Problem in installation of NextCloud 12.0.4

Dear colleagues,

I have the following configuration:

versions

CentOS Linux release 7.3.1611
Apache/2.4.6 (CentOS)
Nextcloud Rel: 12.0.4

selinux

SELINUX=disabled
SELINUXTYPE=targeted

I currently have extracted nextcloud in path1:/var/www/tld/domain/nextcloud/01/
due to disk space constraints I need to put the data files in home directory of user nextcoud i.e. in path2:/home/nextcloud/01/data/

the httpd user is apache

I have changed the owner of both path1, path2 and subdirectories to apache:apache with permissions set to 755

having created the mysql database and associated user

I am starting up the web installer supplying a data path as path2: and I get an error in the form of :

“Can’t create or write into the data directory /home/nextcloud/01/data”

sudo -u apache ls -al /home/nextcloud/01
gives
ls: cannot access /home/nextcloud/01: Permission denied

Can anybody offer any ideas of what might be the cause of the error since the permissions appear to be correct.

one workaround I am thinking of (till the cause is found so as not to waste more time) is to move the entire web app folder in the nextcloud user home.