Whilst saving to get onto the property ladder, Vicki and Declan rented a two bedroom mid-terrace, with a tiny kitchen, a small courtyard for a garden and no parking. When Vicki fell pregnant they knew something had to change, and began sacrificing birthday and Christmas presents and holidays so that they could save a deposit quicker. After baby Ivy’s birth in late 2021, first-time buyers Vicki and Declan made a new year’s resolution that 2022 would be the year they’d achieve homeownership.The couple were spending £560 per month on their rent and through the winter their bills were extortionate causing them financial strain, plus they were constantly worrying that they would be evicted due to the threat of their rented terrace potentially being sold.
Vicki had previously lived with an ex-partner in his Gleeson home, and loved the quality of the home, the look and feel of the developments and the traditional brick exterior, so Gleeson was the couples go to when they were ready to buy.
After visiting their local development expecting to only be able to afford a 3 bedroom semi-detached home, Vicki and Declan were thrilled to find that they could afford a 3 bedroom detached home with a garage using the Help to Buy: Equity Loan.
Declan said: “A lot of the new build homes in our area are ultra-modern and expensive which didn’t appeal to us but our Gleeson development is perfect for a young family. It’s close to our workplace, family and friends and is surrounded by good amenities and open fields. We’re saving over £40 per month vs our previous rent cost, which has allowed us to enjoy family treats, and our bills are low, which is just one of the many bonuses of buying new. We love how our house is a blank canvas and with a young baby we didn’t want a house that needed loads of work doing, so our Kilkenny has been perfect. We’re very grateful to Gleeson for helping us onto the property ladder.”
Vicki said: “Our life has completely changed for the better since buying our Gleeson home. We’re saving money, we can decorate however we want, and have more space and storage. We’re in a proper family home now, and have achieved our goal of owning a lovely home in a great area ideal for Ivy. We’re so proud to have saved our deposit completely by ourselves and we feel such as sense of pride and accomplishment now owning our own home. We can’t wait to see what the future brings.”