Home is where the heart is and in Cockermouth it’s also where the help is, as first-time buyers found out at the weekend during a special event at Lovell’s The Laureates development.

Lovell hosted a special Help to Buy event on Saturday, April 29, for those hoping to buy a brand new home in the town. Thousands of purchasers across the UK are already using Help to Buy, and Cumbrian buyers hoping to join them were able to speak with an independent financial adviser, enjoy refreshments and take a look at Lovell’s three stunning showhomes, which each reflect the lifestyle on offer at The Laureates.

Clare Noakes, regional sales director at Lovell, said: “Many of the homes we’ve sold this year at The Laureates have been to first-time buyers.

"A Help to Buy: Equity Loan is the ideal solution for those who may have saved up a modest deposit already, to buy their own home in the local area. The loans are also available to others looking to move up the property ladder with a new home.

“Our event was an opportunity for home-buyers from across Cumbria to learn about the homes that are available right in the heart of desirable Cockermouth, an area many aspire to live in, that they may have previously thought was out of their reach.

“Many visitors were pleasantly surprised by the low deposits needed to buy one of the two and three-bedroom homes here at The Laureates, when purchased with the benefit of Help to Buy."

Among the homes now available is the two-bedroom Betjeman, priced from £174,950. With a Help to Buy: Equity Loan, a 5% deposit of just £8,747.50 is all that’s required. The home-owner requires a mortgage for 75% of the property value and the Government will provide an equity loan to cover the remaining 20%, which is interest-free for five years.

This elegant semi-detached home offers contemporary living with an open-plan and spacious living/dining room to the rear of the home with patio doors overlooking the garden. The high-spec kitchen, cloakroom and storage complete the ground-floor layout. Upstairs, there are two double bedrooms and the main bathroom.

The newly-released three-bedroom mid-mews Dryden, priced from £212,950, is also ideal for first-time buyers and families. With a Help to Buy: Equity Loan, it can be purchased with an initial customer deposit of just £10,647.

The Dryden is a spacious home, with the entrance hallway leading off to the bright and airy kitchen/diner - which has been finished to the highest standards - and the spacious rear-facing living room with French doors overlooking the garden.

There are three roomy bedrooms upstairs, the master boasting an en-suite, as well as the family bathroom.

The Laureates is a collection of 217 new homes set among extensive landscaping and boasting outstanding views of the Lake District. Phase two of the development is now under way and prospective purchasers are urged to get in touch to learn more about Help to Buy.

For more information call The Laureates sales team on 01900 827314, visit the three showhomes on Laureates Lane or log on to www.livelaureates.com to explore the array of properties on offer.