London Home Show Sponsors: Countryside Partnerships
Last chance to secure your Countryside home with Help to Buy
With inflation expected to reach 8% in April, and the Bank of England’s base rates increasing to 0.5% in February, the appeal of home ownership, which also allows buyers to safeguard their savings, has never been stronger. Additionally, the government-backed Help to Buy scheme which has helped thousands of first time buyers across the country to get on the ladder, is coming to an end on March 31st 2023, which means time is of the essence.
What do these changes mean for aspiring homeowners?
Even though Help to Buy will be here for another year, those who want to take advantage of the scheme will need to have legally completed their property purchase by the end of March 2023. With the legal process taking between two or three months, and sometimes, even longer, now is the time to start your search.
What is my budget?
Following the changes to the Help to Buy scheme introduced last April, those using Help to Buy can purchase a new build home with a deposit of as little as 5% with the government continuing to provide an interest-free equity loan of up to 20% of the purchase price (or 40% in London). This leaves just 75% (55% in London) of the cost of the property to mortgage and provides access to more affordable mortgage rates. The scheme can be used by first time buyers exclusively, and last year, the government introduced regional caps – £600,000 for qualifying properties in London, and £437,600 for homes in the South East.
Countryside has a variety of homes across the UK, which will ideally suit part-time commuters, looking to settle somewhere with fantastic transport links into London, abundant nature on the doorstep and plenty of residents’ amenities. Importantly, all of our homes are equipped with integrated appliances, include flooring and are known for their high specification – everything you would expect from a five star housebuilder like Countryside.
What can I expect?
At Countryside’s Ashmere development, 33 year old Geraldine Olusola-Ojo was able to take advantage of the Help to Buy scheme. She described the whole buying process as completely seamless, saying; “Countryside made things so easy for me. They were a great help, very informative and able to accommodate my needs.”
She decided on a two bedroom apartment and is currently counting down the days to final completion in July 2022.
Our experienced team will be happy to tell you more about Help to Buy and talk you through your options at the London Home Show, or you can find out more via the Countryside website.
The capital’s no.1 first time buyer event will return to the QEII Centre in Westminster on Saturday 2nd April, 2022. Register for your FREE ticket to attend Share to Buy’s fifteenth exhibition where you can learn about Shared Ownership and Help to Buy, receive financial and legal advice from expert mortgage brokers and solicitors, and attend first time buyer workshops and seminars.