Shared Ownership is an affordable home ownership scheme which makes it easier for eligible purchasers to get on the property ladder. Buyers get a mortgage for the share they can afford, and pay rent on the remaining share.
No – this is a common misconception but the ‘shared’ aspect of the scheme simply means you’re sharing ownership of your home with a housing association.
If you decide to buy a Shared Ownership home in Helsby, you’re effectively purchasing a portion of your property. Your initial share will usually be between 25% to 75%, paying a mortgage on the part that you own and a below market value rent on the remaining share.
Yes – Shared Owners can choose to buy additional shares in their property by ‘staircasing’.
When buying a Shared Ownership home, you will initially purchase a minimum percentage somewhere between 25% to 75%. Down the line, if you find that your financial circumstances have changed, buyers will have the option to buy more shares.
If you choose to buy a higher percentage, your mortgage repayments will increase while the rent you pay will decrease. In the majority of cases there aren’t any restrictions and you can buy 100% of your home – in this instance, you would become the outright owner.
As a home-buying product aimed at helping those who can’t afford to purchase a property on the open market, there are certain requirements that buyers will need to meet to be considered eligible for Shared Ownership.
For example, there are caps on household income which means that you must earn less than £80,000 to be eligible for the scheme – or less than £90,000 if you would like to buy a home in London. The criteria also states that buyers must be at least 18 years of age and do not own another property either in the UK or abroad.
Shared Ownership properties enable you to put down a smaller deposit compared to those required on the open market – buyers will usually need to put down 5% to 10% of the share that they’re buying, rather than the full market value of the home.
On a monthly basis, buyers will be required to pay their mortgage, a subsidised rent and service charge on their home, however, these repayments often work out cheaper than or equal to renting privately in the same area. Other costs to consider when buying a home include solicitor and mortgage broker fees – you can find out more about these costs on Share to Buy.
Share to Buy lists thousands of Shared Ownership homes all across Helsby and beyond – including new build properties and those available through resale.
Shared Ownership is available on a variety of homes including cosy studios, stylish apartments and traditional family homes. Check out our property search tool to start looking for your new home today!
The major providers of Shared Ownership, Help to Buy and other affordable ways to buy a home in Helsby and nationwide have their homes listed on Share to Buy.
Share to Buy is the leading online portal for Shared Ownership properties. Established in 2004 as the UK’s first specialist online mortgage broker for affordable home ownership products, the site has since developed into a one stop shop for first time buyers, offering the country’s largest listing of Shared Ownership homes from many of the UK’s biggest housing providers.
Share to Buy is the nation’s biggest and best established affordable home ownership property portal, making it the ideal website for first time buyers looking to take that first step onto the property ladder.
Using our property search tool, you can search for homes that suit your needs via filters such as location, number of bedrooms, monthly outgoings and deposit amount. You can also set up alert preferences so you’ll be notified when new properties that meet your search are announced by email.
Acting as a one stop shop for first time buyers, Share to Buy also offers handy FAQs and guides, interactive mortgage tools, mortgage broker and conveyancing panels, and live events to help potential purchasers on their home-buying journey.
If you are a housing association or developer selling properties through Shared Ownership, Help to Buy and other affordable home ownership schemes, we can list your new build and resale homes on the Share to Buy property portal.
As well as working alongside Registered Providers, we also partner with private sellers who are looking to sell their current Shared Ownership home.
Find out more about advertising your Shared Ownership property on Share to Buy.
“We were delighted when our application was successful, we moved in a few months later and settled in really quickly. It definitely feels different now we are home owners, it’s so satisfying knowing we own this place. There is no doubt that Shared Ownership is a good way to get onto the housing ladder in London.”
“I’d got it into my head that finding a Shared Ownership home would be quite a painstaking process, but Share to Buy made it so easy. I liked that you could do everything online – there was no posting off forms or long phone calls. The website was very visual, with plenty of photos, and it was so simple to use.”
“If you are considering Shared Ownership, I would 100% recommend using Share to Buy to learn more about the scheme and assess your options. Shared Ownership is an excellent stepping stone into the property market – it’s worked so well for me. It’s given me a freedom and flexibility I wouldn’t have had if I bought on the open market!"
If you’re a first time buyer, you may worry that your home ownership aspirations are out of reach. Thankfully, with Shared Ownership homes in Helsby, that doesn’t have to be the case. They can make that vital first step onto the property ladder more affordable. Help to Buy homes in Helsby also offer fantastic options to buyers looking to unlock the door to their dream home.
Staying up to date with the latest Shared Ownership and Help to Buy properties in Helsby couldn’t be easier. Simply sign up to Share to Buy and register to receive alerts when relevant properties become available in your desired location.
It may only have a small population of a few thousand (a little under 5,000, according to the 2011 electoral ward), but the impact Helsby has on its residents is greater than any area which lacks its distinctive beauty and character.
Speaking of which, it’s important to point out that Helsby is part of the spectacular county of Cheshire. This provides a stunning smorgasbord of unforgettable sights and experiences just outside of the village’s borders. In a way, Helsby is like a microcosm of the wonderful attributes which make its county in general such a special place to visit, and an even better place to call home.
For starters, one of the main things that attracts people to this area is the sensational wealth of natural beauty that is available right on your doorstep. Of course, this is not limited to Helsby, as you’ll be close to plenty of gorgeous green lands in other nearby locations. But if you remained in the local vicinity alone, you’ll find enough beautiful spaces to explore to last even the most ardent nature lover a lifetime.
In fact, many of the village’s famous spots are places of great natural beauty. Most beloved of all is Helsby Hill. This wooded sandstone hill sits hundreds of miles above sea level and provides some truly incredible views. Considering all this, you shouldn’t be too surprised to learn that activities like rock climbing and hiking are hugely popular in this part of the country. Somewhere as awe-inspiring as this doesn’t require modern bells and whistles to keep you entertained.
One of the things that really makes Helsby stand out is its unique history and culture, which have come together to create a community that is at once distinct, warm and welcoming. An example of this is the Christmas event Ho Ho Helsby, attracting thousands of people every year, with numbers often coming up to roughly half of its population. This just goes to show how this little village consistently over delivers with big ideas and an even bigger community spirit.
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