Go West!

Q

WHAT STARTED YOUR SEARCH FOR A PROPERTY?

A

Sara, who is originally from Brazil, had been living in Hammersmith in a shared flat with two others. “London is so expensive; I used to live by myself in Brazil but couldn’t afford to do that here, so I’ve been sharing for three years. Even though it’s nice to have flat mates it’s not common in Brazil so I was not used to it - there you live with family and that’s it, you never share with strangers. “I liked in in Hammersmith, but I didn’t earn enough to afford to buy around here, so I started looking at ways it might be possible for me to buy – including shared ownership. I started to look at different areas of London and I was looking further and further afield until I suddenly found West Drayton. I really liked the look of the homes at Waterside Heights as they are right next to the station as well as being close by the Grand Union Canal and its lovely bridge.” Sara does hybrid working, with two or three days in the office at Chiswick Park and the rest at home, so having good public transport was important to her. Thankfully, from her new home it’s just a half hour journey – three stops along the Elizabeth Line and another three stops on the District Line. When Crossrail is fully operational it will be possible to get a direct service all the way to Paddington in 30 minutes, putting the area within easy reach of the whole city, while having Heathrow airport on the doorstep is an added convenience.

Q

WHY WATERSIDE HEIGHTS?

A

When she first went to view Waterside Heights she had intended to only look at the cheapest property, but in the end she viewed several different possibilities and particularly liked a one-bedroom apartment on the second floor – with the stylish décor really convincing Sara, who has a background in design, that it was the place for her. “It was north facing but it didn’t bother me that I didn’t get the direct sun because it’s super light inside – but what I really liked was that the kitchen units and the flooring were a lovely cream colour. The problem was it was advertised as a 35% minimum share which I couldn’t afford, but Charlotte the sales advisor made some calls and managed to get it changed to 25% just for me.”

Q

DID YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS?

A

“After I left I realised I still didn’t know how much the deposit would be, and I was terrified it was going to be £20,000 or £30,000 and I would never be able to afford it. So I went and sat in the pub next to the station and had a pint and just thought sadly that I could never get all that money together. I must have looked really miserable as an old chap bought me another pint to cheer me up! Anyway, I sent an email to Charlotte and when she replied that it was only around £4,000, which was something that I could afford, I was so excited and started the process straight away.” Sara was able to buy a 25% share, worth £74,000. “I had been saving up for six months and I didn’t spend hardly any money during that time, so I was able to find the deposit and the legal fees.” She had heard plenty of horror stories about how long it takes to buy a home in the UK, and her flat mates warned her to expect a three or four month delay, but in the end it was a matter of weeks before she was getting the keys. “My advice to anyone stuck in shared accommodation is to take a good look at shared ownership and just do it – if I can, anyone can! Do a spreadsheet, work out how much you can save and then go for it. If I were spending the same amount of money a month renting a whole place for myself in Zone 2 I would only be able to afford one of those awful old studios where the shower and cooker are next to the bed! Instead, I have a lovely spacious open-plan living area, with a great balcony, and it’s perfect for me. I’m so glad I have taken this first step.”

Q

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

A

Despite loving the apartment, Sara still had some questions. Making progress on the housing ladder isn’t over for Sara either. “I want to staircase next year, as soon as I can. It has taken me a little while to fall in love with the area as it’s very different from Hammersmith, but I love being near the canal and it’s definitely a part of London that’s up and coming.”