"We're building a future for our family in Slough"

For nearly a decade, Ali and Yasmin had been stuck in the private rental market, most recently renting a two-bedroom maisonette in Greenford, West London. With their rent going up every year, the couple - like many first time buyers - faced trying to save for a deposit whilst paying rising rents.

Ali and Yasmin initially wanted to stay in West London, but they soon found they were priced out of their local area. Deciding to broaden their house hunt beyond the M25, Ali and Yasmin quickly discovered a two-bedroom Shared Ownership apartment at Horlicks Quarter in Slough, which turned out to be the perfect option for their family.

"I think it's only natural to look where you currently are living, when you begin your property search, but we quickly realised that we were going to have to broaden our search to find a home that we could afford. The cost of getting onto the property ladder was a major hurdle for us, so we'd investigated other homebuying schemes and various ISAs, however they had ended by the time we were ready, and the terms of the savings accounts didn't work for us."

“I went to The London Home Show to get a better idea of the market and speak with the experts directly, as I wanted to assess every viable option for us. When we came across the Horlicks Quarter and Shared Ownership, and explained our finances to the team, it seemed like it was the perfect fit. Prior to seeing the development, I hadn’t even considered moving to Slough, however after visiting and realising it was only 20 minutes into London by train and also how lovely the development and surrounding area is, we were sold."

While renting, the couple’s monthly bills came to a total of £1,750. With Shared Ownership, they found they could pay slightly more on a monthly basis, while paying into their own property. 

“Finally paying our mortgage feels like such a relief. We only pay a little bit more than what we were paying in rent, but we own our own home. Now we feel like we are building a future for our family and that is a great feeling.”

Horlicks Quarter is conveniently located for those looking for easy access into London, something which Ali and Yasmin needed to be close to family and friends.

“I think my family were a little surprised when we made the move out of London, but when they come to visit by hopping on the Elizabeth line and seeing the community growing at the Horlicks Quarter and all the facilities on offer, they completely understood. We’re still exploring the area, but we’re making new friends and so is our son, which is so important. We have a gym, coworking spaces and even a cinema which we’re able to book. We simply wouldn’t have been able to have this all on our doorstep had we stayed in London, without paying three times the price.”

The family of three are settling into their new life and enjoying the benefits of a brand-new home: “As the weather starts to get colder, we’re already starting to see the benefits of living in a new build – the insulation of our new home is a huge improvement from our rented Victorian apartment. As well as being warmer, our bills will be lower so that’s definitely a bonus.”