Alan Rudd was delighted to be able to get a foot back on the property ladder after a difficult time in his life.
Following a divorce, redundancy, a family bereavement and a period of ill health which saw him hospitalised with pneumonia for a month, Alan had sold his property in Redcar and was living in a small one-bedroom flat. Determined to turn his life around he started working with a company casting figurines for war game enthusiasts and set up his own small business making the terrains for the actual battlefields.
Alan did not believe that he would be able to get back onto the property ladder given his age (55), mortgage providers’ reluctance to lend and the need for a huge deposit in today’s housing market. However, he was advised to visit Coast & Country’s Serenity development and soon realised that shared ownership offered him the opportunity he had been looking for.
Alan is now the proud part-owner of a brand-new, modern and energy efficient two-bedded end townhouse and rents the remaining share of the property.
Alan said: “It is beyond all my expectations that, after a difficult few years, I am once again a home-owner. Shared ownership is a brilliant scheme that has enabled me to move into a wonderful new home in a great area. It has made a huge difference to me and is something I would recommend people explore if they are having difficulties securing a mortgage or getting together a big enough deposit.”
Anthony Brown, executive director of property & assets at Coast & Country, said: “We have a range of great homes at Serenity at Havelock Park, along with many different tenure options. We are hoping to create a cohesive and varied community in the heart of Redcar and have had a great deal of interest from older and retired couples as well as families exploring all the options available in this excellent location.
“It is pleasing to know that we are reaching out to a wide and varied range of people with very individual needs.
“Alan is living proof that while shared ownership is ideal for first-time buyers it can provide a solution for anyone, at any age.”
Photo caption: Sonia Reeve Sales Advisor with Alan Rudd