We purchased our first flat in nation’s ‘most depressing city’ Slough and LOVE it – this is why
Julius Pablo, 27, and his partner Raquel Robes, 31, are overjoyed at their recent property purchase.
The couple have put down roots in a newly-built two-bedroom flat in Slough, having paid £425,000 for the property.
In December, research by Rightmove found Slough was ranked as the most miserable place to live in Britain.
But Julius and Raquel firmly reject this assessment of Slough and urge prospective buyers to consider the town’s strong transport links, convenient facilities and green spaces.
Speaking to This is Money, Julius, a supply chain analyst, and Raquel, a teacher, said: ‘We couldn’t afford to live in London, but by spreading the net wider, we came across Horlicks Quarter in Slough.
‘Location wise, Slough is brilliant, as it has great transport links to London via the Elizabeth Line, as well as Heathrow, and it is far more affordable.’
First-time buyers: Julius Pablo, 27, left, and his partner Raquel Robes, 31, right, love living in Slough
They add: ‘We’ve bought an apartment in the converted Horlicks Factory in the town centre, just a few minutes walk from the station and nearby retail parks and supermarkets, which is very convenient.
‘Slough is also one of the UK’s greenest towns – which means we’re very lucky to have the choice of nine different parks within a few minutes drive.’
Before plumping for Slough, the couple looked at properties in north and west London, but found them unaffordable.
The couple’s property in Slough is located in a former factory which has been converted into 52 flats.
Julius and Raquel enjoy living in the ‘quirky’ block which, they suggest, blends history with modern finishing touches.
They are particularly fond of the block’s communal roof terrace, cinema room, gym, games room, workspace area and café.
The couple said: ‘A new-build two bedroom flat was our preference from the start, as we were keen to avoid having to do any renovation work.
‘We also like the contemporary design of new-builds, which often include smart home technology and open plan layouts.’
Links: Slough has strong transport connections and a large retail park
Open plan: Julius and Raquel opted for open plan living in their Slough apartment
Julius’ sister and her partner came to look round the block and liked it so much, they’ve also ended up buying a property in the development.
Before moving to the Horlicks Quarter, Julius was living with his family in Uxbridge and Raquel was renting a one-bedroom house share near Finchley Central tube station in London, paying £1,000 per month for rent and bills.
Julius said: ‘Our decision to buy a property together was driven by personal and financial motivations.
‘We wanted to have our freedom and the chance to start building equity in our own property, rather than wasting money on rent. We’d spent a number of years building up our savings.’
He added: ‘We funded the purchase using our savings and by taking out a mortgage.
‘The savings we had built up over the years allowed us to put down a solid deposit of 10 per cent, with the developer, Berkeley, adding a further 5 per cent to this. This helped reduce the amount we needed to borrow.
‘With a 15 per cent deposit, several banks offered us competitive rates. We ended up going for a five-year fixed rate mortgage with Lloyds, with an interest rate of 4.69 per cent.’
In December, David Arfield, branch manager at Cameron King Estate Agents in Cippenham, Slough, told This is Money: ‘While the town centre of Slough is in need of revitalisation and investment, similar to other town centres like Bracknell, there has been significant development occurring on the outskirts of the town centre.’
He added: ‘The perception of Slough as portrayed in the series ‘The Office’ may still linger in people’s minds, but ongoing developments are reshaping the town’s image.’
The estate agent said the most sought-after properties in Slough were two to four-bedroom homes catering to first-time buyers, buyers looking to upsize, or people relocating to the area.
