Young couple finally get their dream home after living with parents for more than 8 years

A couple have told of the problems they faced buying their first home together in Milton Keynes.

Rachell Turner and Ryan Boomer, both 28, have both lived in Milton Keynes for their whole lives. They spent eight and half years living with Ryan's parents.

The couple moved out to rent a three bedroom home in the area 10 months ago and started looking for a place to buy.

But finding a home they could afford quickly proved a problem - and they accepted they’d most likely have to downgrade on quality to stay in the location they wanted.

“When we initially started looking at new build homes, we realised that the majority had a pretty low level of specification - ​offering smaller gardens and less appliances than our old rental home," said Rachell, who is a pre-school worker.

"Some Housing Associations even told us that our expectations of a Shared Ownership home were unrealistic. It was a shock to hear this, and my partner and I discussed how far we’d be willing to compromise in order to purchase a home we could afford.”

The couple received an email from developers L&Q about the launch of some shared ownership homes at Saxon Reach, off Fen Roundabout at Wavendon.

​They booked a​ viewing on a whim, keeping their expectations low, said Rachell.

“As soon as we entered the show home, we instantly fell in love with it. The spacious entrance, high ceilings and soft carpets caught our attention straightaway. Then we entered the kitchen and saw the fully integrated appliances - we decided that the house ticked every box on our list. The rooms were actually all bigger than those in our home at the time, as was the garden, which was a real shock.

"After accepting that we would probably have to compromise, it was such a pleasant surprise to find a home that required no compromising at all – in fact it had more than we hoped for.”

The couple have now purchased a 45% share of a 3 bedroom townhouse through L&Q’s Shared Ownership scheme at Saxon Reach, Milton Keynes.

“We were told that there was one 3-bedroom house remaining, and ​so we immediately reserved our home – we didn’t want to risk anyone else taking our dream house! After we had reserved, the whole process was extremely smooth, even during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now settled in to their new home, the couple are just a short drive away from their families and Ryan can walk to his work as a cleaning supervisor.

They now plan to buy more a a share in the property over the years. “We are definitely planning on staircasing," said Rachell. "Ideally we’d like to own 100% of our house. I really can’t see myself wanting to live anywhere else – we truly have found our forever home.

“Lots of people have asked us why we wanted a house with the potential to have four bedrooms when it’s just the two of us, but it’s so lovely for us to know that our home now can be our home for many years to come, and it will be the perfect place for us to raise our children in the future."

Rachell and Ryan 45% (£179,997) of a three bedroom house with a full market value of £399,995.

They paid a £12,000 deposit and their monthly rent is £550, coupled with their mortgage payment of £740. Bills come to £200 a month and there is a £45 monthly service charge.