Case studies

 After fifteen years living in her house in Gillingham, she recently took the steps to staircase to 100% ownership of her house, giving her the security she’s always wanted for her family.

Tracy was working as a secretary in A&E when she found out about the Starter Homes Initiative, a scheme helping key workers purchase affordable first homes. With a little help from her close colleague, Tracy managed to put a payment down to secure a nearby house through shared ownership with Moat. Although the main attraction was the proximity to work, it was an added bonus that Tracy liked the area and felt like the home could be made into her own. 

Since she bought her first share in 2006, Tracy has married and has gone on to purchase the remaining shares in her home - a process known as ‘staircasing’: “There has been such comfort in having a shared ownership home – Moat has always supported me when I’ve needed it. Now my children have grown up and we are in a better position financially, we thought it was the right time to staircase to own 100% of our house. This has made a complete difference to our lives - having full ownership of our own home has given us complete security.”

Tracy was pleasantly surprised at how straightforward the staircasing process was for her. After filling in an online form and supporting documents, the rest of the work was taken care of by Moat and her solicitors. She said: “I’m so glad I’ve been able to do this now. I’m really thankful for Moat, we’d have never been able to do this without the shared ownership programme.”

For more information about our Kent homes for shared ownership visit our county pages or email newhomes@moat.co.uk.

“I kept checking Moat’s website to see when the houses were being released for reservations after I spotted them. I couldn’t believe it when Ben told me we had been successful. There were so many people who wanted them and there were only 4 houses – we got so lucky!

The townhouse is so much bigger than the place we had when we were renting. We’ve moved the furniture from the living room of our old place into the new one and it still looks empty.

The kids are already calling the new house ‘home’ and have been telling their teachers that they have moved to ‘Bluewater’! Although they could have their own rooms, they want to share a bedroom and use the other bedroom as a playroom.

The garden is smaller than where we lived before, but it means I can keep an eye on the children when they are playing outside.

We love going out for walks in the evening to the park and back. We wouldn’t have thought of doing that where we lived previously. Myself and my husband like to go up to London so having Ebbsfleet International on our doorstep is a bonus.

Ben and Becca in the sales team were brilliant throughout the buying process. I asked so many questions and they were so quick at replying. They even helped me to chase solicitors. I would recommend Moat if you wanted to get onto the property ladder with shared ownership.

For more information about our Ebbsfleet homes for shared ownership visit our page or email newhomes@moat.co.uk.

Whilst living with their parents in East London, the young couple began their search for a place they could finally call their own. Since the birth of their daughter two years prior, Mena had been on the hunt for somewhere that would be ideally located for David’s work whilst giving them the wow-factor. 

However, after initially seeing somewhere they liked the look of in Sydenham last Spring, the pair pulled back because it wasn’t quite right. The search wasn’t simple sailing, until they discovered Culverley Gardens in Catford, which ticked all the boxes for them both. They instantly liked the area and the feeling of spaciousness so close to London and having two bedrooms was a game changer. It was also relatively close to their parents’ home and would cut down commuting time, meaning more time to spend together as a family.

Mena said “After a terrible year for everyone, this just feels like it’s come at the right time. It’s a new year with a fresh start and we feel optimistic about our new home. It will make such a difference – our daughter will have her own room, we can decorate our own space how we like and I can make a mess baking in the beautiful kitchen!”

Shared Ownership seemed like the most appropriate route to take for the Ocanseys to get onto the property ladder. After considering Help to Buy, they had worries about paying back costs at the end of the initial five-year loan period, whereas they felt a certain comfort of being with a well-established housing association like Moat.

“The whole team at Moat have been so helpful. Communication has been fantastic. I’ve had a million questions and the New Homes Officer who helped us, Ben, has always broken them down simply for us to understand which has been so appreciated! Simone was also fantastic in keeping on top of everything and chasing things up.”

The couple have already looked into staircasing in the future, which would mean buying more shares in their home. “This is something we would like to do in time once we’ve settled. It seems like an uncomplicated process that would benefit us when the time comes.”

For more information about our London homes for shared ownership visit our county pages or email newhomes@moat.co.uk.

How did you find out about shared ownership?

I attended a shared ownership event and was advised how best to proceed, in regards to how much I could afford and the best way to do it.

How did you decide that shared ownership was right for you?

After speaking to numerous different people at the shared ownership event, they recommended different companies who offered shared ownership. After applying online I was originally told I couldn't afford it, however after emailing Ben and explaining I had a mortgage in principle agreed, Ben called me and we spoke things through. It then came to light that I had entered some of my information wrong and we then started the ball rolling.

When you saw your new home for the first time, how did it make you feel?

I didn't view my home until about two weeks before I moved in, so I purchased it off plan. I felt like I had walked into a home that I would have designed myself when I saw all the furnishings etc. The colour scheme was what I would have picked if I had a choice. 

What do you love about your new home?

I love the feeling of it being mine and that I have been able to purchase this all on my own. 

What would you say to someone thinking about buying a home with shared ownership but wasn’t sure?

I would say 100% go for it. It gets you on the property ladder and it is a really easy process! Ben made the process so streamlined and easy, even with queries down the line after buying he will always try and help point you in the right direction! 

For more information about our London homes for shared ownership visit our county pages or email newhomes@moat.co.uk.

How did you find out about shared ownership?

We had been in a rental home for the past six years but sadly the landlord decided to sell up which we found heart breaking and extremely stressful. As we will both be 50 in a couple of years the thought of having to go into another rental was draining, so we went online and started looking at options other than private renting and came across shared ownership. That's when we found Moat. My husband’s family are all located in Herne Bay, so St David’s Park is the perfect location for us.

How did you decide that shared ownership was right for you?

Even though we both work full-time it is extremely difficult to save for a 10% deposit when you are having to pay private rent each month. With shared ownership it gives you security and allows you to be a homeowner without having to find such a big deposit.

When you saw your new home for the first time, how did it make you feel?

We honestly never thought we would have our own forever home and when we first saw our house, we felt so proud of ourselves and just so happy. Honestly, every day we pinch ourselves as we can't believe we have this beautiful brand-new home. We are extremely lucky.

What do you love about your new home?

What we love the most about our new home is that it's ours. We love that it is a blank canvas, and the neighbourhood is so lovely. My favourite room in the house is the kitchen. We have a table and chairs in our kitchen/diner, so we get to sit down and have dinner as a family every evening. 

What would you say to someone thinking about buying a home with shared ownership but wasn’t sure?

I would tell anyone thinking about shared ownership to go for it. The process is a little nerve wracking and a little stressful, especially waiting to hear if you have been accepted for a home but Moat was brilliant, and they kept in contact with us through the whole process. Keeley was our go to person, and she was always very friendly and happy to answer any questions we had. 

After living with her parents, Jaye decided that it was the right time to buy a two-bedroom property of her own. She was initially attracted to Russet Grove, Marden, due to the lovely surrounding area and its proximity to a train station with links into London. 

Russet Grove is in the heart of the Kent countryside, offering peaceful village living near the bustling towns of Maidstone and Royal Tunbridge Wells. After realising the development ticked all of her boxes, Jaye reserved an apartment off-plan in October 2020. This means she bought it before it was built, which allowed her to secure a highly sought-after home before the properties sold out. She decided to purchase a 30% share of the property, an affordable option for her to begin with.

She said: “As I’d be living by myself, the Shared Ownership scheme made it possible for me to own something. I really don’t know what other options I’d have had if I hadn’t gone down this route. The fact it’s a lovely new-build property is such a bonus.” 

Fortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic didn’t affect Jaye’s purchase much: “Things were a little bit slower and mortgage lenders were more cautious but overall, all went really well. Moat was great – the clear communication and constant contact was really good for my first-time buyer experience.” 

After a year of lockdowns living with her parents, Jaye says the independence of living alone and having her own space has been much appreciated and will have an incredibly positive impact on her life. 

For more information about our Kent homes for shared ownership visit our county pages or email newhomes@moat.co.uk.