|
Top marks for teacher's move
  Karina Brookes and her partner Dave Pearson were struggling in a cramped flat in Reading when they heard about the Homebuy scheme for key workers.
The 24-year-old Westwood Farm Primary school teacher came to see Sovereign Housing Group and the couple learnt that they could take an interest-free top-up to their mortgage and then head off to choose their own home anywhere in the local area. Gas pipeline technician Dave said: “We were in limbo. Neither of us is badly paid, but we were way short of a two bedroom property.” Karina added: “We have been together for seven years, and had some savings, but I desperately needed the extra space for marking and planning my lessons, as well as to relax.” Sovereign’s Homebuy representatives arranged for the couple to borrow an additional £37,000 interest-free, on top of their joint mortgage with a commercial lender. They moved in February, and have been making the most of having a garage and a garden. In the last 18 months alone, Sovereign Housing Group has helped 35 teachers to move up the property ladder in West Berkshire and Oxfordshire. Sovereign Marketing Coordinator Clare Bint said: “Homebuy has proved very popular with all age groups of key workers, looking to get a bigger place and be able to choose where to live. It’s also a great way for headteachers, fire chiefs and police inspectors to keep hold of staff in property hotspots like here.” So what next for Dave and Karina? “We would like to own our place outright in the next 10 years or so,” said Karina, “but we’ve only been in a few months. It’s really helped us get on the ladder.” Published 05 June 2005 |
||
 ©2008 Sovereign Housing Group Limited (charitable). All rights reserved. |
||
News | About us | Home ownership | Development | Jobs | Contacts & Links
Home | Site Map | SHA website | THA website| VHA website |
||
