How we bought: ‘After six years of saving we’ve slashed £500 a month off our living costs and 50 minutes off the office commute’
This couple moved east for their first home together, cheaper monthly bills and shorter commutes.
Nathan Jones and Bianca Finlay bought a one-bedroom apartment with water views at the Royal Albert Wharf development
/ Handouthoroughly tired of renting after six years, Nathan Jones, 28, had been saving up and plotting a step on to the property ladder even before he and his girlfriend, Bianca Finlay, 26, met.
He was fed up, he said, of constantly having to move from place to place. And with a pet cat in tow, he was finding it increasingly difficult to find suitable properties.
When they met, Jones, a cybersecurity expert, was paying £1,250pcm for a one-bedroom studio flat in Streatham while Finlay, an events planner, was based near Wandsworth where she was sharing a two-bedroom flat with her younger brother at a cost of £650pcm.
A move to east London worked for both of them, and they liked the idea of a waterfront lifestyle at the Royal Docks, where thousands of new homes and amenities are being built in the ongoing £5 billion regeneration of the former heartland of the capital’s shipping industry. Docklands Light Railway services are also just a five-minute walk away.
Docklands Light Railway services are a five-minute walk away from the Royal Albert Wharf development
/ Robert Greshoff Photography“We wanted to find somewhere that gave us access to open space, fresh air and was close to the Thames, as well as giving us shorter journeys to work,” said Nate.
Nate had been saving — slowly but surely — for six years to put together a £56,000 deposit and in April the couple picked up the keys to a one-bedroom, £372,000 apartment at the Royal Albert Wharf development.
We’ve started seeing new shops and restaurants moving in. It’s an exciting time
The move has cut Nate’s commuting time to Canary Wharf from an hour and a quarter to only 25 minutes, and when working from home the couple are able to enjoy water views.
Since moving in, they have been busy exploring the local pubs, cafes and shops.
“We’ve started seeing new things around the development like farmers’ markets and even community events, and independent shops and restaurants like Café Spice Namasté moving in,” said Bianca. “It feels like an exciting time to be moving here.”
Financially, the move has also stacked up — the monthly outgoings, including mortgage, service charge and ground rent, come in at around £1,360, which is more than £500pcm less than the couple had been shelling out between them on rent.