Deciding where to set down your roots for the first time is a big decision so you want to make sure you’ve looked at all the options. Whether you’re looking for a city apartment, rural family home or a simple cosy pad nearby to work and conveniently close to shops, making a decision about what will best fit your future is a big one indeed. Luckily as a first time buyer, there are plenty of options available to you so it’s always good to be clued up on all the avenues you can go down, (or live on). So whatever you’re looking for here are some top tips to save you some money and make the most of getting onto the property ladder for the first time.
Shared Ownership
If you haven’t heard of this one, shared ownership is a great hack for any first time buyer with their eye on a home they adore. Shared Ownership allows you to part buy, part rent your home and therefore pay a smaller deposit. As you only put down a deposit on the share you wish to buy, this can be between 25% and 75%, cutting those initial payments right down and eliminating the biggest hurdle for first time buyers. From shared ownership homes in Medway to apartments with shared ownership London, this scheme offers homes all over the UK. You can also buy more of your home overtime meaning you can climb the property ladder at your own pace. And with property portals like connectwithhome.co.uk offering a variety of homes to suit everyone, there’s no need to compromise under this scheme.
Help to Buy
This is another great scheme for first time buyers and is widely available across the country and on a range of homes. Help to Buy is a government scheme that ensures you only have to put down a 5% deposit on a property taking the sting out of the hardest bit about being a first time buyer. In addition to this, you will get a 20% equity loan from the government on your property that you pay absolutely no interest on for the first 5 years. This means you only have to obtain a mortgage for 75% of the property price rather than 90%. And if you live in London you could get a 40% equity loan meaning your mortgage will amount to just 55% of the total value of the home. This scheme can definitely give you a bit more time to settle into the payments and feel a bit more financially secure about your property purchase.
New Developments
One of the best places to look for both of these schemes are up and coming areas and new Developments. With Shared Ownership homes in Ebbsfleet offering a young professionals paradise and shared ownership properties in West London putting you at the heart of the buzzing metropolis, looking for areas that have had a lick of paint and a bit of a face lift could be your ticket onto the property ladder. There are plenty of areas offering first-time buyer schemes and with a little shopping around you can find the perfect one for you. Sites like Keaze.com are great tools to help you browse what’s on offer without the hassle and video tours included.
So whether you’re looking to move in the near future or a little later down the line, make sure to take advantage of the options out there for first time buyers and you could be bagging yourself some decent savings.