Teacher Lucy Howard says the assistance offered through Keyhomes East has been a ‘massive’ helping hand.

The 28-year-old and her husband Jon are buying a two-bedroom New Build HomeBuy house in Monkston, Milton Keynes.

Sarah says that they were particularly attracted by the quality of their new home.

“We were really surprised because it feels roomy, not like some new houses which are very boxy,” she said. “It is light and airy, but I was really expecting it to feel small and cramped.”

Sarah and Jon are currently living in rented accommodation in a village near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.

They had no idea that an affordable home of their own could be round the corner until a friend mentioned Keyhomes East. “We weren’t looking for houses to buy because we didn’t think we could afford it,” she said.

Sarah, who is now in her third year of teaching at Bourton Meadow Primary School in Buckingham, has a simple piece of advice for other key workers looking for an affordable home and not sure whether to apply for help. “Go for it.”

The Howards’ new end terrace house is one of more than 500 homes being built in Milton Keynes by bpha - of which Keyhomes East is a part - thanks to funding from the Government’s Challenge Fund 2. More than half of the properties are for key workers.