Finding a home through shared ownership: Ed’s story
At the end of March 2025, Ed and his partner moved out of the flat they rented from the council into a new-build house in Harlow with their three children. Thanks to shared ownership, Ed and his family now have a bigger place to call their own.
Shared ownership is a more affordable way to buy a home than at full market value. Instead, you buy a percentage of it and pay rent on the remaining share. You have the option to buy more shares as and when it suits you; this is known as staircasing.
Ed tells us what buying a home through the shared ownership process was like for him.
“Shared ownership was the best route for us to get on the property ladder. We would never have been able to afford a place through the normal route, but I’d built up enough money for the deposit for a shared ownership home.
“Before we moved, we were renting a flat from the council. The main reason we wanted to move was because my son had just turned ten and needed his own space. A house the size we needed for our three kids just wasn’t realistic without shared ownership.
“In our new house, my son and my two girls have their own room. So, the best thing about the new place for us is the size. We also love that it’s a new-build, so we could just walk in and there was no need to decorate it or anything like that, which is a nightmare with kids!
“Also the house is super eco. It has solar panels and a heat pump, so there's no gas, which really appealed to us as hopefully the energy bills will be cheaper.
“We’d 100% recommend shared ownership with CHP. The solicitor and mortgage and everything were recommended, and it was such an easy process. Everyone was really helpful and friendly – they always answered any questions, so we always knew what was going on.”
If you’re interested in shared ownership, get in touch. Call us on 0300 555 0500, or email sales@chp.org.uk. You can also find more information on our website.