Assistance schemes on offer to buyers of new homes in Kent

Whatever lifestyle you're looking for in the Garden of England, there are new homes in Kent to suit you. High Speed trains now link much of the county to Central London in less than an hour, while beaches, country parks and miles of open countryside offer a truly rural experience.

It's proximity to Europe makes France and the rest of the continent accessible in less than 35 minutes by car via the Channel Tunnel or 75 minutes from the port of Dover. Eurostar trains from Ebbsfleet and Ashford international stations connect with Paris and Brussels in around two and a half hours. Gatwick Airport is less than an hour from many areas of Kent, and the developing airport at Manston offers flights to an ever-larger range of international destinations.

Those looking for a new home in Kent can benefit from a number of offers and schemes aimed to make a new home more affordable for first-time buyers, and easy to buy for those with property to sell.

A great lifestyle on the Kent coast at Ramsgate is affordable with the Route 85 shared equity scheme from Explore Living. New Meridian Village is a collection of new homes in Ramsgate, offering one to four bedroom homes built to a high standard. One-bedroom homes are priced from £119,995 and three-bedroom family homes from £182,995. Under the Route 85 scheme, available on selected properties, buyers require just a five per cent deposit and £1,000 to reserve their new home. The buyer must then find a mortgage for 80 per cent of the full purchase price, with the remaining 15 per cent provided as an interest-free loan over 15 years by the housebuilder.

Taylor Wimpey has a range of offers to assist those buying a new home in Kent, available on selected properties across a range of developments. Easystart is a shared equity scheme offering 100 per cent ownership of your new home in Kent for as little as 75 per cent of the full asking price. Properties under the scheme are available at Great East Hall in Sittingbourne, Bridgefield in Ashford and The Bridge in Dartford. One-bedroom apartments at the latter cost £89,625 up-front under the scheme, assuming a 75 per cent share.

Ward Homes is offering some great part exchange deals. Under the scheme, the company buys your home from you directly, with no estate agent's fees or chain, reducing the risk of last-minute hold-ups or issues. The ‘Faversham' style four-bedroom family home is available at Highfields Place, Ashford, from £289,995. These large detached new houses offer en suites, detached garages and all the space and amenities expected by today's growing families. Other part-exchange offers from Ward Homes are available at Capstone Heights, Chatham, and Priory Meadows at Minster in Sheppey.

Part-exchange is also available, subject to terms and conditions, at Hillreed Homes' stunning development at Oast Court Farm, East Malling. A new show home will be unveiled at an event this weekend (30th and 31st July). Just two homes remain for sale on the exclusive scheme, priced £480,000 and £900,000 respectively.

Crest Nicholson is offering a range of incentives for buyers of new homes in Maidstone. Its Avante development in Maidstone, comprises contemporary water- and energy-efficient apartments and family homes. Available now are two three-bedroom ‘Amber' style family homes and available under the EasyBuy shared equity scheme for £169,575. The full price is £199,500, and the scheme allows buyers to pay just 85 per cent of the full price up-front. There's in no rent or interest to pay on the balance for the first five years.

At Crest Nicholson's Liberty Park development in Wainscott, a selection of two-bedroom apartments and one- and two-bedroom houses cost from just £102,000 under the Government-backed FirstBuy scheme. The scheme requires only a five per cent deposit, with just 75 per cent of the full price to finance via a mortgage, the balance funded jointly by the housebuilder and Homes and Communities Agency, interest-free for up to five years.

Buyers with an existing property can take advantage of Ward Homes' part exchange scheme at Capstone Heights in Chatham, eliminating the need to deal with estate agents or get involved in a potentially stressful buying chain