Time2Buy for the Tees Valley & County Durham
A consortium of Fabrick Housing Group, Stockton Borough Council, Housing Hartlepool and Endeavour Housing Association has been successful in winning the contract to deliver an important scheme helping families and single households across County Durham and the Tees Valley to get on the property ladder.
The Time2Buy consortium has been named the Homes and Communities Agency’s HomeBuy Agent for the area for the period 2009-11.
Each Local HomeBuy Agent acts as a first point of contact for families and single households seeking to buy a home through the HCA’s HomeBuy affordable home ownership products.
Agents will first establish whether applicants meet eligibility criteria before assessing applicants’ financial circumstances to ensure that they can afford home ownership in the longer term. Local HomeBuy Agents will also help people to think about their housing options and assist them to make the right choice to meet their housing needs.
Susie Thompson, group director of operations at Fabrick Housing Group, said: “Fabrick Housing Group has led on the recent bid for the Homebuy Agent for Tees Valley and County Durham and we are excited at the prospect of getting to work, from April 1, facilitating grants and advice to anyone wishing to be a home owner within the region but who requires some help to get on to the property ladder.
“Training will be provided to front line staff who will be expected to signpost interested people to our partners at Stockton Borough Council, with the end result of making a real difference to their lives.”
Steve Nelson, Stockton Council’s Cabinet member for Housing and Community Safety, said: “We are delighted to be playing our part in developing more choice in housing, particularly in these difficult times.
“Many people across the region are keen to own their own home and this project will both give them that vital first step up onto the property ladder and help kick-start the housing market.”
This is the first time Time2Buy has been appointed as one of the 15 organisations to cover the 37 zones across England.
Richard Hill, Director of Investment and Renewal responsible for the National Affordable Housing Programme at the HCA, said: “This is a new national network of Local HomeBuy Agents which represents the very highest service levels and the best value for public money.
“HomeBuy continues to help thousands of people into homeownership, in an affordable and sustainable way, and continues to be an important stimulus in the market. I am pleased that consumers will continue to have a clear route to the best product available to them in their area.”
Each Local HomeBuy Agent acts as a first point of contact for families and single households seeking to buy a home through the HCA’s HomeBuy affordable home ownership products.
Agents will first establish whether applicants meet eligibility criteria before assessing applicants’ financial circumstances to ensure that they can afford home ownership in the longer term. Local HomeBuy Agents will also help people to think about their housing options and assist them to make the right choice to meet their housing needs.
Susie Thompson, group director of operations at Fabrick Housing Group, said: “Fabrick Housing Group has led on the recent bid for the Homebuy Agent for Tees Valley and County Durham and we are excited at the prospect of getting to work, from April 1, facilitating grants and advice to anyone wishing to be a home owner within the region but who requires some help to get on to the property ladder.
“Training will be provided to front line staff who will be expected to signpost interested people to our partners at Stockton Borough Council, with the end result of making a real difference to their lives.”
Steve Nelson, Stockton Council’s Cabinet member for Housing and Community Safety, said: “We are delighted to be playing our part in developing more choice in housing, particularly in these difficult times.
“Many people across the region are keen to own their own home and this project will both give them that vital first step up onto the property ladder and help kick-start the housing market.”
This is the first time Time2Buy has been appointed as one of the 15 organisations to cover the 37 zones across England.
Richard Hill, Director of Investment and Renewal responsible for the National Affordable Housing Programme at the HCA, said: “This is a new national network of Local HomeBuy Agents which represents the very highest service levels and the best value for public money.
“HomeBuy continues to help thousands of people into homeownership, in an affordable and sustainable way, and continues to be an important stimulus in the market. I am pleased that consumers will continue to have a clear route to the best product available to them in their area.”
