Affordable homes that won't sell

PEOPLE who bought “affordable” homes in one of Warrington’s most sought-after residential areas are finding they can’t now sell them.
Three people who bought new, one bedroom apartments at Heatley Mere, Lymm at 75 per cent of the open market value have been trying to sell them for a year, without success.
Now they have approached the borough council – which struck the original affordable homes deal with developers Countryside Properties –

asking for help to make it easier to sell them.
Altogether there are 10 one-bed apartments and 29 three-bed houses at Heatley Mere which were sold as “affordable homes.” The houses were sold at 50 per cent of open market value.
One owner is suggesting the lack of buyers shows there is no demand and no need to retain them as affordable homes. They have raised the matter with their MP – Helen Southworth.
To qualify for one of the properties, a prospective purchaser must work or have the offer of work in Warrington and be unable to afford to buy a house on the open market.
But high house values in Lymm mean the council cannot nominate people from its list of potential buyers because they cannot obtain mortgages and, in any event, there are cheaper houses elsewhere in the borough.
Elsewhere, owners of affordable homes are allowed to sell them without the restrictions if no qualifying buyers come forward within a prescribed time limit, but this does not apply at Lymm.
Councillors are being asked to widen the eligibility criteria so that it covers people in housing need who live, work or have family connections with Warrington but cannot afford to buy or rent on the open market and to allow the owners to sell the properties on the open market after three months of trying to sell them as affordable homes.
But the council will claw back any profit above the “affordable” price.