Will bought his first home in Ealing two years’ ago (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
Welcome back to What I Own – where we chat to homeowners about their experience of the property market.
This week we are hearing from first-time buyer Will Angel, who bought his one-bed Ealing flat in 2021.
He was previously renting elsewhere in London but decided to take the plunge and get on the property ladder.
Will used the Help To Buy scheme to get his London home, here’s what he had to say about his experience…
Tell us about yourself, Will.
I’m 25 and a lead product manager at Trumpet, a sales technology business based in Central London. I live at The Green Quarter in Ealing, where I bought my one-bedroom home in early 2021.
Where is your property? What do you think of the area?
My flat is in Ealing. It’s great because the development is a community in itself, but I also have the hustle and bustle of a really established place on my doorstep.
One of the main reasons I bought here was the Elizabeth line. It’s led to huge investment in the area and, in my opinion, has made Ealing one of the capital’s fastest-growing boroughs. It’s so quick which means my commute doesn’t take long and it’s super easy to get home from a night out in central London.
Will and his partner (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
When did you move in?
I bought the property in early 2021 and moved in straight away. Lots of new facilities have opened in the past year or so. I no longer have to pay for my own gym subscription because the residents’ gym has everything I need.
How much does your property cost?
It cost me £400,000 – using the Help to Buy scheme, a government-backed initiative that ended in March 2023.
Help to Buy: How it worked:
Those with a 5% deposit and could borrow up to a further 40% of the property purchase price via an equity loan from the government.
This loan is interest-free for the first five years. The remaining 55% of the purchase price is borrowed as a regular mortgage.
How much was your deposit?
£18,000
What is the monthly cost of living here now; both mortgage and bills?
£600
How did you save up for your deposit?
I was lucky enough to make an early investment in some businesses and crypto.
What was the process of getting a mortgage like for you? Did you find any parts challenging?
As a first-time buyer it could have been incredibly stressful, but I completed in less than a month which felt incredibly quick. I got loads of support from Berkeley’s sales team and the mortgage broker.
Will put down a £18,000 deposit with the Help To Buy scheme (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
Can you share details on your mortgage?
I have a five-year fixed-rate mortgage.
Where did you live before this – were you renting or living with family?
Before I was renting a flat with my cousin in Battersea by the river, which was great. When he left London, I decided to look for my own place.
What made you want to buy rather than renting?
I initially wanted to rent, but prices were so high, I looked into buying instead. I also wanted to make an investment. Everyone knows that buying property is a good way to do that, but it felt like an especially promising opportunity at this development given the long-term vision for the area. There’s so much money being invested in Southall right now and I wanted to be a part of that.
How did you find this property? What made you choose it?
There were some ‘must-haves’ that had to be met before I considered making an offer for a home. It needed to be in an area with strong investment potential and great transport links were essential too. I also wanted the interiors to be smart and modern – my previous home was a new-build and I really liked that.
I looked around a lot of developments across London and narrowed it down to just a few. In the end, I chose this flat because of its location, the investment potential and the Crossrail Station.
How have you made the property feel like home?
I’ve brought plants, put up pictures, and tried to really make it my own.
What’s the inspiration for your interior decor style?
Well, the apartment had really great finishes and my brother works for an interior design business so he had some suggestions. I’ve gone for modern and contrasting colours (as well as bringing some of my old furniture when I was renting).
‘I initially wanted to rent, but prices were so high’ (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
What’s your favourite room and why?
In my apartment, my favourite room is the living area. I’ve got my kitchen, my home office and my balcony all close together so I can easily take a break, switch on and off when I need to.
I also love the cinema room in the complex. My partner and I regularly spend an evening in there binging our favourite shows. In fact, I think we watched the whole series The Peripheral in there, and it’s great to be able to see a show like that on a big screen.
Do you feel like you have enough space?
Yes, the apartment is a good size and I work from home a couple of times a week at the moment. I should add that the internet is incredible, it’s the fastest I’ve ever had. When I want to get out of my flat, I can just head down to the co-working space, which is such a bonus to have.
Do you have plans to change the property?
No, but I have been looking at buying again within the complex. It recently launched Quadrant House, and it would be great to get somewhere with more bedrooms, though I know the apartment won’t be ready to move into for quite a while. If I did that, I would definitely keep my current flat, because it’s just an excellent investment, and I reckon I could easily find a renter.
What do you want people to know about buying a home?
I would say nailing down your priorities beforehand is a wise move, you can then put together a plan of how to build the deposit, where to look and if there are any government schemes available to help. Other than that, I don’t know what advice I can give, as I completed it all so quickly.
Do you want to feature in What I Own?
What I Own is a Metro.co.uk series that takes you inside people’s properties, to take an honest look at what it’s like to buy a home in the UK.
If you own your home and would be up for sharing your story, please email [email protected].
What are your plans for the future, in terms of housing? Do you plan to stay here long term?
I am really enjoying it here. In fact, I’ve signed up for updates about the new building Quadrant House and I’m thinking about upgrading within the development. If I did move into a larger home, I’d probably keep my current flat to rent out.
Shall we take a look around?
Let’s start the tour in the hall (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
In we go (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
The main open plan living space (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
Will and his partner regularly use the cinema room in the complex (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
Cute (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
A WFH set-up (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
The kitchen (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
Will says he’s gone for modern and contrasting colours (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
A peek in the bedroom (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
Bathroom (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
Hair and body care station (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
Views over the city (Picture: Susannah Ireland)
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
MORE : What I Own: Michael, who bought his Birmingham home age 26 with no help
MORE : What I Own: Dario, who lives in Stratford Upon Avon and pays £1,540 a month for his mortgage
‘I initially wanted to rent, but as prices were so high I looked into buying instead.’
