save for a deposit. My advice would be to save what you can and consider shared ownership as an option as the deposit amount is much lower and you can always staircase in the future. We used a mortgage broker to help us find the best deal for our mortgage (I would highly recommend TMP The Mortgage People)!”

Q: How have you found the energy efficiency of your new home?

A: “Our home feels very well insulated so we don’t need the heating on as much, and when we do, it feels like our rooms heat up very quickly. We have solar panels on our home and we’ve found our costs to be much lower than in our old property which was much smaller.”

Read more about the Shared Ownership process and how to apply

Want to share your experience buying through Shared Ownership? Visit us on Instagram at @wearestarthur, we’d love to hear from you!