A newly married couple returned from honeymoon and moved straight into their new apartment at Bellway London’s Fielders Quarter development at Barking Riverside.
Ali and Zeynep Kuz married in May and had an extended honeymoon travelling in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore but throughout they were in regular contact with their solicitor and Bellway London.
Ali, 29, and Zeynep, 26, met when he was studying at King’s College London, and she was at Royal Holloway University of London. Ali, whose subject is maritime law, is now doing his PhD and Zeynep, who studied psychology, also plans to do a PhD.
The couple, who are both from Istanbul in Turkey, plan to stay in the UK to complete their studies and so they decided to buy a place here to live in together once they were married.
“We will be here three more years so I can finish my PhD,” said Ali. “So, we would pay a lot for rent and we thought instead we will try to buy an apartment and consider it an investment.
“The most important thing is the comfort it gives us of paying no rent in London. It’s a huge advantage. Until now we only rented properties. This is the first time of owning a property and it feels very good.”
Because the couple were thinking of the apartment as much to be an investment as to be a home, they were keen to make sure that they bought something in a developing area, which they felt would give them the best chance of a good return on their money when they come to sell it.
Bellway London’s scheme at Fielders Quarter is part of a major regeneration of the site of the former Barking Power Station. This wider project is set to bring 10,800 homes to the area and Bellway London plans to build 1,500 of these.
It is also near to the Barking Riverside railway station, which opened last year, and the location is well placed for the Uber Thames Clipper, which runs regular services along the river into the centre of London.
So, when after several months of property searching, Ali and Zeynep discovered Fielders Quarter online, they felt it ticked the right boxes.
“It’s a developing area,” said Ali. “All the buildings are new and the people living here include families and we like that. And when it comes to the buildings, we have everything nearby – gym, parking, shopping. It’s all new and purpose-built.”
When they came to look at the apartments in person, they were impressed. “We saw the quality of the properties. We wanted to make sure our money was not going to be wasted, but once we looked, we saw it was a good investment.”
They were taken around a finished two-bedroom apartment on the top floor, which Bellway London was using to show customers the style and quality of the homes. “As soon as we came to the property, we really liked it,” said Ali.
In fact, they were so keen and needed a moving in date as soon as possible, that they asked the homebuilder if they could buy the apartment they had been shown. Bellway London agreed to bring forward the availability of the property so they could purchase it.
The couple appreciated Bellway London’s flexibility on that and were pleased with the service they have had during the purchase and since they have moved in. “Throughout the process they were really helpful,” Ali said.
They bought the apartment for £369,000 and moved in at the end of June. Since moving in, they have enjoyed buying items to give it their own stamp, making regular trips to Ikea together to choose little extras for their home.
They love the apartment and their favourite thing about it – and the thing their friends comment on when they visit – is the great view from the large balcony.
Ali said: “The best thing is the view. The apartment is on the top floor, so we can see the River Thames and the sunset is visible from our terrace. We have a seating area out on the terrace, and we spend a lot of time outside there if the weather is good.”
There are currently one, two, and three-bedroom apartments available at Fielders Quarter, with prices starting from £260,995.
To find out more please visit: https://www.bellwaylondon.co.uk/new-homes/north-london/fielders-quarter-phase-4 or call 020 3993 4396
First Time Buyer is an exciting bi-monthly glossy which takes a stylish and comprehensive look at all the options available, setting them out in an entertaining and informative way, and helping potential customers navigate their way through what is often a daunting and complex process. We dispel the myths, reinforce the facts and arm the reader with the tools necessary to make their homeownership dreams a reality.
