“We’d still be living with our parents if it wasn’t for Help to Buy”
30 Aug 2022

As friends, Charlotte Keenan and Jordan Culff used to walk past the Springfields location in Deeping St James and joke about how amazing it would be to live there one day.

Fast forward three years, and not only are the pair now a couple but they have just bought their first home together at the Linden Homes development.

Charlotte, 23, and Jordan, 26, moved into their new three-bedroom, semi-detached house at Springfields on Thursday 30 June.

And the couple said that if it wasn’t for the Help to Buy scheme which they used to purchase the property, they would still both be living with their parents – Jordan in Deeping St James, and Charlotte in Peterborough.

Charlotte said: “We feel so happy and lucky to finally get our own home. We knew that buying was better than renting. If we had rented somewhere we would not have been able to save for a deposit.

“There are so many advantages to buying. Owning your own property, gaining equity in that property and being able to do whatever you want with it. We got to choose the plot, the bathroom and kitchen design and even the flooring.”

Charlotte and Jordan chose the Springfields development because they both know the area well. They also found that the three-bedroom Emmett house type, with its open-plan kitchen-dining area leading to the rear garden, suited their needs perfectly.

Charlotte said: “We were looking at homes at two other developments in the area, but they were either too expensive or too small. We loved the Springfields development because of the nostalgia which comes with it. Before we got together, we used to walk around the area as friends and joked that it would be amazing if we lived here one day, never imagining that it would happen.

“We also love that the houses are all unique styles as well. Not all the houses are the same brick colour or build. Of the Emmett range, three are yellow brick and two are red brick.

“I do not think I could choose a favourite room; I love them all! I decided to make one of the bedrooms a dressing room for myself so I love that. The kitchen is also one of my favourites and I spend most of my time in there.”

Charlotte and Jordan regularly work night shifts at the rail company GB Rail Freight, meaning that they often sleep during the day. But they said that hasn’t been a problem at Springfields thanks to the peaceful nature of the development.

As well as being quiet, the location is convenient too. There are plenty of independent shops, cafes, restaurants and a Tesco Superstore within walking distance, while it’s only a 15-minute drive to their place of work in the centre of Peterborough.

The couple enjoy stopping for a drink at their local pub, The Stage, which has a beer garden backing onto The River Welland, and regularly call into the award-winning Linfords Fish and Chips takeaway.

“Compared to where I was living before in Peterborough, Deeping is much better value for money. There is so much more to do, and it is great that we are also close to Jordan’s family”, said Charlotte.

Jordan followed: “There is also a great sense of community at Springfields. Our neighbours are also a young couple who we get along with well. There is a Facebook discussion page for the development, where people offer free homeware that they no longer want or need.”

Charlotte and Jordan bought their new home at Springfields for £230,000. By using Help to Buy, the couple received a 20 per cent equity loan of £46,000 towards the purchase price which is interest-free for the first five years of homeownership. This also meant their monthly mortgage costs currently, are only £440.

Charlotte said: “We spoke to our financial advisor who did an affordability check, which confirmed that Help to Buy would be the best option for us. It was either that or shared ownership, but we decided we would much rather own the whole house.

“We were originally looking for a two-bedroom house, but we struggled to find any new-builds which is why we changed to three bedrooms. We were concerned that with the extra bedroom, we would not find a house within our price range but the scheme helped us to buy this home because of the smaller deposit and lower monthly mortgage payments.

“Using the Help to Buy scheme was a very simple and smooth process. It was straightforward and much less stressful than we imagined it would be. Without it, we would still be living with our parents.”

Charlotte and Jordan also praised the customer service the couple received during their house-buying journey.

Jordan stated: “Colin at Linden Homes was our sales representative. He was the reason the whole moving process was so smooth. He was extremely helpful, informative, and genuinely cared about his customers and his job.

“Colin would constantly send us pictures and updates of our house being built. He would even allow us to look at the house if we were in the area. It allowed us to see every stage of the build which is so important as it is such an exciting time in our lives.

“The site managers were also very friendly. If we had any questions or snagging that needed sorting, they would always help us out. We would most definitely recommend Linden Homes.”

Linden Homes is part of the Vistry Group, which also includes Bovis Homes and Vistry Partnerships.

Help to Buy is available to first-time buyers purchasing a new-build home priced up to £261,900 in the East Midlands. The scheme ends on 31 March 2023.

For more information about the Springfields development, visit lindenhomes.co.uk.