As the prestigious First Time Buyer Readers’ Awards enters its 10th year, the judges are pleased to be able to announce their short-listed categories for 2019. The highly anticipated awards are set to reveal the property industry’s successes in supporting first time buyers in the UK get onto the housing ladder.
The shortlisted entrants have been selected by a judging panel comprised of leading experts in the industry, including Mark Bastin, Director at Mark Bastin Associates; Chris Browne, Director of Property at Address Intelligence; Jane Griffiths, Help to Buy Stakeholder Manager at bpha; Stephen Harker, Managing Partner at Dawson Cornwell; Tony Harker, Housing Consultant; Chris Jones, Managing Partner at Space and Time; Stephen Maunder, Senior Digital Money Writer at Which? Money; and Marcus Wilshire, London Masterplanning Lead at IBI Group. However, as the selection process moves into its final round, the shortlisted awards are now open to an online readers vote (www.ftbawards.com).
Lynda Cark, editor of First Time Buyer Magazine, comments: “In the last decade, we have seen a tremendous amount of progress in the industry, as companies have recognised and sought to relieve the unique pressures that first time buyers face. This year has seen more applications than ever before, and it is so rewarding to see that so many in the industry have committed to building more homes to meet the needs and aspirations of first time buyers. That’s why we have opened up voting to our readers, as we believe that the final decision should lie with the demographic who benefit most from the hard work undertaken by all of our shortlisted companies.”
The 2019 awards feature 18 categories: Affordable Housing Provider of the Year, Best Architectural Design, Best First Time Buyer Apartment, Best First Time Buyer Family Home, best First Time Buyer Media Coverage, Best Large Development, Best Law Firm for Conveyancing, Best New Development in the North, Best New Development in the South, Best Off-Plan Development for First Time Buyers, Best Show Home, Best Small Development, Best Supplier for First Time Buyers, Best Urban Regeneration Project, to the First Time Buyer Market, Most Innovative Marketing Campaign, Most Innovative Redevelopment of an Existing Property and the Judges Special Award for Outstanding Contribution.
Lynda continues: “We want to recognise the hard work of every aspect of the first time buyer market, which is reflected in the variety of awards up for grabs. Each one of our shortlisted entrants has demonstrated an ‘above and beyond’ approach to helping first time buyers. We would like to congratulate everyone in our 2019 shortlisted categories, and look forward to announcing the winners in April.”
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony hosted by TV celebrity Nicki Chapman in at the London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London on Friday 26th April. To find out more about the awards and to vote for your favourite company, visit www.ftbawards.com