Hattersley family finds ‘forever home’ with help of shared ownership

March 27, 2024 | Dan Todd

A growing family has secured the perfect home in their hometown of Hattersley with the help of shared ownership.

Reanne, 36, and Ricky, 45, took an exciting first step on the property ladder when they moved out of their rented house in Hattersley, Tameside, into a spacious three-bedroom semi-detached home at the new Alders development from Onward Living.

The couple had been renting a two-bed house with Onward Living’s parent organisation, Onward Homes, for 14 years. However, with a growing family, they wanted a home of their own that offered more space for them and their two daughters – Izzy, 13, and seven-year-old Effie.

Reanne explains: “We wanted to get on the property ladder so that the girls would have something should anything ever happen to us. But also, our previous house only had two bedrooms and the girls were sharing, so we needed an extra bedroom.”

Having saved up for a deposit, Reanne and Ricky initially explored the possibility of purchasing their rented home through Right to Acquire, which allows you to buy your housing association home at a discount. However, after weighing up the costs, they decided it would be too expensive to make the necessary alterations needed to give them more space.

“The property was perfect where it was,” says Reanne. “But there would be renovations needed to make it a three-bed, such as going into the loft and things like that. We also wanted a driveway, which meant we’d have to get planning permission to get a bus stop moved that was outside, so there was just too much to it.”

Having always lived in Hattersley, the couple had their heart on staying in the area. Reanne works as a finance and administration officer at the local school, which Effie also attends, while Ricky, a dual service manager, relied on Hattersley’s excellent public transport links, so they didn’t want to move elsewhere.

Fortunately, Reanne soon heard about a new development being built nearby that would offer the perfect solution.

Reanne says: “There had been rumblings going on about what was happening and then a board went up that said it was a new development from Onward. I contacted them straight away to find out more, and asked whether the homes would be available to purchase.”

The new site being advertised was The Alders, a development of 15 homes exclusively for shared ownership. The Alders formed part of a wider regeneration programme from Onward Homes, which will see a further 55 homes for affordable rent and a 91-home extra care scheme for over-55s being built on neighbouring sites.

Reanne was determined to secure a home at The Alders. She says: “I basically just hounded them for updates. Once they became available to reserve, I was in contact with Suzie [the sales advisor for Onward Living], who was absolutely amazing, and we went from there.”

Reanne and Ricky put down a £5,700 deposit for a 60% share in the £190,000 three-bedroom Egerton home. After getting the keys in November 2023, the whole family is delighted with their new home.

Reanne says: “The rooms are a really good size. There’s a big kitchen/diner with a kitchen at one end and a big dining table at the other, so it’s a great social space, which is one thing I really wanted when we were looking for a house.

“Obviously, with having two children and lots of family close by, we wanted a nice social space where people could pop round and have a cup of tea or the kids could sit and do their homework while I’m cooking, so that we’re all together rather than in separate rooms. It’s perfect.

“We love it. It’s like we’ve never not lived here, strangely. Also, I’ve finally got my own drive – that was a non-negotiable!”

Reanne and Ricky say they would definitely recommend shared ownership to others as a way of getting on the property ladder.

Reanne says: “If someone was in a similar position that we were in, in that you had a house and a family already and you can’t put away a lot of money each month, then shared ownership is definitely a good option because it means a smaller deposit and mortgage to get you on the ladder.”

Eventually Reanne and Ricky plan to buy more shares in their home, known as staircasing, to one day own it 100%.

“We keep saying this is our forever home now,” adds Reanne. “It’s where we’d like to stay, so we’d love to buy it 100% in the future. We’ve talked about getting a summer house one day and maybe an extension in the loft, things like that as time goes on. But that’s some way off in the future yet; we’re just enjoying it as it is for now.”

If Reanne and Ricky’s story has inspired you to find out more about shared ownership, you can contact the Onward Living sales team on 0300 555 0130 or email sales@onward.co.uk