London Home Show Countdown: Countryside Properties
Help to Buy is changing, but finding your dream home with Countryside is still just as easy
Among the more serious challenges of the past year, one thing we have all taken away is an increased appreciation of the importance of where we live. With the property market in rude health, having risen by 7% over the past year, and initiatives like the government’s Stamp Duty holiday helping buyers, there’s never been a better time to get onto the property ladder. One of the most popular ways to do this is buy using the government-backed Help to Buy scheme. However, from April 2021, the scheme is changing and so to make the most of Help to Buy, prospective buyers need to understand how the scheme has changed and how they can now benefit.
As with the previous version of the scheme, the aim of the new Help to Buy is to make mortgages more affordable, allowing buyers to 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.
To make sure the scheme is being used by those who will benefit the most from Help to Buy though, from April 2021 the scheme will only apply to first time buyers and will include new regional price caps, such as the £600,000 limit on eligible properties in London. The good news is that Countryside homes start from £220,000, giving you a range of Help to Buy-eligible options to fulfil your homeowning dream, from one bedroom to three bedroom apartments.
At Countryside’s Beam Park development in Rainham, Lloyd and Olivia Connors were able to take advantage of Help to Buy, saying: “Realistically, we probably wouldn’t have been able to buy without Help to Buy, which has meant we can have a spacious family house as our first home. Our mortgage costs will essentially be the same as what we were spending on rent, except now we own our home – suddenly it all became a bit of a no-brainer.”
Helped by Countryside, the married couple found the process straightforward and felt supported and guided. Lloyd commented, “I can’t fault Countryside – the whole process was easier and smoother than I expected it would be. You can see why they’re a five-star housebuilder.”
The experienced Countryside team will be happy to tell you more about Help to Buy and the recent changes at the Virtual London Home Show, or you can find out more on Countryside’s website.
The capital’s no.1 first time buyer event is going digital for the first time on Saturday 24th April! Register for your FREE ticket to the Virtual London Home Show to find out more about Shared Ownership, Help to Buy and the buying process.