HOME buyers in Newton Heath, Manchester, can expect a ‘smart’ service from Hilary McGivern at McInerney’s new home development, Zest.

Hilary has just completed her National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 3 in ‘sale of residential property’ and is primed and ready to offer Newton Heath’s house hunters a super service.

She says: “It’s been extremely hard work but well worth it in the long run. NVQs are a very good qualification to have and it has really helped my confidence and personal development.

“It’s a huge benefit to our Manchester customers too because they’re assured that we’re providing the best service possible. I can guide them confidently through the sale processes and ensure a new home in Newton Heath is affordable through part exchange, our Swift Move or 75-25% equity scheme.”

The shared equity scheme is not shared ownership, which means you own 100% of your new home while McInerney loans you 25% of its value for 10 years and you pay no interest or rent in that period. Basically it’s a free loan for 10 years with no catch.

If Hilary can complete her NVQ in 10 months instead of the average 12 months, then she can certainly explain how the 75-25% scheme can work for home buyers and save them money. Prices start from £99,995 for an apartment and £141,000 for a family home.

An NVQ is a way for people who are already skilled in their job to secure qualifications, develop their career and gain confidence in what they do. It’s also a huge boost to self-esteem to be accredited and gain a recognised qualification in the work they do on a day-to-day basis.

Tracey Lowe, sales manager for McInerney Homes North West, says: “I’m so proud of Hilary and all of our sales executives who have completed this qualification. The recognition is well deserved. Our clients can expect the best service in the new home industry and we’ll make any move go as smoothly as possible.”

For a clever service from Hilary call McInerney’s Zest development in Newton Heath, Manchester, on 0161 681 9013.

Alternatively, visit the developments Thursday through to Monday, 10.30am to 5pm, or log on to www.mcinerneyhomes.com.

TWO sell-out developments from a Wigan home builder support positive news from the national housing market.

It seems Wigan home buyers are leading a return to the market, says Carol Nomdedeu, sales manager for McInerney Homes North West.

Carol says: “We’ve completed on all of our apartments at The Groves in Ashton-in-Makerfield and we have just one home left at Verde Park off Woodhouse Lane close to the centre of Wigan. That’s fantastic news in a difficult market!

“The final home at Verde Park is a beautiful four-bedroom detached house with en-suite and integrated garage priced at £206,995 - or £155,246 with our brilliant 75-25% shared equity scheme!”

McInerney’s 75-25% scheme is not a shared ownership scheme. The customer still owns 100% of their new home while McInerney has a second charge on the property for up to 25% of its value for 10 years. The home buyer pays no interest or rent in that period. Basically it’s 25% of you new home for free for 10 years, with no catch.

Carol says: “There are signs that real value-for-money, a record low interest rate and a bit of movement from lenders is having some affect on the market and Wigan home buyers are leading the comeback. We’re a home builder based in Pemberton, so we know the area well and the local market bears witness to recent national comment and statistics.”

Margaret Beckett would certainly agree with Carol’s comments after the housing minister suggested there were signs of a property market ‘upturn’. She even warned there was “considerable pent-up and growing demand” for houses and urged first-time buyers and young families to start researching their options now, to avoid the “mad rush” as the housing market shows strong signs of picking up.

Carol adds: “The ‘mad rush’ is gathering pace in Wigan; driving my regular route to our head office in Pemberton this week I saw three properties with ‘sold’ signs outside, which had all been on the market for some time.”

February’s edition of Rightmove’s housing price index showed a 1.2 per cent increase in asking prices and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors RICS research for February said that owner occupiers are returning to the market looking for bargains.

The Groves development in Ashton-in-Makerfield has transformed the former site of the Texaco filling station off Wigan Road, and features 36 contemporary one and two-bedroom apartments.

Verde Park boasts a wonderful mix of 84 one and two-bedroom apartments and three and four-bedroom family homes next to the Liverpool Leeds Canal.

To find out more about the last new home available at Verde Park call 01942 768 025 or log onto www.mcinerneyhomes.com.

TWO big neighbours have joined forces in a match made in Darwen.

National house builder, McInerney Homes, has committed to using only Crown Paints in all its new homes across the UK as a result of being a good neighbour.

McInerney is building a flagship development close to Crown Paint’s head office and factory in Darwen, Lancashire, and it made perfect sense for the two businesses to get together says Tracey Lowe, sales manager for McInerney Homes North West.

She said: “We build quality new homes that need quality paint and Crown Paints was the obvious choice. The fact that we’re building homes on the doorstep of its headquarters also made it a wonderful opportunity to support the community in which we’re building.”

Crown Paints has a long history woven into the fabric of Darwen and it is still the town’s biggest employer.

Currently McInerney is creating a community of 132 apartments of Bolton Road and will start the next phase of traditional family homes soon at Belgrave Heights.

Glen Cooper, National Housebuilder Sales Manager for Crown Paints commented: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with McInerney Homes and hope that our relationship will go from strength to strength, not just here in Darwen, but throughout the UK.”

Crown Paints - whose brands include Crown, Sadolin and Sandtex - employs 1,500 people and operates two factories in Darwen and Hull, with strategic warehouse depots located in Warrington, Dublin and Belfast.

It also operates 126 decorator centres across the UK and Ireland and the company currently sponsors local Premier League club Blackburn Rovers.

As well as building new homes at Belgrave Heights in Darwen, McInerney has launched a development of family homes in Blackburn called Kensington Gardens.

Prices start from £120,000 for a three-bedroom home in Darwen through McInerney’s FirstStep scheme, which makes owning your new home affordable.

For details about McInerney’s new homes in Darwen call 01254 771294 or in Blackburn call 01254 674 515. Alternatively, log on to www.mcinerneyhomes.co.uk.

For all Crown Paints’ colour ranges, schemes, ideas and advice log on to www.crownpaint.co.uk. If you are a professional decorator, visit www.crowntrade.co.uk.

Caption: McInerney’s sales executive Lynne Witter adds a splash of colour with Laura Staffa, Product Group Manager for Crown Paints.

One of the UK’s largest housebuilders is giving James Bond a run for his money by providing a not-so-secret service that allows North West house buyers to secure a home for just £50.

Forget 007’s ‘Quantum of Solace’, McInerney Homes’ partnership with an Exchange Bond will provide a ‘large amount of comfort’ in 009. The year 2009 that is.

The Exchange Bond is a financial guarantee issued and underwritten by the Exchange Insurance Company Ltd, which replaces the cash deposit normally paid by a buyer to a seller on exchange of contracts to secure a property purchase.

McInerney is determined to allow people in North West to secure their dream homes and will even stump up the premium for the Exchange Bond.

That means buyers can secure a new McInerney home in Runcorn, Warrington, Manchester, Oldham, Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn, Darwen, Morecombe, and Wrexham for just £50 before Christmas and McInerney will even cover the mortgage for the first 12 months up to £500 per month.

It would normally cost house hunters £250 to secure their property with McInerney Homes with a further 10 percent of the house value payable on exchange of contracts.

But sales and marketing director for McInerney Homes North West, Stephen Grant, said they are always looking at ways to ensure people can move into new properties and the Exchange Bond scheme is a sure-fire winner.

He said: “In the current economic climate we’ve been looking at ways to lift the gloom for people in the North West who really want to experience the thrill of living in a McInerney home.

“We really are committed to finding the best and most economic ways of structuring payment and this offer has got to be up there with the very best.

“There is no catch. We’ve linked up with a great scheme in Exchange Bond which is simply a financial guarantee that provides a safe alternative to the traditional 10 percent deposit.

“And better still, if people reserve before Christmas we’ll pick up the tab for the Bond on completion meaning people will not have to take out loans or hand over any cash beforehand.”

For further information on this scheme and McInerney’s new home developments please call the sales hotline 01942 768025. Alternatively, log on to www.mcinerneyhomes.com.

McInerney is offering movers the chance to make a little extra on the part exchange of their old property for a brand new home.

McInerney Homes will buy a customer’s old house at market value in-exchange for a new home and then allow the customer the chance to sell their old property for a higher price and pocket the difference.

The scheme is called Part Exchange Fall-Back and is a great way to guarantee the sale of your current home, avoid gazundering, and possibly make a little extra, says McInerney sales manager Carol Nomdedeu.

She says: “It takes all the worry out of selling a property because the sale is guaranteed at market value and your new home is secured.

“Safe in the knowledge the house is sold, it can be marketed at a slightly higher value and if a better price is achieved the extra cash is the customer’s to keep.”

Fall-Back works just like a normal part exchange scheme. McInerney will make an offer for a customer’s old house based on two independent market valuations. If accepted the sale would then proceed to exchange contracts, which would enable the customer to secure their brand new McInerney home.

With the new home sorted the customer can continue to market their old property at a slightly higher prices until the roof goes on their new home. Should they receive a higher offer in that period they can walk away with the difference.

Carol says: “On average it takes about three to six months to build a new home to the roof stage, which gives a customer plenty of time to market their current home and sit back and wait for us to build the new one.”

McInerney is building wonderful and affordable new homes across the North West – including Runcorn, Warrington, Manchester, Oldham, Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn, Darwen, Morecombe, and Wrexham - with prices starting from under £100,000 through its FirstStep scheme, which means the home is 100% yours but you only pay 75%.

For more information about the Part Exchange Fall-Back or FirstStep schemes and McInerney’s fabulous developments in the North West call 01942 768 025 or log on to www.mcinerneyhomes.com.

The son of a former Newton Heath community activist officially opened a new development where one of the streets has been named after his late mother.

Frank Smalley cut the ribbon on McInerney Homes’ Zest development which has a road named after his mum, Ivy Graham, in honour of the many years she spent fighting for the rights of the people of Newton Heath.

Ivy died of cancer in February of this year and was known in the area for founding numerous local groups – including Heathfield Health Group, Troydale Tenants’ and Residents’ Association and Briscoe Lane Youth and Community Centre.

The 86-year-old worked tirelessly campaigning for facilities for young people in the area and also represented local residents at strategic level ensuring residents' views were heard at ward co-ordination and local area partnership meetings.

Son Frank Smalley, who has himself been honoured for his charity work, said his mum would have been thrilled at this lasting memorial to her.

Northwards Housing board chairwoman Sue Ratchford said: "Ivy was a kind, caring and unique individual, always thinking of others and keen to help in the community.

"She put her heart and soul into helping those around her, to the very end. This is a lovely way to remember the wonderful things she did for her community."

Tracey Lowe, sales manager for McInerney Homes North West said: "We think that naming the road after Ivy is a brilliant idea and it seems a fitting tribute to a lady who is sadly missed by an entire community."

Visitors to a new development in Newton Heath were treated to a Latin inspired event last weekend which saw McInerney opening its three-bedroom ‘Jazz’ show home at Zest.

Dancers from Manchester’s Spanish and Latin American Cultural Centre, La Academia were on-hand with lessons and displays in salsa dancing.

Tracey Lowe, sales manager for McInerney Homes North West, says: “Our three-bedroom show home is the first chance for people to experience our passion for quality, style and value-for-money homes.

“Zest embodies our enthusiasm for exciting living with every home fittingly named after a type of dance. And, the fact that these homes are eco means the money you save on household utility bills can be invested in living life to the full.”

Less than three miles from Manchester city centre, Zest will feature one, two and three-bedroom apartments and three and four-bedroom homes to eventually create a vibrant community of 128 eco-friendly homes.

Three and four-bedroom homes start from just £106,500. For more information call 0161 681 9013 or log on to www.mcinerneyhomes.co.uk.

Often the most welcoming homes are the ones that find just the right balance of warmth and modernity but ultimately these things can be in the eye of the beholder.

However, when your business is to make the very most of a home that needs to appeal to as wide audience as possible then getting that balance right is imperative.

And creating that exact blend has become second nature to interior designer, Cath Olgivie of Show Business Interiors Ltd.

The Sandbach based creative has recently finished putting the final touches to the McInerney Homes showhome on the Kensington Gardens development in Blackburn.

McInerney, one of the leading housebuilders in the UK have high hopes for the success of the Kensington Gardens scheme and enlisted Cath’s expertise to highlight the fantastic possibilities of the properties available on site.

The fabulous Gleneagles home spaciously set over three floors offered a wealth of opportunity for Cath and her team to flex their creative muscles.
 
Cath explained: “The theme for Kensington Gardens was a traditional scheme that would appeal to families in the Blackburn area.

“After pretty extensive research we decided the overall colours should be black, white and soft grey with accents of hot pink used to balance and add drama and interest.

“As the Gleneagles is set over three floors we really dressed it out to show its maximum potential as done incorrectly properties such as this can look top heavy.

“In the bedrooms most of the furniture is fitted, and myself and Frank of a company called Images of Chester designed the layouts specifically to fit the profile and requirements.”

“Most of the furniture in the living areas was sourced from Denmark, so has clean lines and is predominantly in glass and chrome, but not in an edgy city style.”

One can not help but be dazzled by the finished product as a short tour of the property demonstrated what can be achieved within the generous space with a little thought.

The lounge boasts a pair of textured black sofas on chrome legs with occasional furniture in chrome and black glass. The accent in the room is fabulous striped hot pink wallpaper on the fire wall and the window blinds bring the colours together in a large floral print.

The first floor bedrooms (2 and 3) of the show home have been designed with children in mind. Bedroom 2 is aimed at young girl(s) with a shoe theme to the fabric and we used twin beds with fitted furniture in white with soft grey glass sliding doors.

Bedroom 3 is a boy’s room with fitted furniture in high gloss black showing a double bed, fitted sliding robes and a desk/workstation. Being a boy’s room, the pink was dropped in favour of black, white and grey with a snazzy zebra print as the accent.

The star of the Gleneagles though is the top floor with its main bedroom and en suite. It’s an elegant, luxurious room with a lot of the hot pink but with a very mature emphasis.

The Headboard and cushion fabric is particularly eye-catching with its patterned stripes of black, ivory, grey and hot pink, but with a subtle overprint of gold.

Tracey Lowe, sales manager for McInerney Homes North West, says: “This is our first development in the centre of Blackburn and the three-bedroom Gleneagles is a fabulous house and a wonderful mascot for Kensington Gardens.

“The build demonstrates the quality, space and exceptional value-for-money that comes as standard in a McInerney home.

“Cath has done an exceptional job and has really understood what the Gleneagles has to offer in terms of space and potential and were certain visitors will be knocked out by the quality of the fit-out.

“We have a unparalleled status across the North West for building beautiful new homes but this is the first opportunity we’ve had in Blackburn’s town centre to prove it.”

McInerney has transformed 1.73 acres of land off Crossfield Street to provide 28 three and four-bedroom semi-detached homes and townhouses and 18 contemporary two-bedroom apartments.

The development is in a wonderful elevated location looking towards the heart of Blackburn and less than a mile from the town’s shopping centre.

The development also lies within a Housing Market Renewal Area to the South East Area Development Framework contributing to the Borough-wide regeneration and greatly enhancing the neighbourhood and impacting positively on the region’s housing provision.

As one of the UK’s premier home builders, McInerney has an excellent reputation for quality, style and value-for-money.

Prices start from just £121,000 for an apartment and £149,995 for a three-bedroom house.  

An innovative scheme that will give Wrexham homebuyers the chance to own their own property from just £500 a month has been introduced by one of the UK’s biggest housebuilders.

McInerney Homes has created a way to allow people to easily purchase their dream home on its Cartrefle development on Ruthin Road for in many cases less than the equivalent rent.

McInerney’s ‘First Step’ scheme allows home seekers to purchase a brand new home by paying only 75 percent up front, though buyers actually own 100 percent of the property.

The remaining 25 percent will come in the form of an interest and rent free loan from McInerney which buyers will have ten years to pay back.

Asked about the deal, sales manager Carol Nomdedeu explained First Step is a genuine offer to help families and single people move into their own homes.

She said: “There is no catch. What we are doing is allowing people to move into the homes they want in the area they want without having a large financial burden.

“It really is cheaper than renting a place and this beautiful development is really close to schools, the hospital and other amenities. It’s the perfect place to buy in Wrexham and enjoy the added security that owning a property gives you.

“Basically, buyers get their mortgage for 75 percent of the property price and we loan them the rest, but our loan is interest free and completely free of any charges for ten years.

“If people sell the house before the ten years are up and before they start making payments to us then they simply get 75 percent of the value of the home when they sell and we get 25 percent.”

The Cartrefle development is situated on Ruthin Road just past Centenary Road.

Prices at Cartrefle start from £129,995 for a 2 bed apartment or £147,500 for a three bedroom Sunningdale house.

To take advantage of the FirstStep offer call 01978 310270 or the sales office hotline on 01942 768 025 between Thursday and Monday 10.30 am - 5.00 pm

A NEW road has been named in memory of Ivy Graham, a popular local lady who dedicated a great-deal of her life to representing the Newton Heath community, in Manchester.

Ivy was a member of the Northwards Housing Riverways Area Panel, founder of the Heathfield Health Group and Troydale Tenants and Residents Group. She was also the founder of Briscoe Lane Youth and Community Centre and tirelessly campaigned for facilities for young people in the area. She represented local residents at a strategic level and attended ward co-ordination meetings and local area partnership meetings to ensure residents’ views were heard.

Following Ivy’s death in February of this year, former ward councillor for Miles Platting and Newton Heath, Christine Carroll, suggested that a street within McInerney Homes’ new Zest development, off Oldham Road, be named after her.

Ivy Close is now a lasting tribute to a dedicated community campaigner.

Sue Ratchford, Chair of the Northwards Housing board, said: “Ivy was a kind, caring and unique individual, always thinking of others and keen to help in the community. She put her heart and soul into helping those around her, to the very end. If it helped the local area you could count on Ivy being involved. This is a lovely way to remember the wonderful things she did for her community.”

Tracey Lowe, sales manager for McInerney Homes North West said: “We think that naming the road after Ivy is a brilliant idea and it seems a fitting tribute to a lady who is sadly missed by an entire community.

“McInerney shares Ivy’s vision of making Newton Heath a brilliant place to live. She ensured that residents had groups and facilities open to everyone. In line with this, we are ensuring that the area boasts some of the best properties around and that anyone from first-time buyers to families can take advantage of these homes.”

Zest is less than three miles from Manchester city centre and will feature one and two-bedroom apartments and three and four-bedroom homes to create a vibrant community of 139 homes.

For further information on the Zest development call 07814 511 858 or visit www.mcinerneyhomes.com. The sales hotline is 01942 768 025 and is open Thursday to Monday, 10.30am to 5pm.