Re-locating to England from Sri Lanka, 36-year-old Thilanka and his family have settled into their first family home thanks to shared ownership.
Thilanka and his family moved to Gloucester in 2022, renting a family home to learn more about the local area before committing to a purchase. With their children, aged four and six, settled into a local school and surrounded by a group of friends, the decision to buy a house in the surrounding area was easy.
“We looked at three properties before finding our current home and actually missed out on the first home we viewed at The Waterfront as it was snapped up. We looked at other developments, but none quite compared” says Thilanka. “Fortunately, another property became available at The Waterfront, and I went down immediately to reserve the house.”
City life by the water
“We enjoy being close to the city centre in a vibrant community – to find a development situated dockside is an added bonus.”
Situated on the Gloucester Docks, The Waterfront stood out to Thilanka as an ideal location for his family. Their new home looks out over the water, allowing the family to enjoy the scenic views of boats and nature from the comfort of their home. “We didn’t know exactly what we wanted from our first home, but we knew we wanted to be in the local area. We enjoy being close to the city centre in a vibrant community – to find a development situated dockside is an added bonus”
With Thilanka and his wife both working from home during the day and having two young children to entertain in the evening, buying a home that suited their need for space was vital. The family’s home consists of three bedrooms and two living rooms, spread across three floors. “We have space to comfortably work from home in the day, and have enough room for our children to play.”
Thilanka and his wife found it difficult to move their existing funds from Sri Lanka to their accounts in the UK, making finding the deposit for their first home harder. Shared ownership gave the family a route to making homeownership possible. “Getting on to the property ladder was difficult for us. When we heard about shared ownership we were really happy and couldn’t believe how easy it could be to buy a house.” The family were able to secure the home with a 10% deposit, with monthly outgoings of only £1,200.
“The team at Guinness Homes were very helpful throughout the whole process. We paid our deposit on the fourth of July and moved in on the twentieth of the same month, we couldn’t believe how simple and quick it was.”
Ideal for families
At the heart of the Severn Valley, The Waterfront is part of a major regeneration project in the Gloucester Docks area. The development comprises one-, two- and three-bedroom houses and apartments right on the water’s edge.
“We couldn’t believe how simple and quick it was.”
With great transport connections to Cheltenham, Bristol and Birmingham, Gloucester is the ideal place for families and individuals to settle down, combining the bustle of city life with classic countryside living. Surrounded by farm shops, entertainment, popular festivals and green spaces, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
To find a Guinness Homes development near you, visit our development page.
