Harborough couple secure their first home together

Gone are the weekends that Sam Ashton and Sophia Dewey need to pack their bags to stay at each other’s houses.

The 23-year-old couple celebrated an important milestone at the end of June when they moved out of their parents’ houses and into their first home in Market Harborough.

First-time buyers Sam and Sophia were among the first residents to move into Davidsons Homes’ new Lubenham View development, off Lubenham Hill, where they purchased a two-bedroom semi-detached property.

Sam, who works as a Sales Merchandiser within his family-run business, Ashton Marketing Services, and Sophia, who works as a New Business Development Coordinator for Oadby Plastics, initially met in secondary school and got together when they were 18.

The couple have said that after five years together, they are overjoyed to finally have a place of their own.

Sophia said: “After years of taking it in turns staying at each other’s houses at the weekends, it feels amazing to finally live together in our own house.

“We decided against renting as we wanted to save as much as possible to get onto the property ladder. We’ve both been saving for around three years, but we were able to save even more during the lockdowns when we couldn’t really go anywhere or do anything costly.”

The couple were able to secure The Fenny house type much quicker thanks to the Help to Buy scheme, which allowed them to put down a smaller deposit of five per cent.

Sam said: “Without Help to Buy, we would have had to save for a deposit for another six months to a year. Using the scheme meant we could put down a £16,000 deposit and still have money left over for mortgage advisor and solicitor fees, as well as things such as flooring and wardrobes which also took a big chunk of our savings.

“As we’d both previously been living with our parents and had no furniture, the rest of the money went toward buying all of the other essentials.

“It was a really smooth and easy process, particularly as the mortgage advisors handled most of the paperwork.”

The Help to Buy scheme allows first-time buyers to secure a new home with a minimum of a five per cent deposit and a 75 per cent mortgage. The remaining 20 per cent is provided as a Government-backed equity loan which is interest-free for five years.

In the East Midlands, the scheme is only available on new-build properties priced at £261,900 or below.

After growing up in and around Harborough, Sam and Sophia were keen to stay local. They looked at one other development locally but were won over by the quality and uniqueness of Davidsons Homes’ properties.

Sophia said: “When we visited Lubenham View earlier this year, we were taken aback by how unique each house was – no one property looks the same, which isn’t always the case with new-build estates.

“We were deciding between two house types at the development within our price range, but eventually went for The Fenny because of how much we loved the front of the house and the space inside it. It has beautiful sweetshop windows and such a spacious interior considering it’s only a two-bedroom property. Our families always comment on how great the space is when they come to visit.

“We ended up reserving the house in March and moved in as soon as it was finished being built – and it has been a whirlwind ever since!”

Now settled into their new place, Sam and Sophia say the living room is their favourite part of the house.

Sam commented: “Our living room is so bright and airy – I love it. We also love that it backs onto the spacious garden which is the perfect space to relax in as well as entertain our family and friends.

“Although the house is still quite bare, we are enjoying the process of furnishing each room and putting our own mark on it. We are definitely glad we bought a new-build home as neither of us are handy people!”

The young couple also love being so close to Harborough town centre.

Sophia said: “We’re only a 15-minute walk away from the town centre which is very handy. We also like going for lots of walks, so having easy access to the canal is wonderful.”

Although Sophia now has a slightly longer journey to work, Sam is just a few minutes’ drive from his Market Harborough-based family business.

Sophia said: “Only a few of us live at the development at the moment so it’s pretty quiet, but all of our neighbours have been lovely so far and we are excited to continue meeting more.”