EDITOR’S LETTER
E D I T O R I A L – 020 7258 0036
Editor-in-Chief SARAH GARRETT sarahg@spmgroup.co.uk Editor LYNDA CLARK lynda@firsttimebuyermag.co.uk Editorial Assistant CHLOE CAIN
Creative Director RYAN BEAL
Sub Editor KAY HILL
Social Media DAWN HARKER
Contributors DAVID BLAKE, CHLOE CAIN, CHRIS CLARK, RACHEL COLGAN, KAY HILL, STEPHEN MAUNDER, LAURA DEAN-OSGOOD, DONNA PILCHER, GINETTA VEDRICKAS A D V E RT I S I N G – 020 7258 0036
Director of Advertising/Exhibition Sales LYNDA CLARK
lynda@firsttimebuyermag.co.uk Special Events EILIDH MACLEOD – First Time Buyer Home Show – First Time Buyer Readers’ Awards boom@squarepegmedia.com
Welcome It seems to have been a very long winter but at last there are signs that spring has finally arrived. I am sure that many of you are keen to start searching for your first home and this is certainly the right time of year to begin looking. This is a real bumper issue and packed full of information and advice. If you are keen to use one of the Government schemes then turn to page 30 for our guide to shared ownership and how it works. Or, if you think Help to Buy is what you might be considering, then pages 34-36 highlights the best hotspots. Did you know that London has some of the worst air pollution records in Europe? On pages 22-24 we consider some eco credentials to see how clean and green our capital really is. Our recent FTB Home Show at Stratford Town Hall was a huge success and on pages 58-59 you can see a round-up from the very busy day. For any ftb living in the North West we have another Home Show on September 15th at the Lancashire County Cricket Club so do go to ftbhomeshow.com for more details and to register. Our FTB Readers’ Awards 2018 are now in full swing and thank you to everyone who has taken the time to vote. There is still time left to cast your vote, so please do go to ftbawards.com. Our Awards are a real celebration of the very best in the property market and your votes mean so much. We know that navigating the property maze can be very confusing especially when you are doing it for the first time. That is why we have produced the little A-Z to Buying Your First Home which is a small gift from us to help you along the way to buying your dream home. I would also like to thank SO Resi for its sponsorship and support. P.S For
anyone who is in the throws of searching for their first home I can tho roughly recommend Five Ge t On The Property Ladde r (Enid Blyton for Grown Ups) by Bruno Vincent. The original characters from the Five stories struggle to get their feet on the ladder. It’s very true to life, funny an da real gem!
Until next time, happy house hunting
Accounts DAVID SELF david.self@ultimateguidecompany.com Managing Director SARAH GARRETT sarahg@spmgroup.co.uk Public Relations RACHEL COLGAN
firsttimebuyeronline
@firsttimebuyer
rachel@building-relations.co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS 020 3874 1649
EDITOR’S PICKS…
SWITCHBOARD 020 7258 1777 FAX: 020 7258 1787 THE ULTIMATE GUIDE COMPANY LTD, 37 IVOR PLACE, LONDON NW1 6EA All advertising copy for June/July 2018 must be received before 11 May 2018. Send all copy to: lynda@ firsttimebuyermag.co.uk The content of this publication, either in whole or in part, may not be reproduced, stored in a data retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission from the publishers. Opinions expressed in First Time Buyer magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. © The Ultimate Guide Company Ltd 2008-2018. The Ultimate Guide Company Ltd t/a First Time Buyer magazine will take no responsibility for any loss/ claim resulting from a transaction with one of our advertisers/media partners.
Most people see a commute time of an hour or less as being quite reasonable Jim Munson, Developer’s Doctor, Page 16
We are really excited by the prospect of our very first family home.
Natalia Guimarães, House Hunter, Page 14
It may be a question of going without a few luxuries for a while. Sian Lloyd, At home with, Page 12
When you are ready and you’ve saved a bit more you’ll also be able to buy more shares. Felicity Gentle, Agony Agent, Page 120
We really guide our customers through each step of the process. Liz Benson, Spotlight on... Page 138
First Time Buyer April/May 2018
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