Shared ownership houses for sale | What is shared ownership?

How does it work?

Eligibility

Staircasing

Considerations

Shared ownership houses

Shared ownership

The Gateway

by Freeman Forman

Bexhill-on-sea, East Sussex, TN40 2LU

2 & 3 bedroom houses and 2 bedroom apartments

£57,500 - £97,500 for a 25% share
(£230,000 - £390,000 Full Market Value)

The Gateway, Bexhill-on-Sea is a vibrant new residential community offering a selection of high-quality Shared Ownership houses and apartments, providing an affordable way to step onto the property ladder. Located on the edge of this popular seaside town, the development combines the benefits of coastal living with excellent local amenities, highly regarded schools, convenient transport links, and a range of shopping and leisure facilities. With a selection of 2- and 3-bedroom houses and 2-bedroom apartments available, The Gateway caters to a variety of buyers, from first-time purchasers taking their first step into homeownership to growing families looking for additional space. These thoughtfully designed homes offer modern layouts, energy-efficient features, and contemporary finishes, creating the perfect place to call home. Situated on the beautiful Sussex coast, residents can enjoy stunning seaside surroundings, while the rolling countryside of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its picturesque villages are just a short drive away. For commuters, excellent rail and road connections provide easy access to Brighton, Eastbourne, Gatwick Airport, and London, making The Gateway an ideal choice for those seeking a relaxed coastal lifestyle without compromising on connectivity. Whether you're looking for your first home, more space for a growing family, or an opportunity to own a brand-new property in a sought-after location, The Gateway offers the perfect balance of affordability, convenience, and modern living.

Shared ownership

White Post Street

by Hexagon Housing Association

Peckham, Greater London, SE15 1DR

1 & 2 bedroom apartments

From £98,750 for a 25% share
(From £395,000 Full Market Value)

White Post Street is an exciting new collection of one and two bedroom Shared Ownership and Private Sale apartments and duplexes in a well connected South East London location, ideally positioned on Old Kent Road, between Lewisham, New Cross and Peckham & only 0.4 miles from Queens Road Peckham station. Created with city living in mind, these contemporary homes feature stylish open plan living areas, fully integrated appliances and large private balconies. Many apartments also benefit from impressive views across the London skyline. The wider development will comprise of 9 commercial spaces, 6 of which are refurbished railway arches which will become a convenient and quirky mix of cafes, studios and independent shops

Shared ownership

Showfields

by Love Living Homes

Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5PP

3 bedroom houses

for a 25% share
( Full Market Value)

Be part of something special at Showfields, a fresh regeneration project in the heart of Tunbridge Wells. Thoughtfully designed with stylish modern finishes, find your place to call home with a limited number of shared ownership 3‑bedroom new-build homes, perfect for families. With homes available through Shared Ownership with Love Living Homes, it’s a rare chance to put down roots in a community with real character in an established, friendly neighbourhood. Just moments from the town centre, schools, shops and green spaces, and with excellent links for commuters, it’s a place designed for easier living, strong connections and a bright future for your family. All homes are subject to a nominations agreement and offered to people local to Tunbridge wells in the first instance

Shared ownership

How does Shared ownership work?

Shared ownership allows you to buy a share of a new house and pay rent on the remaining part. It is a government-backed incentive scheme, primarily aimed at helping first time buyers onto the property ladder. You can also use it to buy a bigger home than you can afford on the open market.

The percentage you can purchase may be different depending on where you buy the home:

In England, you can buy shares of between 10% and 75% of the full market value
In Scotland, you can buy a 25%, 50% or 75% share
In Wales, you can buy shares of between 25 and 75% of what the home is worth

Shared ownership is also known as ‘part-buy, part-rent’.

You will purchase your shared ownership property via a housing association or council. The home will be a new build or a re-sale of an existing shared ownership property, of which you’ll need to purchase the same percentage of shares as the existing owner, or more.

You will need a deposit and a mortgage on your share of the property that you are buying. The remaining share is owned by the housing association or council, and you will pay rent comprising up to 3% of this amount.

Although the housing association may have shares of up to 90% in your home, you will become the owner of the lease. As the leaseholder, you will be responsible for repairs inside the property and the housing association will take care of the outside.

To cover any costs that might be necessary for outside work, you will need to pay a service charge, usually paid monthly. It is a good idea to find out how much the service charge is and factor that into all monthly outgoings before you agree to buy.

Shared ownership eligibility

In England, this scheme is available to those in a household with a combined income of less than £80,000 a year (or £90,000 in London), and you are unable to afford a deposit and mortgage payments on a suitable property for you and your family. In Wales, you must have a combined income of less than £60,000.

There are other criteria you must meet, such as:

being a first time buyer, or
if you used to own a home but can no longer afford to buy outright, or
you want to move from one shared ownership property to another, or
you're setting up a new household, for example after a relationship breakdown, or
you currently own a home, and wish to move but cannot afford to buy outright.

You will also need to have no outstanding credit issues, so make sure you get your finances in order before you apply.

Criteria varies by country, so be sure to check before applying.

A development of Shared Ownership homes in England

What is Staircasing in Shared ownership?

You can buy additional shares of your home, usually in increments of 10%, until you own the majority or all of your home. Some older leases set the minimum amount at 25%, and newer ones may allow you to buy as little as 5% at a time. There are some instances where you may be able to buy 1% shares.

This process is called staircasing and allows you to own more of your home as you earn more money or can afford a bigger mortgage. Each time you wish to purchase more shares, these will be based on the value of the home at the time of buying the shares, and not the value of your home when you first bought it.

You will need to pay for a professional valuation of your property to determine the value of the shares before you can buy them. Buying more shares in your home will also mean paying less rent.

Things to consider before buying a Shared ownership home

There are other factors which may impact your decision on whether shared ownership is right for you:

You will still need a deposit for the mortgage portion of your home, usually between 5% and 10% of the value of the mortgage.
All usual moving fees apply including surveys, stamp duty and legal costs.
If you’re aged 55 or over, you may be eligible for Older People’s Shared ownership (OPSO) but bear in mind, you will only be able to own up to 75% of your home.
If you are a key worker, then a percentage of properties through housing associations will be allocated to those who work for the NHS, police, local authorities, Ministry of Defence and many more. Ask the housing association for more information.

Useful links

Find out more about shared ownership in England

Find out more about shared ownership in Scotland

Find out more about shared ownership in Wales

Shared ownership providers

The following housing associations and developers have shared ownership properties available throughout the UK which you can enquire via this website: