How a single mum-to-be bought a three-bedroom, riverside home in London

Anni, a 39-year-old Cruise Consultant, purchased a three-bedroom flat for £500,000 at Dock28 in Woolwich.

Purchase price: £500,000

Deposit: £80,000

Monthly service charge: £125

Monthly mortgage fees: £2,100

A recent survey by Fairview New Homes (2024) found that over half of women (64%) are not confident they will be able to purchase their own home within the next two years, compared to just 41% of men. Moreover, over a quarter of women (28%) don’t believe they’ll ever be able to save enough money for a deposit to buy a home.

Determined to defy the odds, first-time buyer Anni, a 39-year-old Cruise Consultant, saved half of her salary each month for two years to pay for her own home. She was surprised to discover that with the amount she had saved she could afford three-bedroom, riverside apartment in Woolwich, allowing her a vital work from home office space and a nursery for the daughter she is expecting.

Her tip for any solo buyer looking to purchase their first home is to hyperfocus, “Once you set your heart on wanting to own your own home you will find a way to make it happen.

“To make my dream I reality, I had a budget on my monthly spending and moved every extra penny I had straight into my savings account on pay day -  this was usually half my salary each month.”

Anni had initially been looking at two-bed properties, however was pleasantly surprised when she found she was able to buy a larger home within her budget at Dock28 by Fairview New Homes  “Initially I thought Dock28 would be too expensive for me, so I put off looking as I knew I’d fall in love with it and never be able to afford it. When I finally ended up going in and speaking to the sales team, they were able to find me a three-bedroom apartment with river views that was within my budget!”

Anni was previously renting in Woolwich for four years, and was looking at second hand flats to purchase, but was shocked by the high service charges.

“My mortgage is slightly higher than I planned, (£2,100 per month) having purchased a bigger home, but my service charges are significantly lower – around £4,000 a year lower than what I was looking at in a second hand flat.”

Anni purchased a three-bedroom flat with a private balcony and uses the spare rooms for an office and a nursery for her daughter she is expecting. “I actually opted for a three-bedroom apartment before I got pregnant, so it’s a happy coincidence I now have enough space for a nursery, office and my own bedroom.”

For Anni, originally from Germany, buying a home in London was a no-brainer, “I never considered living in the UK unless it was in London, it gives me job opportunities and ease of travel I just couldn’t find anywhere else. Multi-culturalism is also a huge factor for me, when my daughter goes to nursery she’s going to be around kids with different languages and cultures which I think is brilliant.”

Buying in Woolwich also made Anni’s waterside living dreams a reality, “I had always dreamed of living by the Thames but never thought I could afford it. Living in Woolwich meant that I could make my waterside living dreams a reality.

I love the peace and quiet of living by the water to balance out the fast-paced energy of the city, there’s also lots of history in the area and great amenities which I love.”

Anni works in the city as a Cruise Consultant and is in the office three days a week, “Usually I’m in the office three-days a week and it takes me 45-minutes door-to-door to reach my desk. Thanks to the Elizabeth Line it’s a direct route, so the majority of my commute is spent walking between stations, giving me time to relax and unwind.”

Anni was new to the buying process but credits the Fairview New Homes team at Dock28 for making her experience as seamless as possible, “I felt really looked after by Fairview New Homes, they talked me through every step and were ultimately able to find me a three-bed with everything I wanted – a beautiful view being on a high-floor apartment, panoramic views of the city and a river view.”

Anni’s advice to those considering purchasing a home in London is to ‘try before you buy,’ “I lived in many different areas for 18 years in London before buying in Woolwich. It’s important for you to find a place that both suits you and is within your budget – for me that was being near the river and Woolwich was the perfect place."