Born and bred Londoner Jemma Smith had been firmly priced out of her home city. So when the pandemic freed her from the daily commute she decided to cast her net wider, and found herself starting a new life 130 miles north, in the Midlands city of Derby.
Paying the mortgage and bills on her brand new two-bedroom city centre house costs her less each month than renting a room in a shared flat in Shepherd’s Bush used to.
Jemma, 38, is a global events manager and pre-pandemic she needed to be in central London every day. Nowadays she is only expected to be at her desk one day a week.
So, when her flatmate announced she was going to move in with a partner, rather than look for yet-another flat share Jemma began exploring more permanent options.
Her choice was Nightingale Quarter (qderby.co.uk) in the centre of Derby, a city she had never previously visited but which ticked boxes in terms of affordability and commuting times.
“It was a complete gamble,” says Smith. “I have a friend from university who lives there so I went out for the weekend and had a look around, and that is what decided me.”
What convinced Smith was Derby’s 90 minute train journey from London, and the fact that the Wavensmere Homes development is only a ten-minute walk to the station and near to local shops and restaurants.
“A lot of new build developments are in the middle of nowhere which wouldn’t work for me because I don’t drive,” she says.
The property cost £193,000 and owning it costs Jemma less than her £1,000pcm London rent.
She moved up at the start of 2022 and has absolutely no regrets.
She may even have played a part in shaping Government housing policy since she was chosen to meet Sir Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner, before their General Election victory.
When they were on the campaign trail the pair dropped in for a cup of tea so that Jemma could talk them through the challenges London’s aspiring homeowners face when trying to get onto the property ladder.
“Derby is quiet, and it feels safe,” says Smith. “Maybe it is my age, but I am not overly fussed about the buzzy London lifestyle, and I prefer the slower place.
“I can afford to live on my own which would have been impossible in London, and since I am back once a week I can catch up with family and friends.
“While it was incredibly frustrating when my housemate decided to move out, it gave me the kick I needed to seriously explore buying.”
