I am a believer in feng shui - when I walked into the show home, I knew that it was perfect
October 2021
The moment Chemical Engineer Dr. Chin Kin, Ong stepped into the Acton Gardens show home, he knew it was the London home he had been hunting for.
“I am a believer in the principles of feng shui so when I walked into the show home at the launch event, I immediately knew that it was perfect. The open plan layout and all the natural light from the large windows was exactly what I was looking for – I reserved the next day!”
Finding home ownership on the open market out of reach, but still determined to step onto the capital’s property ladder, Chin began looking into alternative routes. Researching Help to Buy and Shared Ownership led him to Acton Gardens ahead of the Shared Ownership launch in September 2019.
“Living and working locally, I have watched Acton develop and how Acton Gardens has transformed the area. It has become a fantastic place over the last few years.
“The flow of the show home and energy I felt was right – I called L&Q the next day to reserve the apartment one floor above the show home, as it was the same layout, but someone beat me to it. Luckily, L&Q were open to me reserving the show home while it was still in use. I began the mortgage and legal process right away, so once the show home was released, I was ready to go!”
Just a short walk to Acton Town station, Acton Gardens is L&Q and Countryside Properties’ award-winning west London development, ultimately delivering over 3,300 new homes. Through L&Q Shared Ownership, Chin was able to purchase a 30% share of a two bedroom apartment, complete with a balcony.
“I moved in February, so it has been difficult getting furniture delivered but having a place to call mine has been fantastic, it is such a satisfying feeling. The neighbourhood is perfect for me – I like to keep fit so I go jogging in Gunnersbury Park and there is a badminton club nearby in Acton Town. Morrison’s is only a short walk away and the Westfield in White City is so easy to get to.”
With a foot on the property ladder and settled into his new home, Chin recommends Shared Ownership to London’s first time buyers feeling outpriced in the capital.
“Shared Ownership definitely worked for me. Considering the size and location of my new home, it might have taken me another five or ten years to buy the same apartment.
“L&Q were fantastic throughout my buying process, the team were excellent at communicating. They kept me up to date every step of the way and helped minimise the anxiety that comes with buying a new home by staying in touch and answering all of my questions.
“I would definitely recommend Shared Ownership – it helped me move from a one bedroom to a two bedroom apartment and pay about the same as I was renting! It’s given me the flexibility to plan for my future.”
