Starter homes are pure gold

Wed, Nov 22nd 2006, 11:00

Redrow’s innovative Debut homes at Buckshaw Village near Chorley are in the spotlight again after scooping one of the housing industry’s ‘Oscars’.

The affordable properties, which enabled around 70 home buyers to make it onto the ladder when they went on sale last September at prices from under £60k, have just been awarded the top prize – gold - for being the best starter homes in the country.

The glittering accolade, awarded at What House? magazines annual awards in London, comes just a month after the starter homes picked up the same prize at a regional property awards event in Manchester. 

Christine Aitken, sales director for Redrow Homes (Lancashire), said: “We’re really proud of Debut and the difference it has made to first time buyers in Lancashire, so it’s fantastic to gain industry recognition in the shape of these awards.

“When we launched Debut more than 2500 people registered their interest – proof that houses in this price range are desperately needed in the area to fuel demand.”

 
Judges at the What House? awards commended Redrow for preventing buy-to-let investors from purchasing the Debut homes at Buckshaw Village and for studying ‘the needs of the first-time buyer’.

Only recently Halifax revealed that the number of first time buyers in 2005, at 320,000, was the lowest annual total since 1980 and 10% lower than in 2004. The bank’s annual first time buyers’ survey also showed that the average age of a first time buyer is now 33 and the average price paid by first time buyers in 2005 was up 5% to £137,122.

It is precisely this gloomy outlook that Redrow is committed to addressing with its exciting Debut range which features innovatively designed, energy efficient, one and two-bedroom homes.
 
Debut customers can take advantage of Redrow’s ‘Easi-buy’ option, deferring a portion of the purchase price (usually 10%) as an interest-free fixed sum for up to 10 years. The customer has total flexibility how they pay this back – via occasional lump sums, monthly repayments or in whole at any time.

Much of the cost-saving in Redrow’s Debut homes comes from the way in which they are constructed, using a lightweight structural steel frame and other modern methods of construction, which speeds up the build programme without compromising on quality.

Communal heating and hot water systems also provide cost efficiencies, while replacing private gardens with high quality shared outdoor space, maintained by Redrow’s own management company, means Debut properties take up less land than conventional new homes.

 
With prices and running costs kept as low as possible, a choice of move-in packages to suit the customer and an affordable single monthly service charge to cover gas, electric and water bills, as well as buildings insurance and external maintenance, Debut is geared towards making home ownership accessible, affordable and easy to manage.

All the homes in the award winning first phase of Debut homes at Buckshaw Village are understandably sold out, however Redrow is taking enquiries now for a brand new phase – and budding buyers are asked to register their interest now to save missing out.

For more information call the Redrow sales team on 0845 676 0288 or log on to www.debutbyredrow.co.uk.