Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can get full ownership of your home by buying additional shares in the property – this is called ‘staircasing’.

With Shared Ownership, you start by purchasing a portion of your home – from 25% to 75%. But if you think that you are ready to buy more of your property, you can do this by buying more shares in your home, one step at a time.

If you choose to staircase, your monthly mortgage repayments will go up, but your rent will go down proportionally. You can of course buy 100% of your home if you come into some big money.

You can only buy houses that have been built on the scheme by a government-backed housing association. But as these houses are usually newly built, private developments, you should be spoilt for choice!

The big advantage of getting a Shared Ownership house is that you can pay a smaller deposit than for your average home. You can start with as little as a 5% or 10% deposit of the share you are buying!

Alongside this, don’t forget that you will also need to pay for your mortgage and rent for the share of the home you don’t own. Don’t worry though, as these repayments usually work out cheaper than renting privately in the same area.

Shared Ownership is available on a selection of stylish apartments and traditional homes, and you don’t need to look far to find one online. Click on our property search tool to turn your dream home into a reality.

If it is your first time buying a house, it is natural to feel a bit anxious. Buying a home is difficult enough, but as a first-time buyer there are a handful of factors that might put you off buying your dream home.

Saving for a deposit takes time. Depending on your circumstances – your job and living arrangement – you might feel like the saving process is taking forever.

Many first-time buyers are currently living in rented flats with sky-high prices. Saving a good amount of money, while paying for your current home, turns buying a home into a worryingly distant possibility.

As a first-time buyer, the responsibility of owning a home on your own might seem daunting. Between utility bills, monthly mortgage payments and paying for repairs, there is a lot to think about.