The Help to Buy scheme is an initiative created by the Government to assist first-time-buyers and existing homeowners buying a new-build residential property in England.
How it works
The Government lend up to 20% of the property value (40% in London), to reduce the amount you need to find to purchase a new-build property upfront.
To qualify, you must put down a minimum of a 5% deposit on a new-build property and secure a mortgage from a participating lender for the remaining value of the property.
After five years, you start to pay interest on the Help to Buy equity loan alongside your mortgage on the property, at a rate of 1.75%. If you choose to sell your home before the loan is repaid, the Government receives 20% of the value of your property at the time of the sale in addition to any early repayment charges.
As the name suggests, the Help to Buy schemes help people – who would otherwise be unable – buy a property. You may be:
- A first-time buyer struggling to move onto the property ladder
- A current homeowner looking to relocate and upgrade
- A previous homeowner unable to re-enter the property market
- A homebuyer looking to purchase in London but the prices are unaffordable
- A shared owner seeking to move
- A member of the armed forces
There are a range of Help to Buy schemes available, suited to different types of buyers, and we’ll take you through the details of those that are the most applicable for you.
At a glance
- Who’s eligible? First-time buyers and homeowners looking to move
- What’s the property type? New-build properties
- What’s the property value? Up to £600,000 in England and £300,000 in Wales
- How much can you borrow? A maximum of £120,000, with no minimum
- How much deposit will you need to put in? A minimum of 5% of the property value
Latest information and further details can be found on the HM Government website:
https://www.gov.uk/affordable-home-ownership-schemes/shared-ownership-scheme
