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"It really feels like we are living in a luxury hotel, we have to keep pinching ourselves that it's ours and we live here!"
- John & Alan, Shared Ownership buyers at Lazenby Square
Find out how John and Alan got their desired outdoor space at Lazenby Square with Peabody New Homes
As we celebrate life starting to return to a new normal, the focus placed on our homes over the last two years has markedly intensified the desire to have access to outdoor space, with 44% of homebuyers now prioritising this in their property search.
Having endured lockdown living in a one-bedroom flat first-time buyers Alan (52) and John (49) decided it was time to re-evaluate their lives and what their home offered them.
Keen to find a new property that would give them access to the outdoor space they wanted, Alan and John found Peabody New Homes' newest Shared Ownership development, Lazenby Square, SE1.
Having successfully purchased a stunning one-bedroom apartment, Alan and John are now thoroughly enjoying a home that provides their own private outdoor winter garden as well as access to Lazenby Square’s superb location in Bermondsey and beautiful courtyard gardens.
Find a home with Peabody New Homes
Renters to luxury homebuyers with Peabody New Homes
Alan, Head of Library and Archives at the National Gallery, and John, a Freelance Theatre Director,
explain more about why they purchased at Lazenby Square and why Covid accelerated their move:
"We were living in a 1930s one bedroom flat near the Walworth Road in Southwark for about 11 years, also rented through Peabody.
We liked our old place but it had its flaws; we were on the ground floor so there were no nice views and we had no private outside space."
"When Covid came into play, it made us re-evaluate our lives and what we wanted from our home – a priority for us both was having outside space and a nice outlook. We began our property search and it was during one of our many days out cycling during lockdown that we came across Peabody New Homes' Shared Ownership homes at Lazenby Square. Like many others, staying at home during lockdown meant we were able to save money. Shared Ownership was a good option for both of us as the lower deposit amount required through the scheme meant we could buy a home together and still stay in London.
We arranged to view the show apartment at Lazenby Square, when we walked in, we knew it was the right one – we gave each other a look and we both knew what we were thinking. We had seen a few other developments but we hadn’t been impressed with the level of service or quality. Having already lived in a Peabody home, Alan and I both like what Peabody represents and what the brand stands for. They care for their customers and really make the most of the developments they build so we were keen to stay with them. The sales team nurtured us through the process, we felt like we really mattered. We even got a welcome pack when we moved into Lazenby Square with a few little treats in along with some tea and coffee – a really kind gesture."
Luxury living at Lazenby Square (SE1)
Talking about their new apartment and what they love the most about living at Lazenby Square, Alan says:
"Real thought and effort has been put into the design and layout, we are so impressed with the specification too."
“The kitchen is really stylish and comes with Integrated appliances, there is a utility cupboard in the hallway where the washing machine is so you don’t get the noise in the living room. One of our favourite features is our fantastic winter garden/balcony that overlooks the beautiful courtyard gardens; the balcony is so big that we can fit a whole banquette seating design out there, it's like having another room to use!
We also have underfloor heating throughout and integrated speakers in every room that we can control with our phones – it’s great, we love listening to Radio 4 in the mornings, and such great features that not all new build homes have as standard. It really feels like we are living in a luxury hotel, we have to keep pinching ourselves that it’s ours and we live here!”
Local living at Lazenby Square:
10-mins from The River Thames
John continues: “They have managed to cleverly fuse together the old with the new. The Old Pickle Factory that is here has been sensitively factored in when designing the development, it creates something unique, not like every other new build development.
Locally we have so many different places nearby; Bermondsey Street is a 10-minute walk away, it’s a really trendy place with Tapas bars, cafés and restaurants. The Queen Victoria is a nice pub to go to for a drink and just down the road is The Blue Market which is a really funky street market with loads of different stalls and places to eat. Mercado Metropolitano is nearby, London’s first sustainable community market with lots of food stalls and bars and we are also only 10-minutes from the river – there is a great mix of everything.”
Living the best of both worlds: Hybrid lifestyle
Explaining more about the benefits of having a hybrid lifestyle, Alan says:
“We have got the best of both worlds living here. We can both cycle to work in around half an hour, but we also have an office area set up in the bedroom. It’s a nice space to shut yourself away for work meetings and allows us both to enjoy having a balanced home/work lifestyle.
We also have a concierge service, so we never miss a delivery or any post if we go on holiday. The courtyard garden will definitely be a great space in the summer to sit with neighbours – we can’t wait to see what events there will be!”
Living comfortably with Shared Ownership
Summarising their thoughts about the Shared Ownership scheme and purchase process, Alan and John say:
“We purchased a 30% share in a one-bedroom apartment, using a deposit of £24,525. Peabody New Homes were really helpful and put us in touch with a mortgage broker who talked us through our options and what we could comfortably afford. Now we have purchased a property, we have an added level of security when we do both retire and Shared Ownership has given us that step up into homeownership, whilst also investing in something for our future. We definitely won’t be moving from Lazenby Square, we have everything we could wish for, we’re so happy here!”
Search New Homes by Peabody
At Peabody New Homes, we have a number of homes available to buy through Help To Buy and Shared Ownership throughout London. Use our property search to discover a home for you and to register your interest.