Shared Ownership Case Study

Stefanie Howard: Ratcliffe Park

I've always been happy renting but as my children started getting older I wanted to give them the security and stability of growing up in their own home.

Although I work full time, I'm a single mum on a tight budget and just don't have the funds to buy a place outright. When I drove past Ratcliffe Park I was really impressed with the quality of the estate and after looking into it further realised that shared ownership would be an ideal solution for me.

Initially I was looking to own 50%, but was slightly short on the investment amount needed. The Helena Living team was extremely helpful and helped me reduce the share to 40% so that my purchase could go ahead. The process can get a bit complicated at times but I felt well-supported throughout.

We've been in our new three-bedroom house for five months now and my children love having their own rooms and playing in the park nearby. It's close to their school too and I can see us living here for many years to come.

Shared ownership sounds a bit unusual when you don't know much about it but I would urge anyone who is looking to buy on a tight budget to consider it. It's given me the security I wanted from owning our own home at a price I could afford.