As with many generation renters, flexible working encouraged Paul (31) and Jamie (33) to consider moving outside of London, making the prospect of buying a first home more attainable. Having been renting a flat in Highgate, the couple started looking at locations in the Midlands or Kent, finally settling on Ebbsfleet for its quick connections to the Capital, with trains to St Pancras International in just 17-minutes.
Jamie is a marketeer and is still required to be in the office two days a week, while Paul can work remotely but still needs to drive to offices across the South East on occasion, so Ebbsfleet felt like a perfect location.
Starting their search in October 2021, the pair quickly discovered Ebbsfleet Green, our flagship scheme in Ebbsfleet Garden City, with 900+ homes, sports facilities and amenities. As first-time buyers, Paul and Jamie focused their search on finding a spacious apartment, and in January 2022, they reserved a two-bedroom apartment at Ebbsfleet Quarter, one of the phases in Ebbsfleet Green.
Saving for a deposit
Saving for a deposit was the core challenge to getting on the ladder for Paul and Jamie, and so to turbo boost their savings, the pair moved in with Jamie’s parents in South East London in September 2021 to save on monthly rental payments.
Paul commented: “Central to our ability to buy a home are Jamie’s parents who kindly let us move in with them for a number of months so that we could reallocate our pricey London rental payments towards a deposit, allowing us to accumulate the savings much more quickly.”
In addition to parental support, Paul and Jamie decided to use Help to Buy which meant they were only required to contribute a 5% deposit towards the £320,000 apartment.
Jamie commented: “Utilising Help to Buy brought forward our timeline as instead of saving £32,000 for a deposit we only had to reach half of that. It then meant we had the bandwidth to put aside funds for other associated fees and furniture. We are aware that the scheme is coming to an end too and so wanted to make the most of it before it is no longer available.”
Apartment living
As their first home, Paul and Jamie were happy with the idea of buying an apartment and they are due to move in in October 2022.
Paul explains: “Buying an apartment made sense for us as they are generally more affordable, but we also enjoy one-story living. The apartments at Ebbsfleet Quarter stood out because of the sense of space that comes with them. The square footage is bigger than other apartments we looked at in the area, and the ceilings are also higher. It means we have two good sized-double bedrooms, one of which will be used as a home-office, along with space to work in a large kitchen and living area. The added bonus is our private balcony, overlooking a communal garden. We could really picture ourselves living there and can’t wait to get the keys!”
The two- bedroom apartments at Ebbsfleet Quarter have now sold out. However, there are a select number of one bedroom apartments at the later phase Regent Village, starting in price from £267,995 and with Help to buy. Meanwhile, there are a number of one- and two- bedroom apartments at Plaza Central, the latest and final phase of homes at Ebbsfleet Green. The barn-style apartments start in price from £249,995 and benefit from A-rated energy efficiency.
They each come with a sweeping kitchen, dining and living area, along with spacious double bedrooms. Almost every apartment includes a large private balcony, and all residents benefit from a central landscaped garden adjacent to the apartment building, offering the space to relax or socialise outdoors.
Once Plaza Central is fully built, we will have completed Ebbsfleet Green after commencing building works in 2016. The new homes across Ebbsfleet Green are set alongside a school that opened last year, shops, pub and hotel. As the name suggests, Ebbsfleet Green contains plenty of green space, with over 40% of the development designated as parkland or open spaces, including play areas, allotments and sports pitches.
To find out more about the apartments available at Plaza Central, please visit our development page here.
