This New Homes Week (26 February – 3 March), shared ownership provider St Arthur Homes is sharing stories from its own buyers to explain some of the benefits of buying new.

Megan McNamara and her partner James Huggitt bought a new home at Whiteley Meadows in Whiteley, and moved in last year with their four-year-old daughter Ella.

Megan said: “James and I realised that buying a home using a traditional method would be out of the question for many years, as it is for so many young families. My friend mentioned shared ownership to me and, after a lot of research, I knew that this would be the ideal way for us to get onto the property ladder.

“We looked online every day until the perfect home came along. It was a three-bedroom property at St Arthur Homes’ Whiteley Meadows development in Whiteley, which just looked like it could be the one for us.

“With some savings and help from family, we managed to put together a deposit and buy a 45 per cent stake in the property, paying rent on the other percentage.”

Megan and James are looking to ‘staircase’ with their new home, meaning that they buy more and more shares of it, eventually owning 100 per cent. It’s a process which is allowing many buyers to get onto the property ladder, when previously they may not have been able to.

Cat Samuels and Tarryn Williams also bought a new home at Whiteley Meadows with St Arthur Homes. They were particularly impressed by the fantastic service they received while buying a new home.

Cat said: “Our Sales Advisor Trin was incredible. No question was too big or small, she guided us through the whole process brilliantly. In fact, everyone we spoke to at St Arthur was lovely. We really wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone at all.”

A little further afield, pub designer 27-year-old Emily bought her first new home at Kitchener Barracks in Chatham. She loved the fact that she can really make her own mark on her apartment.

Emily said: “The best thing for me about buying an apartment is having a space to make my own. I’m a pub designer, so I’ve been able to use the knowledge I have about interior design and how to source the best materials, to make my apartment really feel like my own space.

“I’m excited for the future and putting even more of my own stamp on my apartment. Although I’m not sure what my long-term plans are, I’m definitely very happy right now.”