Buying a home at Waters Edge in Wimborne has transformed single mum Lyndsay Smith’s life.
Buying a shared ownership home at Waters Edge in Wimborne has transformed single mum Lyndsay Smith’s life.
Lyndsay (35) has purchased a 35 per cent share in a two-bedroom ground floor flat at Waters Edge from developer Aster Homes after being forced to leave her rented house just days before Christmas.
Lyndsay, who shares the flat with her 12-year-old son, Broden, explained: “We were previously in a shared three bedroom house but our landlord decided to sell it. I was told twice I wasn’t eligible to go on the local housing register, so with only a couple of days before Christmas, we weren’t sure what we were going to do”.
After moving temporarily to a one bedroom flat not far from Waters Edge, Lyndsay found out about the new development and decided to take a look.
“Wimborne is very expensive to rent privately and I was paying over £1,000 per month previously. So finding out about the shared ownership properties at Waters Edge was perfect for me.”
To be eligible for a shared ownership property at Waters Edge, Lyndsay needed to be registered and then financially assessed and approved by Help to Buy South West. This would then help determine the share of the home she would be able to buy.
She also needed to meet a number of additional criteria, including having a household income of less than £60,000 per year, being able to afford repayments, and having a local connection.
“It was really exciting to know that I was going to be able to afford a share in my own property.”
And, as an added bonus, the home Lyndsay purchased was originally one of Aster Homes’ show properties, so she was able to purchase many of the fixtures and fittings that were already there.
“The area and location is perfect. It’s meant my son has been able to stay at Allenbourn Middle School, which is a really good school. And it’s close enough for him to cycle there too. We were potentially having to look at moving out of the area which would mean even more disruption as my son would also have had to move schools.
“Everyone living nearby is really friendly and welcoming, so it’s been really lovely for us to be able to move to Waters Edge. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who’s interested in buying a home here. And it’s such a relief to know I can pay my mortgage and save at the same time, and know I don’t have to worry any more about making sure I’m going to be able to cover all my costs or be faced with having to move house again unexpectedly”.
Nicci Stone, sales and lettings negotiator for Aster Group, said: “The lack of affordable housing unfortunately looks like a problem that is set to stay for the foreseeable future, and especially in regions like the South.
“There is high demand for homes from people living on lower and single incomes, and shared ownership is often a great solution for them – it’s often their only chance to get a foot on the housing ladder, and that’s one of the reasons why somewhere like Waters Edge is such an attractive option.
“But there’s something for everyone here, from single young professionals to growing young families looking for that extra bit of room in an elegant, well-connected area.”
Waters Edge is a development of both homes and apartments available through shared-ownership and affordable market sale.
For more information on the properties at Waters Edge, contact Nicci Stone by email, or by phone on 01929 558448.
