“It’s hard out here for young people!” Jovita and Aaron’s Shared Ownership experience at L&Q at Bankside Gardens
May 2025
Accountant Jovita (21) and student Aaron (21) were renting a home in Reading when they began to think about taking their first steps onto the property ladder.
“We felt like we were wasting our money renting,” explains Jovita. “We’d moved to the area for Aaron’s university and for my job, so we knew we were here to stay for a while. That’s when we began to consider what buying a home might look like.”
Reflecting on their experience of renting, Aaron recalls, “We weren’t entirely happy in the home we were renting. There was a lot of back and forth with the landlord about some maintenance issues, but nothing got resolved. It wasn’t great.”
Both in their early 20s and determined to start their homebuying journey, the couple turned their attention to their homeownership options.
Jovita’s recalls: “I spoke to my sister about her experience of buying through Shared Ownership, and from then I knew it was the way to go for us. She made me feel confident that this was the only way we could afford to step onto the property ladder, so that’s when we began looking at Shared Ownership homes.”
L&Q at Bankside Gardens is a new development offering one- and two-bedroom Shared Ownership homes and an impressive range of onsite amenities, all set within 22 acres of open space and parkland in the sought-after Reading suburbs.
“I actually used to drive past Bankside Gardens on my way to work,” Jovita says, “I always thought how lovely it looked, so we registered our interest on the L&Q website and arranged a viewing.”
“I went along to the first viewing alone – Aaron was away. When I was shown around the homes and the wider development, I just knew it was the one. It was levels above the home we were renting at the time, and Michelle from L&Q was honestly the loveliest person on the planet. She answered all my questions and was extremely helpful. I immediately called Aaron and just said this is the one!”
Aaron and Jovita bought a 50% share of a one-bedroom apartment at L&Q at Bankside Gardens, with a £14,000 deposit.
When asked how they managed to save up for their deposit, Jovita explains “I’m a good saver! We also had a little help from family. Otherwise, buying through Shared Ownership meant that we had to put down a far smaller amount compared to if we bought on the open market. We really couldn’t have afforded a larger deposit!”
Aaron reflects on stepping onto the property ladder in his early 20s: “When people find out we own part of our home, they are quite impressed. We are really proud of it, but we couldn’t have done it alone, we needed each other. It’s hard out here for young people looking to buy!”
“A lot of my friends who are also in their final year of university are really interested in Shared Ownership. They are starting to think about their options and keep asking me questions about our journey. I tell them to go for it.”
Jovita and Aaron have lived in their new home for four months and are starting to feel settled. Jovita explains: “Aaron works part time in a furniture shop, so we managed to get a lot of things for our home with his discount, which was another massive help. We have a way to go in terms of decorating, but we are in love with our new space. We have so much more freedom now – we can hang a picture without asking for permission!”
“We have an amazing view from our home and the balcony. We look out over fields and green space. It’s amazing,” details Aaron. “With the new train station just minutes away, too, you can get into Reading town centre super quickly, but when you come back here, it’s really peaceful. You get the best of both worlds.”
Hailing from London and the Cotswolds respectively, efficient transport links were key for the young couple. Aaron explains “It’s such an easy commute into Reading and London from where we are. This was really important to us both, for work and uni, as well as for seeing our family and friends. We have a parking space here, too, which was key as Jovita drives to work.”
L&Q at Bankside Gardens benefits from The Residents’ Club 51, which is home to a co-working space, a gym and a resident-only cinema. Podium gardens also offer onsite green space to residents and an onsite Tesco Express offers further convenience.
“We love the cinema,” Jovita says, “It’s so cool for having friends over. Aaron makes use of the co-working space as well. He’s been writing his coursework from there recently.”
Looking ahead, Jovita and Aaron are keen to staircase to 100% ownership of their home: “We’re incredibly proud to have taken our first step onto the property ladder, and we love our new neighbourhood. It feels like an incredible feat to already have a foot on the ladder at our age!”
