First time buyers in Liverpool get a helping hand on to the property ladder

When first time buyers Katriona and Shane Beales were struggling to get onto the property ladder, friends recommended a fantastic government backed scheme Access to Home Ownership, which assisted them in buying their dream home.

The Government-backed initiative Access to Home Ownership is available in key areas of regeneration in Liverpool to encourage first time buyers and boost home ownership in the city.

Access to Home Ownership, provides a free service to assist local people buying their first home by getting them the right information, offering support throughout the whole home buying process and even paying towards some of the initial costs of buying a home (including legal fees, valuation fees and even mortgage arrangement fees).

Katriona an emerging Liverpool artist and Shane a prolific songwriter and musician recently purchased their 2 bedroom house in Kensington with the help and guidance from the Access team.

Katriona and Shane, were renting but with the help from the team they purchased a 2 bedroom terraced house in the regeneration area of Kensington.

The Access to Home Ownership team helped them through the whole home buying process and even pointed them in the right direction to access independent mortgage and financial advice.

The team were also able to help these first time buyers with payment towards their legal fees, mortgage arrangement fees and also their survey fees/Homebuyers report.

First time buyer Katriona Beales said: "The Access to Home Ownership team have been a literal god-send. There's no way we would be where we are today without all of their support, advice and financial assistance. We are now proud owners of our first home and cannot thank them enough for all of their help."
 
Ross Cope, Project Officer for Access to Home Ownership, explained: "We helped Katriona and Shane through the whole buying process and are so pleased they were able to purchase their first home with our guidance and assistance.

"It's fantastic to see a couple of young professionals and up and coming talents stay in Liverpool. The Access to Home Ownership scheme provides information about buying a home and gives help with every step along the way; even helping those who qualify, to pay the expensive fees incurred when buying their own home."

The Access to Home Ownership team has already assisted hundreds of local people with free advice and information on how to get the first step on the property ladder and has already helped over 250 first time buyers become home owners in Liverpool.

The Access to Home Ownership scheme is operated by The Regenda Group with funding from Liverpool City Council and the NewHeartlands Pathfinder.

For further information on the Access to Home Ownership scheme and the postcodes included in the Liverpool regeneration area, please contact The Access Team on 0151 4325200 or 01204 814335 or click on www.accesstohomeownership.org.uk or email info@accesstohomeownership.org.uk.

The Access to Home Ownership Scheme covers Housing Market Renewal Areas in Liverpool. Payment of fees is limited and subject to qualification. Scheme is subject to eligibility and availability. Terms and conditions apply.

For further information on Katriona and Shane Beales click onto www.katrionabeales.com and www.shanebeales.com

NOTES TO THE EDITOR

About Access to Home Ownership Access to Home Ownership is a government funded support service designed to assist first time homebuyers in key regeneration areas of Liverpool. This area is known as the Housing Market Renewal area and covers City Centre (L1, L2 and L3), Vauxhall, Kirkdale, Everton, Anfield/Breckfield, Kensington, Edge Hill, Granby, Toxteth, The Dingle and parts of Walton, Wavertree and Old Swan (and all areas inbetween these locations).

In 2002, Maritime Housing Association, a partner of Liverpools Sustainable Home Ownership Group (SHOG), was successful in accessing an Innovation and Good Practice Grant (I & GP) from the North West Office of the Housing Corporation.

Originally entitled the Neighbourhood Financial Inclusion Project, this initiative evolved over a number of years with interesting origins within the regeneration programmes of the L1 area of inner city Liverpool. The programme extended to L8 in 2004 and expanded further into the whole of the Housing Market Renewal Initiative (HMRI) area in 2006.

The projects approach has the potential to enable many aspiring home owners to reach their goal of owner occupation- through provision of a specific service which supports and advises local residents through the maze of routes to home ownership.

The project has received 4 National Awards and was a finalist in the November 2008 Chartered Institute of Housing, UK Housing Awards and has enabled and helped hundreds of local people to become homeowners. Offering a one to one support service, not normally available to those considering owner occupation, this model has contributed to a wide range of regeneration goals in the local areas in which it has been targeted.

The government backed scheme is operated by The Regenda Group with funding from Liverpool City Council and NewHeartlands Pathfinder. Access to Home Ownership does not provide regulated mortgage advice. For further information on Katriona and Shane Beales click onto www.katrionabeales.com and www.shanebeales.com