Michelle takes bus to new home

“It was called Metro and I saw the advertising on the side, saying local key workers and residents could apply,” says Michelle, a secondary school teacher. “So I phoned Metropolitan Home Ownership, which was building the development, and was told to come in for an interview.”

 

The timing couldn’t have been better, because Michelle was pregnant and expecting a baby in May. At the time, she and her partner were living in a tiny rented one-bedroom flat not far from Metro. It wasn’t bad, but it was too small.

 

“We’d been looking into buying a place on our own, but it was way too expensive and would have really stretched us, even just to buy a one-bedroom place,” says Michelle. “With the baby on the way, we needed two bedrooms. So we went in for the interview, and were told we met the criteria. We put down a deposit, and then a few weeks later we had a second interview to sort out the finances.”

 

Metro is a development of 16 brand new one and two-bedroom apartments. The development is mainly available to local key workers, with a few available to other residents of the borough. The apartments all have fitted kitchens with stainless steel appliances, fitted carpets, bicycle storage, and Sky plus. Prices range from £200,000 to £285,000, meaning people can get on the property ladder for as little as £50,000 by purchasing a 25% share. The minimum income to qualify is just £22,800.

 

After sorting out the finances, there was little else for Michelle to do. “It was quite straightforward, with just a bit of communication back and forth with the solicitors,” she says. “We completed in May, and when we got to see the finished apartment, we were amazed at how lovely it was. It’s a second-floor two-bedroom apartment, with a balcony. The kitchen and living room are open plan, and there’s a large utility room and a nicely finished bathroom. The whole building is lovely and has a courtyard as well.”

 

Michelle was pleased that she could remain in the same area and community she already knew, because her budget would otherwise have forced her much further away.

 

“I no longer have that thought in the back of my mind, wondering what we’re going to, and whether we’re going to keep renting forever,” she says. “We may have had to move out of London and had a long commute. This has fundamentally changed our lives, and taken away the stress. It’s taken the issue away, and now we can just get on with living.”

 

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