TWO couples have used lockdown to their advantage and saved enough to buy new homes.

For Meg, 24 and Lewis, 26, 2020 was to be all about travelling but, when the pandemic hit, their plans changed.

Meanwhile, Hannah Edwards, 23, and Ryan Roberts, 23, found themselves living apart with their parents after just one year of dating.

Little did each couple know, back in March 2020, that brand new homes would be on the cards.

2020 was the year travel stopped, shops shut, and weddings and events were put on hold.

With nothing to do and nowhere to spend money, lockdown enabled many buyers to save a lot faster than normal.

Spending more time at home also led many young people to crave greater independence, and ownership has moved up the priority list as a result.

Meg and Lewis had planned three holidays in 2020, but when they were all cancelled and their refunds were returned, the couple decided to start saving for a deposit.

Meg and Lewis

Meg and Lewis

Meg and Lewis

Meg said: “After spending lockdown in our Liverpool flat, we were ready to buy our first home and find somewhere with a lot more space.

"It wasn’t the plan we originally set out with - we thought we’d be travelling the world before buying - but lockdown just accelerated our timeline, and made us see home ownership in a new light.”

When it came to finding the right home, it was a perfect combination of location and layout that Meg and Lewis were looking for.

Meg added: “We loved living in the city but it just didn’t make sense to stay there - we needed more space and wanted to be closer to our family.

"We also knew that our main priorities were having a bigger kitchen and a separate living room, as this is where we spend most of our time. Having the space for our friends to stay, when the restrictions lift, was also important to us.”

Meanwhile, graduates Hannah and Ryan were living apart with their parents when the lockdown hit.

Hannah said: “Very early on in our relationship we were already talking about one day buying together but, as graduates, we thought we might have to wait a while.

"After doing our research though, we discovered we could afford it and, when the second lockdown was announced, that was the final push for us as we’d had enough of living apart.”

After a year of working from home, each couple knew from experience that a dedicated space for home working was an essential factor.

Hannah added: “Having the space upstairs was really important as Ryan works from home permanently, so being able to have a third bedroom that we can turn into an office is just what we need.”

Each couple have bought a home on the Abbotsfield estate off Reginald Road.