Shared Ownership Success Stories: RoxAnne

First time buyer purchased Shared Ownership home in South London with £6,000 deposit!

With a typical deposit in the UK now equating to 71% of a first time buyer’s average annual income, homeownership may seem like a pipe dream to many looking to find a place to call their own. However, with the help of Shared Ownership and Share to Buy, buyers like RoxAnne are able to get on to the property ladder without that hefty deposit!

RoxAnne, 31, was sharing with friends in Brixton for three years before she discovered Shared Ownership at the London Home Show, the bi-annual affordable homes exhibition hosted by Share to Buy: “Previously, I was paying £500 per month for rent, which definitely enabled me to save up, and having lived in various flat-shares in London since I was 18, it was definitely time to have my own space! Attending the London Home Show was incredibly insightful, and really got me excited about the prospects of buying my first home. I didn’t have much understanding about Shared Ownership before attending, but all my questions and concerns were answered throughout the day!”

On her next steps to homeownership, RoxAnne continues: “After the show, I signed up to receive Share to Buy alerts, and started looking at homes on their website. I could easily tailor the search options specifically to my budget and all of the properties I looked at were impressive, with comprehensive information, and lots of pictures. The calculator on the website was extremely useful, and definitely one of the most helpful online tools I came across, as it very clearly broke down exactly what I could afford.”

The in-house Fashion PR Manager recently purchased a one bedroom apartment in Gipsy Hill, SE27, through Family Mosaic’s resale programme: “I received an email from Share to Buy about this particular property and within a week, I had viewed the apartment, and applied for it four days later. The apartment is only seven years old and is really lovely. I have a Juliet balcony which overlooks a courtyard and has views of the church and Old College. I’ve injected my personality into the decor, and added lots of colour!”

RoxAnne has gone on to recommend Shared Ownership to all of her friends. She was able to find her ideal home and believes that others can too: “The Share to Buy website was brilliant, as it is so accessible and easy to use, as was the London Home Show. Having human interaction and being able to ask all my individual questions was a massive help. I think with home ownership, it is easy to become disheartened but once you seek advice and look at all the options, it’s not as daunting or as stressful as it can be portrayed. I bought with just a £6,000 deposit and now my monthly payments including bills is just £1,060, which I never thought would be possible!”

Share to Buy is a one stop shop for affordable homes. On our website, you can search for properties, compare mortgages, and find out all you need to know about alternative home buying schemes using our FAQs and guides. You can also hear from more buyers on our Shared Ownership Success Stories and Help to Buy Success Stories!