Kate Schofield says her family’s Christmas is complete after being handed the keys to her new home in Cranbrook, Exeter.
Kate, who is blind from birth, has moved from her base in Herefordshire with her two-year-old daughter, Keira, to be nearer to her parents and brother.
The move represents full circle for Kate, who was brought up in Exeter before moving away 17 years ago.
Kate, 37, said: “It is great to be moving back. The area will provide more opportunities for my daughter and she is so excited.
“The transport links will be a huge help and we have heard nothing but good things about the area.
“To get the keys to our new house before Christmas is a dream come true.”
Kate has bought a shared ownership house from us in order to secure her dream move back to the city.
She added: “LiveWest has been great. They have helped me every step of the way and the support has been phenomenal.
“It does make a massive difference when you have someone there to answer all of your questions and help with all of the legal issues.
“Sophie in sales has been brilliant and I can’t thank her enough for all of her help.
“She is such a nice person who has done everything and more to ensure our move is a smooth one.
“Now we are looking forward to decorating the house in time for Christmas.”
Having trained as a councillor and volunteered for the Samaritans for the last 15 years, Kate is looking forward to immersing herself in the Cranbrook community.
She added: “I love volunteering and I am hoping to get involved in community events.
“I am someone who likes to keep busy and I am looking forward to meeting new people.
“The challenge for me will be learning all of the routes around the area. I build up a picture of the geography of the area and find my way around using landmarks.”
Shared ownership is increasingly becoming a desirable route for people to get on the property ladder.
Our Chief Executive Paul Crawford said: “For those who can’t afford to buy outright, we offer shared ownership which can really help people buy a share of a property and, as their financial circumstances change, they can increase their share so they own their property outright over time.”