First-time buyer homes in east London: shared-ownership apartments from £92k in Upton Park are great for young families

Once famous for football and little else, Upton Park in deep east London is now the focus of intensive regeneration.

West Ham United FC has quit the Boleyn Ground in favour of the Olympic Stadium at Stratford and the area is now besieged not by football fans, but by builders.

At one of these sites, The Forge, first-time buyers are being offered the chance to get on the ladder for less than £100,000.

A 25 per cent share of a two-bedroom flat starts from £92,500, or you could buy a 25 per cent share of a three bedroom home from £111,250 (lqhomes.com/theforge/).

The Forge has been designed as a series of low-rise blocks clustered around communal gardens and courtyards, and is on the doorstep of Priory Park.

All homes have a private balcony or terrace and it's a four-minute walk to Upton Park Tube, in Zone 3 on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines.

Commuters can get to Canary Wharf or Liverpool Street in less than 20 minutes and to Stratford in around 10, or get on their bike and take advantage of the Barking to Tower Gateway Cycle Superhighway.

Housing association L&Q believes the larger homes will be popular with families.

The closest primary school, St Edwards Catholic Primary School, is rated "outstanding" by Ofsted.

"Thousands of family upsizers are leaving the capital every year, often in search of a home that fits their changing needs," says Claire Brenlund, director of sales at L&Q.

"Our new shared-ownership homes at The Forge mean London families needn't discard their existing lifestyle to get on the ladder. Parents can continue to enjoy a fast commute into central London and children can have access to green space, whilst owning a high-quality, affordable property."

Just around the corner, the Boleyn Ground is being transformed into a development of 842 homes plus community facilities including a library, play areas and shops, which buyers at The Forge will be able to use.

Meanwhile, to the south, Royal Docks is undergoing a multibillionpound regeneration.

For everyday basic shopping the local high street is Green Street, and the old-school Queen's Market where you can pick up cheap fruit and veg and browse discount kitchenware and clothes.

Stratford is up the road for a more glitzy retail experience, stacks of restaurants and bars and, over the next couple of years, museums, galleries and a cultural hub.

East Ham Leisure Centre is a mile away, with a pool, gym and exercise studios.

With an E6 postcode, residents of The Forge will be able to claim to be proper East Enders, in an area where property prices run well below the London average.

Prices have also held steady for the past two tumultuous years at an average of £344,000, according to the latest figures from Rightmove.

East Ham is an excellent place to hunt out a roomy, period family home.

Portico estate agents is selling a five-bedroom terrace house in Skeffington Road, in need of some cosmetic TLC, for £599,995.

A three- to four-bedroom house would cost £450,000 to £500,000.

Aston Fox is selling a three-bedroom red-brick terrace house in Macaulay Road for offers over £450,000 Buyers who'd prefer a flat could pick up a two-bedroom period conversion home for between £250,000 and £300,000