Mark Lamble is delighted to be in his rural home in the countryside.
We are recognising Rural Housing Week, a national campaign designed to shine a spotlight on the work housing associations are doing for rural communities and focusing on the importance of investing in rural economies.
Mark was able to get back on the property ladder against a backdrop of spiralling house prices in the area he grew up in.
Coming up to four years ago, Mark bought a shared ownership home at Applegate Park in Kingsbridge.
Having previously owned his own home, shared ownership gave him the perfect platform to start a new chapter in his life at this idyllic location in the South Hams.
South Hams is one of the most expensive areas in the United Kingdom to buy a home with average house prices typically around 15 times average salaries.
Thanks to our partnership with local independent house builder, Devonshire Homes, a total of 94 homes has been built at Applegate Park with a mix of outright sale, shared ownership and rental homes.
And Mark couldn’t be happier having secured one of the affordable shared ownership homes in a community he describes as ‘people-friendly’.
The 57-year-old said: “I really enjoy my home. I got back on the housing ladder under the shared ownership scheme which was great.
“From a shared ownership point of view, I can’t recommend it enough. I have bought a new home and I don’t have to worry.
“LiveWest has been very good and anything I have done with the Aftercare team has been superb.”
Besides his love for a comfortable and modern home, Mark admits he cherishes his view of the countryside and local market town most.
With the countryside views right on his doorstep, he said: “I love the views most. The views here are absolutely stunning.
“I have got a really lovely plot here. It’s really nice, comfortable, new, modern and easy to maintain.
“The community spirit here is also really good. Over the last couple of years, I have attended some of the meetings on the green, like the one for the King’s Coronation, so it has been very good. It is very people-friendly here.”
Despite the increased housing prices in the South Hams area, Mark has still been able to afford to stay local with our affordable scheme.
“I am a local born and bred Kingsbridge person so it’s great to not have to move location. I really enjoy the area.”
Jane Pearce, Sales and Marketing Director at Devonshire Homes, commented: “We are delighted to hear that Mark is enjoying his new home at Applegate Park and has settled into the neighbourhood well.
"The shared ownership route is such a fantastic way to get onto the property ladder. With deposits generally lower than buying on the open market, it’s a great option if you need to spread the cost, plus you have the option of buying a larger percentage of your home over time too.
“We’re pleased that Mark favours Devonshire Homes’ modern, high-quality build and is enjoying the countryside views. Due to the topography of the site, many of our residents at Applegate Park enjoy impressive views which make the most of the beautiful Devon countryside.
"We wish Mark many more years of happiness in his new home.”
Shared ownership, like Mark’s, is a way to get onto the property ladder without buying a home outright on the open market.
Like the shared ownership homes we offer at Applegate Park, we also offer other shared ownership throughout the South West. Click here to find out more.