All homes at Acton Gardens are now 100% reserved. Find similar developments in Ealing here.
After staircasing to 100%, I went looking for my next Shared Ownership home!
August 2023
Having grown up in Acton, Jim de Whalley knew that the West London location was where he one day wanted to own a home. Originally feeling priced out of the London property market, purchasing through Shared Ownership with L&Q enabled him to purchase his own apartment in the town where he was raised.
Jim was aware of Shared Ownership, having already bought a property using the Government scheme back in 2019. Knowing this route to home ownership would be an affordable and straightforward option for him, he started looking for his next property.
“I’d actually purchased a home in Elephant and Castle back in 2019 through Shared Ownership, where I staircased to 100% and then sold my home. I wanted to move back to where I spent my childhood and when I saw this development, it was too good an opportunity to turn down. I knew that with Shared Ownership, the eligibility requirement states that you can’t own a property, so I started from scratch in the hopes of finding my dream property in Acton.”
Explaining his decision to purchase through Shared Ownership for a second time, Jim says:
“The first time around I found the whole process so simple. Shared Ownership was the only way I’d be able to purchase my own home in London, and given how straightforward it was a few years ago, it made sense for me to look into it again, this time buying by myself.”
Jim sold his Elephant & Castle home, before buying 25% of a three-bedroom apartment with L&Q at Acton Gardens, part of the award-winning regeneration of the South Acton Estate being delivered by L&Q, and Countryside Properties, which once complete will provide over 3,300 new homes in West London.
“I had purchased with a different housing association previously, so I was unsure if the second time round would be as simple, but L&Q made the moving process very easy, and everyone worked together to make sure that I would get the home I wanted.”
“Not only were L&Q extremely accommodating, but they also worked so efficiently – I couldn’t believe how quick the whole process was. I first viewed the property on the 1st September and by 1st November I had moved in.”
Jim came across L&Q at Acton Gardens when searching for homes in the area, and contacted the sales team at L&Q, who arranged an appointment for him to view the show home the very next day. As soon as Jim saw the property, he made an offer right away.
“I’d already viewed one other property before heading to L&Q at Acton Gardens, and I didn’t get that immediate feeling that I wanted to live there. Once I got to this development, I just knew it was right for me. I actually ended up buying the show home! I love it as there is a courtyard in front of the apartment, so it feels as though I have my own private garden, as well as having my own balcony.”
Now settled in his new home, he couldn’t recommend the development – or L&Q – more.
“I am so pleased with my new home. The living room is my favourite part, it has windows on both sides which means there is always plenty of sunlight,” says Jim, “I have also really enjoyed decorating and making it my own. I’ve painted the walls and purchased brand new furniture; that’s one of the great aspects about Shared Ownership in comparison to renting, you can make your home your own.
“It’s a lovely community here, with plenty of green space on the doorstep. The location is great too – whether it’s commuting to work or going on a night out. I love the night life that London offers, so I regularly head to places like Soho, which is 25 minutes door to door via the Piccadilly line!”
“It was the most affordable way for me to get back onto the property ladder in a sought-after location, and I plan to staircase up to 100% again.”