Imogen and Josh's homeownership story!
Prior to buying their first home, Josh and Imogen rented a one-bedroom terrace house which lacked a garden and any space for parking. The couple believed that renting was not a wise investment, especially with a house they didn't truly love, which prompted them to start their Gleeson journey, taking their first steps onto the property ladder.
Buyers: Imogen, 25 and Josh, 27
Occupations: Josh is an Assistant Manager at a Gym and Imogen works for a Homelessness Charity, supporting homeless adults
Year of purchase: December 2023
Development: Canal Walk, Burnley
House type: 2 bedroom, semi-detached Cork
Purchase price: £179,995
Mortgage cost: £812
Previous rent per month: £500
We spoke to Imogen to find out a bit more about their journey of buying their first home together:
“Josh and I are first-time buyers and we have been together for three years, so it felt like the perfect time to start looking for a house together. During the initial stages, we had no real expectations of what we could afford, but after stumbling across Canal Walk we figured this development was going to be perfect for us! We soon discovered that Gleeson had lots of offers on their homes which made our goal of buying a home even more realistic, as well as schemes specific to first-time buyers. I really appreciated the Key Worker grant as well – it is nice to be acknowledged and rewarded for my work!
“Before purchasing our Gleeson home, Josh and I had rented a one-bedroom terrace for approximately 18 months at a monthly cost of £500. The rental property was quite basic, lacking a garden and parking space. We believed that renting was not a wise investment in a house we didn't truly enjoy, and we wanted to invest in ourselves by stepping onto the property ladder.
“The process of buying our home with Gleeson was smooth and easy. We had a few hiccups with the external solicitors, however, all the staff at Gleeson were super helpful and kept us informed the whole way through. As first-time buyers, we naturally had a lot of questions, but the Gleeson team made us always feel comfortable!
“We chose to buy the 2-bedroom Cork as it was in our price range, but also in a lovely location on the development with plenty of space, a two-car drive and a spacious garden – everything we lacked in our previous rented property. We wanted a blank canvas, something that is ours and that had never been lived in or decorated by anyone else. We also liked the security of the two-year Gleeson warranty that also comes with buying a new build.
“We have 100% found our energy bills are a lot more affordable than our previous rented property. We started on what we thought was a reasonable price throughout the winter months and we are now over £200 in credit and have since decreased our payments by £15 per month! We are definitely not spending anywhere near as much as we did previously, and this house is bigger!
“Josh and I are now starting to build our future together – we are both huge family people and it is wonderful in our new home to have that spare room where we can host and have family and friends to stay. One thing everyone knows about me is I have ALWAYS wanted a puppy and thanks to owning our own home, we have been able to welcome a little bundle of fur into our lives, Bruno the Frenchie. We have so many exciting plans for the future in our new home! I would 100% recommend Gleeson.
If you have been inspired by Megan and Jordan’s homebuying journey, why not browse our nearest developments to you? With affordable buying schemes, a wide range of offers and additional incentives and energy efficiency as standard, there’s never been a better time to buy new with Gleeson.
