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Flagship UK Help to Buy scheme reaches 100,000
Help to Buy, the UK government’s flagship housing scheme, has helped almost 100,000 people buy a new home since it was introduced, the latest data shows. Since the launch of the Help to Buy equity loan and mortgage guarantee schemes some 80% of scheme completions have been made by first time buyers, with more expected when the government’s Help to Buy ISA launches this autumn. The data also shows that the average house price was £184,000, significantly below the national average, almost 94,000 people have bought a home through the scheme, 95% of Help to Buy completions took place outside of London and over half of Help to Buy completions have been for new build homes. The Help to Buy equity loan scheme and the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee were launched in 2013 to support buyers who could pay a mortgage, but couldn’t afford the high deposits demanded by lenders in the wake of the financial crisis. Together with the government’s Help to Buy NewBuy scheme, which offered 95% mortgages for those buying new build properties, the number of new home owners has reached 99,601. The scheme also continues to benefit first time buyers overwhelmingly, with the vast majority of sales outside of London and at prices well below the national average, officials said, adding that Help to Buy is also ensuring the long term health of the housing market by increasing housing supply, stimulating home building. Over half of the homes bought through Help to Buy are new build properties, helping to contribute to the 41% rise in private house building in England since the launch of Help to Buy. With almost all completions outside London, the highest number of homes have been through the mortgage guarantee scheme in the North West region. The equity loan scheme for new build properties is particularly high in the South East region. Figures for the mortgage guarantee scheme also show completions have been least concentrated in regions where house price growth is highest. In London the scheme makes up just 1% of all mortgage lending compared to an average of 3% across the country. ‘The government’s Help to Buy scheme has now helped nearly 100,000 people across the UK achieve their aspiration of buying a new or bigger home and I’m looking forward to these numbers growing even more with the launch of the new Help to Buy ISA this autumn, which will ensure that first time buyers saving for a deposit get an additional boost from the government,’ said Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne. ‘Key to our long term plan is providing economic security for people at every stage in life. The security of owning your own home is a big part of this, which is where Help to Buy comes in. It’s also boosting the economy more widely by driving an increase in house building in Britain, ensuring long-term housing supply and creating jobs,’ he added. Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said that anyone who… Continue reading
Few people consider the energy rating of a property when they move in the UK
Just one in 10 people currently consider the energy efficiency rating of a property important when moving house with parking and local amenities considered more important, a new research poll has found. This is despite a poor rating potentially resulting in wasting thousands of pounds worth of energy per year, according to the study from construction and regeneration company, Keepmoat. The energy efficiency rating of a home is found on the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) that is required whenever a property is bought, sold or rented. EPCs not only rate properties between A and G but also include information on how much energy a property uses, typical energy costs and how to reduce energy usage. Among the factors considered more important than a good energy efficiency rating were being close to local amenities for 35.9%, parking for 30%, good transport links for 35.9% and green space for 26%. The only factor on the poll considered less important was investment potential mentioned by 10%. The results suggest that awareness of the importance of energy efficiency is low across all regions of the UK, however, Nottingham was home to the highest percentage of respondents who considered a good rating a priority when moving house at 16%. While people in Edinburgh were least likely to rank energy efficiency as a priority at 4%. ‘For many households, energy bills are one of the biggest expenses and understanding much energy a new house or flat will use, as well as what they can do to reduce these bills, can go a long way to reducing their outgoings,’ said Nigel Banks, sustainability director at Keepmoat. ‘However, the results of our survey clearly show many people are not prioritising the energy efficiency rating of a property when moving home and this could well be a decision they regret when they get their first winter energy bills. People should try and consider the total cost of living in home, including mortgage repayments or rents as well as bills,’ he added out. He also pointed out that buying a new home can also mean a huge reduction in household bills as they are generally six times more energy efficient than older homes. He said that living in a new home can reduce gas and electricity bills by more than £500 per year. Continue reading
