Orbit Homes unlocks homeownership dream for team member at its Avalon Place development in Norwich

When Leigh began working at Orbit Homes, little did she know that along with her partner, Patrick, she would end up living in their dream home at Orbit Homes’ Avalon Place development in Norwich thanks to the benefits of Shared Ownership…

Leigh and Patrick had been renting a house together in Norwich for five years. Whilst they loved the city itself, they began to get fed up with the restrictions that renting entailed, from not being able to decorate or keep pets, to not being able to choose any contractors who came to work on the house.

Although they had already begun to research Shared Ownership, when their landlord decided to sell the house, it gave them the motivation they needed to secure a home that they could call their own, as Leigh explains:

“We really weren’t happy in our rental home. It was in poor condition, and we could never call it our own. However, we were nervous about taking that step to home ownership. Whilst working at Orbit Homes I became familiar with Shared Ownership and the benefits it offers. We loved the idea of owning our own home and this offered the perfect route for us.

“I love that even though we pay part rent, we are free to decorate how we like and put up our own pictures. We are left alone to be homeowners and not feel like we have to keep the home to a landlord’s taste. I would highly recommend Shared Ownership to anybody who, like us, thought they’d never be able to own their own home. In some cases, you could be paying more in rent than you would for a joint mortgage or rent through Shared Ownership.

“We chose Avalon Place because we wanted to move out of the city to somewhere a bit quieter, but that was also close to lots of amenities. As soon as we saw the three-bedroom Cypress we knew it was for us. It had good-sized private garden and two designated parking spaces. However, my favourite has to be the kitchen/diner, there’s lots of cupboard space and we get lots of lovely warmth from the sun during the day, it really puts me in a good mood in the morning. The carpet upstairs also feels so luxurious. Plus, as a new-build it comes with an NHBC warranty.

“I might be biased but Orbit Homes really does offer fantastic specifications, particularly with its all-inclusive offer. Who wouldn’t want to move into a ready-made home? We worked out it has saved us in the region of about £20K as many of the extras other housebuilders often charge for were already included, such as flooring, turf to the garden and kitchen appliances.

“What’s more, our home has an EPC rating of A. We have solar panels and the heating is so efficient. We put the heating on and after 30 minutes we’re nice and toasty, not to mention we’ll save on our energy bills.

 “The Sales Consultants, Rachel and Janice, were great at explaining all the build stages and making sure we had all the relevant information needed. When Rachel called us on the day of completion to let us know we could collect our keys, I couldn’t get in that car quick enough! The day passed in a blur of excitement; we couldn’t wait to get in our lovely new home.

“Once we are fully settled, we hope to get a rescue dog, something we’ve wanted to do for years but haven’t been free to do until now. We also hope to be able to staircase up to 100% ownership when the time is right for us.

“To finally own our home is a wonderful feeling, I still wake up in the mornings thinking I’m in a really lovely holiday home. I just can’t believe this house is ours, it is really a dream come true.”

For further information on available Orbit Homes’ properties in and around Norfolk, please visit https://www.orbithomes.org.uk/

Picture caption: Leigh and Patrick in their new home