Owning a home of her own is a dream come true for office manager Janine Mars, 37, who has purchased an apartment at Rochester Riverside in Kent through Hyde New Homes’ shared ownership scheme.
“Buying my own bachelorette pad was a long-term goal and everything came together at the right time,” said Janine.
After plans to rent in London were put on hold in March 2020 due to lockdown, Janine stayed with her mother in Chatham and reviewed her options.
“The pandemic gave me a chance to focus on my future,” Janine explained. “I had been saving for a deposit for some time and thought I might fit the criteria for shared ownership, so I started researching new developments locally.”
“I wanted to buy a new build home so I didn’t have to do any work on it, and, ideally, it had to have two bedrooms so I could have a friend to stay,” she explained.
Already familiar with the development under construction at Rochester Riverside, Janine registered with Hyde New Homes to see what was on offer. The location worked well for her as she loves the historic city with its array of independent shops, restaurants and cafés, plus the apartments are situated next to Rochester station so it is convenient for her commute to London. The regular, fast train service to London takes just 36 minutes.
By buying through the shared ownership scheme, Janine could purchase a percentage equity affordable to her and pay a subsidised rent to Hyde on the remaining share. Once her eligibility had been confirmed and she had discussed buying options with Hyde’s sales consultant, Liza, and a specialist mortgage broker recommended by Hyde, Janine decided to buy a 25% share of a two bedroom apartment.
“The scheme meant my budget could stretch to two bedrooms which is a real bonus,” said Janine. “This apartment is a long-term investment, and I am already planning to increase my equity share in a couple of years, and eventually buy my home outright.”
The purchase process was “pretty stress-free”, said Janine, thanks to the support she received from Hyde New Homes. “Liza was like a big sister – she held my hand throughout which was great for someone like me who was buying on my own for the first time.”
Still relishing the novelty of being a homeowner, Janine is enjoying planning the decor for her new apartment, “I am going to use jewel tones to curate a feminine, grown-up space where I can display my favourite items and host my friends so we can all celebrate my new home together.”
Rochester Riverside
Phase three of Rochester Riverside offers houses and apartments for sale through the shared ownership scheme and will be listed shortly for registration of interest at hydenewhomes.co.uk or contact our sales team on 0345 606 1221 for more information.
