Six months ahead of their wedding day in Sri Lanka, Tharindu, 31, and Varsha, 26, have moved from their individually rented homes into a new, shared ownership, two-bedroom corner plot apartment at Crescent Gardens in East Croydon.
Both civil servants, the couple bought a 25% share of their home with a deposit of just £7,032.95. Their outgoings have reduced by around a third. Varsha explains, “Not only are we spending notably less each month on bills, but we actually own a home now, which feels very different.”
“East Croydon is an amazing place to live, so the location was a huge draw for us,” says Tharindu. “We’re spoilt for choice with shops. We have everything in walking distance; from Sainsbury’s and Lidl to Zara, Boots and Primark, so at the weekends we really don’t need to leave the area. I love food and we can walk five minutes in any direction and eat whatever we want to. There’s also a fabulous street market here on Saturdays.”
The commute from Crescent Gardens is also a game-changer. Tharindu continues, “I’m based in Westminster two days a week and my commute from East Croydon station, which is a four-minute walk away, is just 20 minutes in total.”
From their apartment on the fifth floor, the happy couple have a 180-degree view of the area through large windows which span across the apartment from the living area to the bedroom. Varsha has set up the second bedroom as an office, which she works from five days a week. She says, “The apartment inside is lovely and quiet and there are plenty of options for me when I want to take a break. I can take a walk to the shops or just step out on to one of the gardens.”
With a large private balcony, two resident rooftop gardens and two further podium gardens on lower levels, there is certainly no shortage of outdoor space.
Croydon – Crescent Gardens From £109,375*
These 79 shared ownership apartments are located in Croydon’s exciting new quarter, offering a lively social scene with transport links among the best in London. The new studio, one, two and three bedroom apartments offer high-quality fixtures and fittings, which come as standard, and generously proportioned apartments that all enjoy private outdoor space. There are several practical layouts to choose from, offering flexible living for all lifestyles. All homes come with a video entry system. Residents will be able to reach East Croydon railway station in a few minutes via a new station entrance when it opens, with direct trains to Clapham Junction in nine minutes and London Victoria and Gatwick in just 15 minutes.
latimerhomes.com/new-build-homes/london/croydon/crescent-gardens
0300 100 0309
*Based on a 25% share of the full market value of £437,500
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