The ancillary costs to purchase a house in the UK now average at £8,885.66 (stamp duty, estate agents etc.), on top the cost of the property itself, which is why most first-time buyers find themselves penny-pinching when buying their home.

For Lettings Director Tom Batchelor and his Property Manager girlfriend, Jessica Sayers, this was not the case, as the pair have found themselves £300 richer every month since becoming homeowners, thanks to Hyde New Homes.

The couple purchased a 40 per cent share of a two-bedroom house (full market value £345,000) through Shared Ownership at Bards Meadow, Horsham. This development is perfectly placed for London commuters – just 10 minutes from Horsham Station with regular direct train services to London Victoria in under one hour.

“Surprisingly, we’ve been able to save money since purchasing our house. We now have a disposable income which is something that wasn’t possible whilst renting.” Jessica says.

The couple moved into a rented home shortly after they got together four years ago and since then, they’ve struggled to save money to move out. Jess explained: “Ever since we started renting, we’ve made a conscious effort to try and save money to buy a place of our own. Since having our son, George 10 months ago, we’ve been desperate to purchase our forever family home, which we’ve finally found and we’re so thankful for that! If it wasn’t for Shared Ownership, we would’ve been stuck raising our son in rented accommodation, which comes with huge costs and uncertainty.”

Tom and Jess didn’t stumble across the development by chance, Tom’s mother, a lawyer for Horsham council, deals with Shared Ownership in the area. She encouraged the pair to move to Horsham from their previous residence in Leatherhead (30 minutes from their new home) due to its ideal location and price point. Since setting eyes on the development, the couple were blown away and were ready to move in immediately.

“It was absolutely love at first sight! We could instantly envisage ourselves living there. We put a reservation fee down just three days after purchasing. The fact that we bought the show home says it all, we knew this was the perfect place for our little family.” Said Jess.

Not only has Shared Ownership has provided Tom and Jess a sense of security for the future, but it’s also provided them access to a whole new way of life, as Jess comments: “Everyone in the area is so welcoming and lovely. As there is a mix of houses and apartments, Bards Meadow accommodates a variety of residents, which is great. The whole place is so family-orientated and it feels so safe. Moving here was the best decision for us.”

“We did know the area rather well, having explored it prior to purchasing to ensure it would be right for us; there’s so much for us to do as a family from leisure groups to soft play areas.”

Jess and Tom were full of praise towards the Hyde New Homes team, as Jess attests: “We’ve had such a great experience with Hyde New Homes. Everyone that we’ve dealt with has been so friendly and helpful. Throughout the whole process, everything has just been great and it’s been a pleasure working with them.”