Member Article

Helmsley Group helps first time buyers join property ladder

Property specialist Helmsley Group has revealed that all properties at its Aura housing scheme have been sold in under four months.

Helmsley said that the development, which is made up of 14 one and two-bed apartments, has proved particularly popular with first time buyers looking to get on the housing ladder.

The sustainably constructed residential scheme is supported by help-to-buy and is located close to York city centre.

Max Reeves, development director at Helmsley Group, said the momentum generated at Aura was especially pleasing given the scheme was launched during lockdown.

He said: “Helmsley is delighted to have been able to achieve such a positive outcome for Aura in a relatively short period of time since launching the scheme to the public in May.

“As a York-based business, we are passionate about doing good for the city and wider region through sustainable development and supporting the local economies in which we operate.

“Clearly, Covid-19 has caused uncertainty and impacted much of society, including the way we live and work. However, the residential property market is seeing positive activity and our strategy of launching Aura during lockdown is testament to this and our confidence in the scheme.

“We are proud to have been able to give first-time buyers an opportunity to purchase affordable high-quality housing close to a major city centre and will be looking to bring similar schemes to market over the coming months.”

The Aura development is located next to a national cycle path, so each apartment developed as part of the scheme has secure under-cover bike storage, as well as parking spaces equipped with EV charging points.

Nathan Richmond, a first-time buyer, recently moved into his new apartment at Aura. He commented: “I’m from York and have always lived on the north side of the city. Before I moved in, I was living with my parents and paying board. I’ve been keeping my eye of the housing ladder for about a year now and when I saw Aura in the local news it immediately took my interest.

“It’s perfectly located within the city centre and I only have a 10 minute walk to work. It’s also really handy for the local amenities. The price of the property was a big attraction as most other two-bed apartments in the city are priced significantly higher and having bought the property by myself, this was quite important.

“There is a nice finish to the interior and the communal areas and I like that it only has 14 apartments because I didn’t want to move into a massive development with hundreds of flats.

“It was never my intention to purchase a property in the pandemic, but when you see something good come onto the market, you’ve got to be ready to make a move. This is now my second week in my new home and I’m looking forward to many more years here.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Beth Chaplow .