Stories from our shared owners

After getting a taste of independence whilst studying at the University of Southampton; Lucy was adamant she and her partner Oliver both aged 22 were not going to move back home with their families when they’d graduated.  After looking at their options, they settled on starting their home ownership journey at the popular Nobel Park development in Didcot, Oxfordshire…

"Shared Ownership has allowed us to plan for our future and our retirement, its provided security and stability – something we just didn’t feel we had when we were renting privately".

We chatted with Lauren (28) and Tim (37) having recently moved into their new build two bedroom house at the Orchard Field development in the village of Siddington, near Cirencester. Here they tell us all about how they are settling in…

Paige, a 24-year-old Service Delivery Manager from Poole, never thought she’d be able to own a home at such a young age. Shared Ownership enabled Paige, a first-time buyer, to step onto the property ladder at Sovereign’s Potters Grove development in Poole.

Home ownership doesn’t have an age limit, as dancer Moira Mansbridge in her eighties discovered. Relocating over 400 miles from the English/Scottish border to the quaint market town of Honiton in Devon, Moira found her happy place at Sovereign’s Hayne Farm, purchasing a three-bedroom house through Shared Ownership.

For Hamzah, a 27 year old primary school teacher from Slough, his 2 bedroom Shared Ownership apartment at Horlicks Quarter wasn’t just about getting onto the property ladder, it also meant securing a place for him and his young family to call home in an otherwise unaffordable area of Slough.

In May 2021, Laith, an IT Manager at a grammar school, and Aseel, an Enablement Manager, completed their final staircasing transaction. Laith shares his story and how Shared Ownership has helped him.

With the mix of thatched cottages and traditional flint exteriors, you’d be forgiven for thinking that these homes have always been part of the village. It’s behind one of the immaculate Beech front doors we step into the home of Jo and Rob as they tell us how Shared Ownership enabled them to purchase the home they describe as “The One”.

Coach driver Rose Clark (50) had been a homeowner for many years, buying her own house before she got married. Following a divorce, she was left without enough money to buy a property outright, and thought she would need to rent through the council. However, thanks to Shared Ownership she’s been able to buy a home at Sovereign Living’s Vyne Park development in Basingstoke.

Becky Moore and her family had outgrown their two-bedroom flat in Liden, near Swindon in Wiltshire. They longed to have more space, and a garden for their two daughters to run around in. Shared Ownership gave them the opportunity to buy their own house at Sovereign Living’s Badbury Park development in Swindon, without having to provide a huge lump sum deposit upfront.

Being a busy, working, single-mum didn’t stop Trish Lapworth (39) from Newbury achieving her dream of buying her very own apartment at Newbury Racecourse for her and her two children (aged 3 and 14) to call home. After finding out about Shared Ownership, she knew it was an excellent way to get on the property ladder with a single salary and smaller deposit.

A lot has changed in the last year for James and Jasmine (both 24) since buying their first home together, but not their enthusiasm for how Shared Ownership with Sovereign Living helped them get on the property ladder in Thatcham.