After being told that their rental home in Grays was due to be sold, Hannah (29) and her partner Perry (33) set their sights on buying their first home together.

It was stressful when we found out that the home we were renting was going to be sold. I had just started a new job around the same time we received the eviction notice – the timing felt awful, but it also set the wheels in motion for our property search”, Hannah explains.

We were really keen to step onto the property ladder, but also to find somewhere we genuinely loved. We’d come across a few homes and developments, but nothing really stood out to us.”

Set on staying in either South or East London, Hannah and Perry started looking at the homes on offer from L&Q after several recommendations from friends and colleagues.

Hannah recalls, “By chance, we saw that there was an open day on at The Quarry in Erith and booked a free ticket. We invited Perry’s mum down that weekend too, so she also came along.”

“We got the chance to view the show homes and chat to the Sales Team, which was great. We just instantly got a good vibe from the development. We then got shown the one-bedroom apartment we went on to buy, but honestly, I was worried that I was getting carried away – I thought surely, we can’t afford this!”

The Quarry is a landmark eco-development on the site of a disused quarry in Erith, South London. Delivered by L&Q and Anderson, included in the masterplan are 849 new homes – a mix of apartments and family houses – as well as green spaces and community facilities, all within easy access to efficient transport links into the capital and beyond.

“Mo, a member of the Sales Team at The Quarry who showed us around, could tell we really loved the apartment and the development, and was on hand to answer any questions we had.” Perry recalls.

“We popped down the road for some lunch, wrote an email and made our offer on the day! We were all really impressed by the homes and development. Perry’s mum told us we had nothing to lose, and that we should just go for it. Our offer was accepted just a few days later. We were completely shocked!”

Hannah and Perry bought a one-bedroom apartment at The Quarry with a 10% deposit of £25,500. Now settling into their new home, the couple reflect on what led them to buy with L&Q.

The flat really ticked all our boxes – I wanted an open plan layout in the kitchen living area and space for a kitchen island. The actual quality of the home felt very good, too, which was important to us, and the L&Q team couldn’t have been more helpful,” says Hannah.

“Parking was very important to us, too”, explains Perry. “It’s not always easy to find a home with dedicated parking in the city. We have off street parking here, with visitor parking too, which is great for when our friends and family come over.”

The Quarry benefits from a number of onsite amenities, including a Sainsbury’s Local and the newly opened, state-of-the-art Lime Wood Primary School. A future village green and nature reserve is also planned for the site. Homes are located within a short walk to Erith Station, too, where journeys to London Bridge take just half an hour.

“I’ve actually played football on the school pitch a few times – they host games in the evenings for the wider neighbourhood. It’s a great opportunity to feel involved in the local community!” Explains Perry.

Hannah says, “We chose to buy on this side of the building because, once it’s finished, we’ll actually be able to look out onto the ecology area. We already look out on over 100 trees – it’s so beautiful at sunset. We’re really pleased with the overall environmental efforts of the development.”

“During the summer, we have dinner on the balcony, which feels a bit like a never-ending holiday! We have a little bistro table and a hanging egg chair out there, so it’s perfect for chilling out.”

Looking towards the future, Perry explains, “I can see us staying here for a while. Even if we did eventually want a bigger home, I can see us staying in the development – it’s just so lovely and convenient for us both. We love it here.”

Agreeing, Hannah continues, “Our neighbours are so friendly – in our previous flat, it wasn’t as sociable. Here, we have a WhatsApp group and one of our neighbours baked us brownies when we moved in! We truly feel like we’ve lucked out.”

To find out more about homes currently available at The Quarry, and for more information on 5% deposits available through the Deposit Unlock scheme, visit our website here