Pressure Selling

You will be shown the property briefly, and expected to agree to the biggest purchase of your life there and then. A bit like those unscrupulous time-share sales agents, but with government backing.

Apartment Living

Most affordable housing is being provided in the form of apartments. Apartments have their advantages, high density living is a proven way to put the space available in a city to its best residential use. There are some things to be aware of however, for a potential buyer. These points are valid for all apartments, not just homes offered under the Affordable Housing Partnership (AHP):

• Management fees: Management agents are often unaccountable, and many residents do not feel they are getting value for money. They are also subject to increase annually. Management fees should be taken into account when calculating if you can afford to service the mortgage.
• Utilities: Most apartment blocks built recently have an agreement with some supplier for television, phone and internet services. This can be a very useful service or a poor quality one. Ensure you know of any existing agreements in place.
• Car Parking: An affordable home should come with provision for one car parking space. If you are a 2-car family, check what provisions are in place. Can you buy a second space at a discounted rate? Also an issue with many apartment blocks is a lack of parking spaces for visitors, often accompanied by a vigorous clamping operation.
• Adding Value: A key element to moving up the property ladder is adding value to your home. Apartments are hard to add value to, because it is not possible to extend.
• Quality: Apartments have been built at an astonishing rate around the country. Regulations are minimal, and when investigated in any depth, often prove to be only partially adhered to. It is worth measuring any apartment you are offered, to check that it is within the size quoted, as it is not uncommon for apartments to be more than 5% smaller than expected, or to find a door cannot open without hitting a normal sized bed. There is an understandable worry that poor quality homes are being offloaded onto the affordable housing scheme after they fail to sell on the open market, though this is denied by the AHP.