Schemes That Help to Buy in Cambridge

The Shared Ownership Scheme has been around since the 1980’s and has provided a helping hand to first time buyers and home movers alike, in their goals to get onto or further along the property ladder.

Often referred to as “part buy, part rent”, Shared Ownership in Cambridge allows for you to purchase a share in the property, typically 25-75%, though this can be less depending on the mortgage lender, with the remaining amount being paid as a rental charge.

This is a flexible and stable option for home buyers that can make homeowning more affordable, with the potential to “staircase” later; purchase additional shares in the property, up to full ownership.

Shared ownership is only available on specific purpose-built properties.

Yes, it is still possible for home buyers to put down a 5% deposit on a property and be accepted by a mortgage lender, providing they are creditworthy and meet the mortgage lenders’ criteria.

There have been periods of time where mortgage lenders were perhaps hesitant to offer such high loan to values, which led to the introduction of mortgage schemes that could encourage mortgage lenders to offer 95% mortgages, with a safety net in place.

In some niche cases, there is still a need for these schemes. Nowadays though, we find that most mortgage lenders are willing to accept applicants who have a 5% deposit, though generally it is more beneficial for both the mortgage lender and the applicant, if the deposit is slightly higher.

Additionally, if you have a poor credit history or lower income, you may be required to put down a higher deposit of perhaps 15-20%, before you will be accepted for a mortgage.

Of course, saving for a deposit in general, especially anything above 5%, can be a challenge for prospective home buyers, which is why schemes to encourage 95% mortgages were introduced to encourage the minimum.

Your mortgage advisor in Cambridge will be able to look at your financial situation, to find an appropriate mortgage lender that can help to buy in Cambridge, even with a smaller deposit. If a scheme would be beneficial for you, they will be transparent and let you know.

Another thing you may have heard of is a Lifetime ISA, sometimes shortened to LISA. An ISA is an individual savings account and exists to help people save for long-term goals, such as to purchase their first home in Cambridge.

The big benefit to a Lifetime ISA, is that the government will provide a top-up to your contributions of 25%, up to a particular figure per year, with there also being a maximum on your contributions.

That means if you managed to contribute £2,000 in a year, the government would give you an additional £500 in that savings account! There are certain eligibility criteria, such as the age bracket being 18-39 for setting one up, as well as it only being able to be used for a home purchase or for retirement (though it can’t be withdrawn until you are a set age).

All in all, it can be a great way for people to contribute towards their home owning future over time.

Forces Help to Buy is a government scheme designed to help members of the armed forces in purchasing a home. This scheme provides an interest-free loan to eligible personnel, allowing them to borrow up to 50% of their salary, capped at a maximum of £25,000.

The loan can be used towards the deposit and other associated costs of buying a property. The scheme aims to address the unique challenges faced by military personnel, who often have limited access to traditional mortgage products due to their frequent relocations.

Forces Help to Buy provides an opportunity for servicemen and women to get on the property ladder and establish a stable home for themselves and their families.

By offering financial support and favourable loan terms, the scheme helps make homeownership more accessible and affordable for those serving in the armed forces.

Find out more information about the schemes available to you on the government OwnYourHome website.