Development news
Lovell launches super-stylish apartments in Irvine
Lovell has launched a stylish selection of two-bedroom apartments at The Courtyard – its new housing development in the centre of Irvine – which are available from just £115,000.
Offering relaxed and modern open-plan living spaces, these contemporary homes are ideal for singles or couples and would be a perfect first-time buy.
Lovell is also making them even more attractive with a fantastic range of incentives on selected homes including an offer to pay the buyer's legal fees (up to a certain amount) or include extras such as carpets with the property.
A new view apartment has just opened giving homebuyers the chance to have a closer look at the properties' stylish design and high-quality finishing. All the apartments feature stunning fitted kitchens with high-specification Bosch appliances including oven, hob and extractor, dishwasher, washing machine and fridge-freezer. Each master bedroom has en-suite facilities with all bedrooms benefitting from fitted wardrobes.
"These modern apartments offer superb design, fantastic value and a great location, in a quiet residential area but with the attractions of the town centre close by," says Lovell sales advisor Frances Gray. "They would be ideal for someone currently renting and looking for a place of their own, especially with the deals we now have available."
Lovell is now offering its Shared Equity Scheme on selected apartments at The Courtyard – enabling purchasers to buy a home for 75 per cent or 85 per cent of the sale price. This means that a buyer could move into an apartment through the Shared Equity Scheme paying as little as £86,250 up front. Lovell lends homebuyers the outstanding sum with no interest or rent to pay. Depending on their mortgage provider, that may mean homebuyers have no deposit to find.
When a home is bought through the Lovell Shared Equity Scheme, the loan sum is repaid after ten years or when the buyer wishes to sell or redeem their mortgage – whichever is sooner. The sum repaid will be 25 or 15 per cent of the current market value of the property (depending on whether the property was bought through the 75 per cent or 85 per cent Shared Equity Scheme). Purchasers also have the opportunity to make lump-sum payments to pay off the outstanding amount during the ten-year period.
Right in the heart of Irvine, The Courtyard is in a highly desirable residential neighbourhood with the town's main shopping centre just a short walk away. The development is ideal for anyone working in Irvine or for commuters to Kilmarnock or Ayr. Both the M77 and Glasgow Prestwick International Airport are less than 10 miles away. Irvine railway station is less than a mile and it is just six miles to Troon ferry port.
For more information and to look round the view apartment, please visit The Courtyard marketing suite, open from Thursday to Monday, from 10am to 5pm, at Bank Street, Irvine KA12 0LP, call 01294 311276, or visit www.lovell.co.uk/thecourtyard
For more information and to look round the view apartment, please visit The Courtyard marketing suite, open from Thursday to Monday, from 10am to 5pm, at Bank Street, Irvine KA12 0LP, call 01294 311276, or visit www.lovell.co.uk/thecourtyard
Lovell scoops international safety award for Irvine development
Housing developer Lovell has scooped a British Safety Council International Safety Award for The Courtyard, its housing development at Bank Street, Irvine, for the second successive year.
The accolade recognises organisations that have shown a real commitment to setting and maintaining high health and safety standards.
To gain the award, which is assessed by independent adjudicators, Lovell had to show that it has a comprehensive health and safety regime in place at the Bank Street construction site. The company also had to provide evidence of the accident record on site and of initiatives undertaken to keep improving health and safety standards.
"Keeping our workforce safe on site and ensuring the health and safety of those who live or work near our developments is an absolute priority and I am delighted that this award has recognised the dedication and hard work of our team at Irvine and of our subcontractors," says Alan Taylor, regional director for Lovell.
The Courtyard is a £6.2 million development of 48 townhouses and flats in Bank Street Irvine. Lovell currently has a selection of three-bedroom townhouses available for sale. They include the Mackenzie and Tomintoul house styles, both priced at £174,995. Lovell is also offering its Dalmore house style at £184,995. All kitchens benefit from a range of high-specification integrated Bosch appliances including double oven, hob and cooker hood, dishwasher, washing machine and fridge freezer.
Selected properties at The Courtyard are available through the Lovell Shared Equity scheme - an initiative set up by Lovell for first-time buyers and those looking to move up the property ladder.
For purchasers looking to buy their first home, the Shared Equity Scheme provides a helping hand by enabling them to pay only 75 per cent of the initial sale price up front. Lovell lends the outstanding 25 per cent with no interest to pay on the loan or rent. The loan sum is repaid after ten years or when the buyer wants to sell or redeem their mortgage - whichever is sooner. Alternatively, lump sums may be paid off during the ten-year period. For buyers looking to ‘trade up', selected homes may be available through the Shared Equity Scheme for 85 per cent or 90 per cent of the full sale price, with Lovell loaning the outstanding amount.
For more information about properties available through the Shared Equity Scheme, visit The Courtyard marketing suite, open Thursday to Monday, from 10am to 5pm, at Bank Street, Irvine KA12 0LP, call sales advisor Frances Gray on 01294 311276
(10th May 2010...)
Shared equity scheme helps family move to brand new first home
A young Ayrshire family are delighted to be starting 2010 in their first home of their own - thanks to an innovative scheme introduced by housing developer Lovell to make homes more affordable. Tammi McCudden, Derek Gilmour and their three-year-old son Liam have just moved to the Lovell development at The Courtyard, Irvine.
For Tammi and Derek, both from Kilwinning, owning their brand-new three-bedroom townhouse has been made possible by the Lovell Shared Equity Scheme - an initiative offered by Lovell to help first-time buyers, and those looking to move up the property ladder, at a time when many lenders are still asking for substantial deposits.
Under the Shared Equity Scheme, buyers pay only 75 per cent of the sale price at the time of purchase. Lovell lends homebuyers the outstanding 25 per cent with no interest or rent to pay. Depending on their mortgage provider, that may mean homebuyers have no deposit to find - as was the case for Tammi, 23, and Derek, 22, who were previously living in a rented home in Kilwinning.
"At our age, we don't have a lot of savings so being able to take advantage of the Shared Equity Scheme has been really helpful. We wouldn't have been able to afford this house otherwise," says Tammi. "It meant that we could use the money we had saved up for a deposit to cover the legal fees involved in buying a house and put it towards the cost of furnishing our home."
Tammi, who works as a care assistant at a nursing home and is also studying for a degree in social work, and Derek, an engineering machinist with Allenwest Wallacetown, are delighted that their new home, the Dalmore house style, has plenty of space for their young son. "We'd looked at quite a few houses but we liked the fact that this was a townhouse and laid out differently. Downstairs, as well as the kitchen we have a large room which we are now using as a family room, but it would also make a lovely dining room. We also wanted a house with a big garden because of Liam. Another thing we're really pleased about is the double driveway. In addition, we liked the location - right next to the town centre so it's easy for shops and buses. Everyone at Lovell has been really good. Our sales advisor Frances has been very helpful and has kept in touch with us and kept us up to speed with what was happening at each stage."
When a home is bought through the 75 per cent Lovell Shared Equity Scheme, the 25 per cent loan sum is repaid after ten years or when the buyer wishes to sell or redeem their mortgage - whichever is sooner. The sum repaid will be 25 per cent of the current market value of the property. Purchasers also have the opportunity to make lump-sum payments to pay off the outstanding amount during the ten-year period.
A Dalmore house type - the same house style as Tammi and Derek's new home - is now on sale at The Courtyard, for £184,995. Two other three-bedroom townhouses - the Tomintoul and Mackenzie house types - are currently available, each at £174,995. Buyers can also purchase the Tomintoul or Mackenzie house style for a Shared Equity price of £131,246 (75 per cent of the full sale price). All homes currently available benefit from allocated parking.
Located in the heart of Irvine, The Courtyard is in a highly desirable residential area, yet the town's main shopping centre is only a short walk away. The development, ideal for those commuting to Kilmarnock or Ayr, has great transport links with the M77 and Glasgow Prestwick International Airport less than 10 miles away. Irvine railway station is less than a mile and it is just six miles to Troon ferry port.
For more information, please visit The Courtyard marketing suite, open from Thursday to Monday, from 10am to 5pm, at Bank Street, Irvine, KA12 0LP or call 01294 311276
(5th February 2010)