Poplar HARCA: Tom and Soo find their dream marital home through Shared Ownership

Tom, a hostel Chaplain, and Soo, who works in advertising, recently got married and found their dream marital home through Shared Ownership. Poplar HARCA spoke to the couple about why they chose Shared Ownership, the perks of living in a new build property and how they’re getting to know their new neighbours.

Why did you choose Shared Ownership?

“As we looked into it, we found it is actually really affordable and the best way for us to become homeowners… and we learnt it works out cheaper than paying rent. As we were getting married and wanted to have our own place, this was the best way.

What impact has your new home had on your lifestyle?

Both of us have never lived in a new build before, and it’s been so different. The insulation, sound proofing, and the fact that everything is new does make it really convenient and easy. The feeling of having a home we own is amazing and changing it slowly to make it more “us” is quite nice too.

What is your favourite thing about your new home?

It feels very spacious due to the layout, even if it is a one bedroom flat. We also like how light it is – we love the balcony!

What do you think about the local area?

It has a great community feel. We also found East London to be more friendly and tight knit than other parts of London, and getting to know Poplar is really nice! The estate is very family focused and everyone seems to know each other.

Have you got to know any of your neighbours?

We are getting there, it is a bit slow as we got married less than a month ago – there is a Whatsapp group for our block and have some nice neighbours! There is a meet up planned soon, and it’s nice that everyone’s happy to receive packages for people or pick things up etc.

Have you got any tips for someone who is considering buying a Shared Ownership property?

It is really the easiest way, in our opinion. We would suggest they first look into the housing association and ask people about them as it really depends on that. Also make sure to check the service charges, and have all the documents ready as some places request a financial check before a viewing can be booked.

What was your experience of buying your home through Poplar HARCA?

The Sales team at Poplar HARCA has been really responsive and they helped us a lot. We weren’t even sure whether we wanted to buy a home before, but the viewing and follow ups really helped us to feel confident about our decision. Buying a property is definitely stressful and there are times when you feel a bit lost, but it’s worth it in the end!”

Poplar HARCA is an award winning Housing and Regeneration Community Association in East London.To find out more, check out their developer page or search for homes by Poplar HARCA here.