Shared ownership helps a hard-working mum stay on the property ladder

Elizabeth, an English teacher and mother of two, recently moved into her brand new, three-bedroom house on a new development in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire.

At the end of last year, following the unexpected breakdown of her marriage, Elizabeth found herself in a situation that she could never have imagined. She needed to look for a new family home for herself and her two daughters (aged six and nine). The last thing she wanted to do was to disrupt her children’s education by moving out of the area; so it was important for her to find a home near work, friends and family.

With house prices in Hertfordshire being amongst the highest in the UK, she was worried whether her teacher’s salary would enable her to remain on the property ladder and stay in the local area.

Having spotted the new Lakeside housing development in Kings Langley, Elizabeth initially thought that the new-build houses would be out of her price range. To her surprise she discovered Hightown’s shared ownership scheme and was delighted to be able to secure a 50% share of her new home. She rents the remaining share at a subsidised rate and can increase her stake in the property over time.

As part of Shared Ownership Week, we caught up with Elizabeth to find out more.

Elizabeth says:

“It’s not easy when you find yourself at 45 years old, potentially not being able to afford your own home. Hightown Homes’ shared ownership scheme helped me when I found myself in a vulnerable position. They offered me a practical solution to my problem. I found the process of buying pretty stressful; however, the support from Hightown was fantastic. They made sure everything went smoothly”.

She says:

“Having a direct contact at Hightown to handle everything meant that they got to know me personally and provided a listening ear when I needed it the most.

It’s lovely moving into a brand new house and the girls have settled in well. I’m so proud to call it my own and knowing that I have achieved this is a great feeling. I really hope that one day my daughters will see how hard I worked to avoid disrupting their lives”.

Elizabeth comments:

“I would definitely recommend exploring shared ownership to anyone else in my situation. My advice would be to make sure you research all of your options. Don’t hesitate to pick up the phone. Until I made that phone call, I had no idea that this would even be an option.

It’s a massive relief that I have a lovely new home and it’s given me peace of mind that I can stay on the property ladder and provide a stable home for my family”.

Find out more about shared ownership with Hightown and properties available in your area, on the find a home section of the website.