Mihai Felecan, 40, and his family spent several years renting in Aylesbury before buying their first home - a two-bedroom apartment at The Arc, in Aylesbury town centre. His experience is far from being unique - the recent findings of the National Housing Survey have shown that people are renting for longer periods than ever, with the average age of a first-time buyer in the UK having soared over the past decade.
However, thanks to the government's Help to Buy scheme and a period of unusually low interest rates, buying a home has become much easier. According to recent research by Santander, owning a home is now cheaper than renting in all areas of the UK, making Mihai's decision to buy now easy, timely and sensible from a financial standpoint.
Mihai said: "My wife and I decided to buy a place in Aylesbury because we got tired of paying rent when we knew we could be paying less for our own place if we saved up for a deposit."
Thanks to the Help to Buy initiative available at The Arc, Mihai and his family only needed a five per cent deposit, allowing them to build up the necessary sum much quicker.
Mihai, who commutes into London for work on a daily basis, was looking for a high-quality two-bedroom property in the town centre, which proved to be rather challenging. Before coming across The Arc, Mihai and his wife Ramona Bianca looked at more than 80 properties, none of which met their criteria.
"We have a 15-year-old son, so it was important our new home had at least two bedrooms. Many of the apartments in the town centre we came across didn't have any parking, which was a big problem - I drive to London for work every day, so not having a space for my car is a major inconvenience", said Mihai.
When the family finally came across The Arc, they knew the search was over. The gated development, comprised of 59 one and two-bedroom apartments, immediately impressed the couple. The fact that it included a parking space made it perfect for the family.
Ready to move into, the apartments at The Arc feature open-plan kitchen/living areas with high-quality integrated appliances. All master bedrooms include fitted wardrobes, with two-bedroom apartments benefitting from stylish en-suite bathrooms with contemporary chrome brassware and Minoli tiles to floors and feature walls.
Located in an ancient market town and surrounded by the rolling Chiltern Hills, the apartments are ideal for those seeking an urban lifestyle in a leafy setting. The Arc is perfectly positioned to benefit from nearby natural green open space, a thriving town centre and easy commuting distance to London.
Mihai said: "We really enjoy living in Aylesbury - it's a small town with plenty of pubs, restaurants, two shopping centres, and Bicester Village is just a 30-minute drive away. Our son goes to a local school, which is a 10-minute walk from our new home, so we couldn't be happier with the purchase."
Matthew Brazier, Sales Director at Shanly Homes Thames Valley,said: "The Arc is a fantastic choice for buyers looking for contemporary premium apartments in Aylesbury town centre. Located opposite Vale Park, The Arc offers the best of both worlds with abundant greenery and good transport links to central London, which makes it a great option for everyone. With Help to Buy available, The Arc is the perfect choice."
Aylesbury train station is located less than a 10-minute walk from The Arc, offering frequent train services to London Marylebone in under an hour.
If a virtual viewing isn't for you, we are now able to offer contactless viewings at our developments strictly by appointment only.
Rest assured the health and safety of our customers and staff is our utmost priority so we have put a number of measures in place to ensure your appointment is as safe as possible. These measures include hand sanitising stations, thorough cleaning and sanitising of the property before and after each viewing and clear 2m social distancing signs.
For further information on The Arc and to book a contactless viewing please contact us on 01296 506082.
Prices at The Arc start from £175,000 for a one-bedroom apartment with Help to Buy available.
