Publication Date: 09-08-2024 09:00
First-time buyers purchase apartment after a decade of renting in London
First-time buyers Sebastian and Joanna Adamczyk have purchased their own dream home near London after renting in the capital for more than 10 years.
The couple are now paying less each month in mortgage payments for their new £336,000 two-bedroom apartment at Bellway London’s Copperhouse Green development in Dartford – where they moved in July 2024 – than they did in rent for their old flat in Streatham.
Sebastian, a 39-year-old head chef, and Joanna, a 35-year-old retail team leader, feared they would never be able to afford to buy a home close to the capital but took advantage of a deposit contribution from the housebuilder.
“There is no way we could have bought this fabulous apartment without Bellway London giving us a deposit contribution, which helped bring the mortgage payments within our reach,” said Joanna. “Having our own home so close to London is truly a dream come true for us.”
The couple bought the apartment with a £13,673 contribution from Bellway London which added to their own £19,995 savings gave them a 10 per cent deposit.
The husband and wife duo, who were living in a two-bedroom flat in Streatham, originally came to the UK 11 years ago to work and save money just to pay for their wedding back home in Poland.
“There was not much work in Poland so we decided to come to London to work and get together enough money to get married,” said Joanna. “We did not speak a word of English but got jobs and picked up the language as we went about our daily lives and we saved as much money as we could.
“Within a year or so we had saved enough to pay for the wedding. After we got married, we decided to move back to the UK because we loved it so much and thought we could build a nice life there.”
Joanna and Sebastian were living in a rented flat in Streatham when they decided it was time to make a concerted effort to save for a deposit on a home.
“Both of us got better jobs with better pay and we saved every penny we could for two years then decided we might have enough to look at buying our own home. We both work in central London so being able to get in and out was key to where we looked for a place to live.
“We had heard that Dartford was a nice place to live and had transport links to London, so one day we caught a train and went to have a look,” said Joanna. “We went to the high street and saw all the lovely cafes and shops and there was a lovely feeling about the place.
“After a spot of window shopping, we walked to the huge Central Park to relax and on the way out we saw a sign that told us that Bellway was building apartments at Copperhouse Green just round the corner.
“We went straight to the development and fell in love with the location and the look of the buildings. We both knew it was the place we wanted to live. We spoke to the sales advisor Jade who was wonderful in every way. She recommended a broker and took control of the whole buying process.
“It all worked out that with the deposit contribution from Bellway we were able to afford to buy the apartment. We now pay a monthly mortgage of £1,730 which is £20 less than the rent we were paying for the flat in Streatham and it is so much more stylish and more energy efficient.
“Not only do we now own our own property which will appreciate, but also instead of having a view of the busy Streatham High Road, we look out over the gorgeous Central Park. When I sit out on the balcony of our fifth-floor apartment now I don’t have to block out the sounds of sirens and traffic with headphones because all I hear is birdsong. It’s wonderful.”
Joanna’s commute to Oxford Street has remained the same at about one hour and 10 minutes while Sebastian’s travel-to-work time for his job in Leicester Square is now just 45 minutes.
Joanna said: “The location really works for us as it’s a short walk to the train station but we love everything about our apartment. The huge floor to ceiling windows let in so much light and it means we can enjoy a view of the park, not just from the balcony, but from our living space too. The specification and finish of this home is of the highest quality which makes it feel like we are living in a five-star hotel all the time.
“It is great to be able to pop out and just stroll along to the shops and cafes but we absolutely love being able to hop on a bus and be at the amazing Bluewater Shopping Centre 15 minutes later. In the first two weeks after moving in, we went to Bluewater five times.
“But above all else what we love most about living here is having Central Park next door. It is what drew us here and we try to make sure that we go there every day and just wander about to enjoy the fresh air and the natural environment.
“There are lots of different kinds of festivals and live music there and it is a wonderful, magical place where the community gets together and has a good time. Just down the road from the park is Brooklands Lake which is beautiful. We feel so lucky to have all this on our doorstep
“We actually moved into this apartment – our dream home - on 19 July, which was our tenth wedding anniversary. Living here is the best present we could ever have given ourselves. It’s as if we are meant to be here and we love it.”
There’s a choice of one and two-bedroom apartments available to reserve at Copperhouse Green, with prices starting at £268,000 and £340,000 respectively.
For more information, call the sales team on 01322 772480 or visit https://www.bellwaylondon.co.uk/new-homes/thames-gateway/copperhouse-green.
