Help to Buy properties

If you are looking for new home developments that are available for purchase with the Help to Buy scheme, use the search bar above to find homes in the area you want to live.

We list a wide selection of developments with homes that are available to purchase with Help to Buy (HTB). With this government scheme, you may only need to pay as little as a 5% deposit, compared to the much higher deposits required by many mortgage lenders.

What is Help to Buy?

Help to Buy allows you to buy a home with just a 5% deposit. The government will give you a 20% equity loan, making a total deposit of 25%. You’ll then take out a 75% mortgage.The government loan is interest free for the first 5 years. Based on a home worth £200,000, you would contribute £10,000, the government would then give you an equity loan for £40,000, and your mortgage provider would give you a mortgage of £150,000.

The government loan is interest free for the first five years after you purchase your property, after which a fee will apply starting in the 6th year. Your solicitor or conveyancer will be able to give you more precise information regarding your future fees. The scheme scheme will run until 2023, but from April 2021 will be restricted to first time buyers only and there will be regional price caps on the purchase price. See below for more information.

Am I eligible to buy a home with Help to Buy?

The government launched the Help to Buy scheme to make it easier for first time buyers to get on the property ladder. If you are in a position where you want to buy a new property, but you cannot afford a large deposit, this could be an excellent option.

To be eligible you must be 18 or over, you cannot own a property at the time of completing your purchase of your new home, and the purchase price of the property you are planning to buy is less than £600,000 (until April 2021, when there will be regional price caps). The scheme is available in England and Wales only. However similar schemes are available in Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

How do I go about buying a home through Help to Buy?

Most new home developers will be able to offer advice on the availability of Help to Buy schemes at their developments. Simply enquire about the development you’re interested in, and ask about Help to Buy. You can also talk to a Help to Buy agent in the area you want to live.

Find out more on the Government's Help to Buy website.

What is changing about Help to Buy in 2021?

From April 2021 until March 2023, the scheme will only be available to first time buyers, so you must have never bought a home before in order to be eligible. There will also be regional price caps based on local markets, meaning there will be a limit to the price of the house you are able to buy depending on where you want to live within England. The regional price structure is as follows:

• North East £186,100
• North West £224,400
• Yorkshire and The Humber £228,100
• East Midlands £261,900
• West Midlands £255,600
• East of England £407,400
• London £600,000
• South East £437,600
• South West £349,000

You may be able to start reserving homes available under the new scheme towards the end of 2020. If you are thinking of purchasing a home under the current scheme, it will need to reach legal completion by 31 March 2021, before the new scheme starts. For more information about the current scheme, and the new scheme, contact your local Help to Buy agent.

Things to consider before buying a home using Help to Buy

There are other factors which may impact your decision on whether Help to Buy is right for you, so make sure you weigh up the pros and cons before you decide:

• You will start paying interest on your loan after 5 years. Make sure you factor this in to your monthly outgoings, or decide how you might pay it back.
• You will still need a deposit equal to 5% of the value of the home.
• All usual moving fees apply including surveys, stamp duty and legal costs.
• If you live in London, the value of the equity loan may be up to 40% of the value of the home which is a larger loan which you’ll need to pay back.
• Depending on your circumstances, you may be better suited to buying a home using Shared Ownership. Read more about Shared Ownership.