In this section:
What is Shared Equity?
New Supply Shared Equity (NSSE) in Scotland allows customers the chance to own 100% of their home and pay 60-80% of property value. The remaining balance is made up by Places for People and the Scottish Government.
This means a smaller deposit and mortgage is requested than or compared to when buying a home in the standard way.
Key things to know about Shared Equity:
Home ownership
Own 100% of your home with no rent to pay.
Deposit
The deposit needed is a minimum of 5% of the property price you’re buying.
Mortgage
You need to be financially qualified and meet the shared equity criteria to buy your property.
Household income
Your household needs to earn less than £58,000 to be eligible.How does Shared Equity work?
New Supply Shared Equity is exclusive to Places for People in Scotland.
If you’re eligible, you can apply for the Shared Equity property that you’d like to buy. It’s easier than you may think; you purchase a share of between 60 - 80% of your new home, using your deposit and a mortgage, and Places for People and the Scottish Government will make up the difference.
You will own 100% of your home with New Supply Shared Equity but Places for People will hold an equity share from 20-40%. Shared Equity homeowners can buy more shares in their property later, if you wish, in some instances this is called ‘staircasing’. The more shares in the property you own, the less you need to pay back on the remainder.
With Shared Equity the lower deposit and mortgage repayments helps people get onto the property ladder sooner, rather than later.
The example home has a £250,000 market value
5%
£12,500 deposit
60%
£150,000 mortgage
35%
Scottish government and Places for People Buy these shares at any time with staircasing
This is an example and drawing is not to scale. The share level purchased can vary between 60% - 80% depending on affordability, and lenders deposit will also vary.
1. Start things moving
Thank you for choosing us to help you buy a Shared Equity property! The first step in the process is to get in touch with our sales team. We’ll talk you through the process and what happens next.
2. Eligibility checks
Before you can buy a Shared Equity home, we need to make sure that you meet the eligibility criteria for the scheme, and you may need to fill in some forms.
3. Get your finances arranged
Unless you’re a cash buyer, you’ll need to get an Agreement in Principle (AIP) for a mortgage from a lender. We can recommend an Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) to help you get this arranged.
4. Apply for your home
Once your finances are in place, you can formally apply for a Shared Equity property with Places for People and reserve your new home.
5. Get the legal bits done
You’ll need to appoint a conveyancing solicitor to do all the legal work needed to buy your Shared Equity property.
6. Conclude Missives
Once certain legal and conveyancing tasks have been done, you can exchange contracts on your Shared Equity home. This means that both you and Places for People are now legally committed to the transaction.
7. Get your keys
Completion day is when all of the money is transferred, the legal work is finalised and you get the keys to your new home.
8. Moving day
Congratulations and welcome to your new home! You can move in and start this new chapter of your life.
9. Supporting you all the way
At Places for People, we’ll support you through the whole process of buying your Shared Equity property and we’re also here to help you into the future too.Shared Equity eligibility
In order to buy a home under a Shared Equity scheme, you need to meet the eligibility requirements, as well as pass the affordability checks.
Who is eligible for Shared Equity?
- You need to have a household income of under £58,000 a year in Scotland
- You need to not be able to afford a home with a standard deposit and mortgage that meets your needs.
You also usually need to meet one of these requirements:
- Be a first-time buyer
- Over 60’s
- Moving out of Social Housing
- Ex veteran
- Varying needs
- Not currently a homeowner, or cannot afford to buy a home that meets your needs through a standard purchase.
- Already a homeowner but your existing property no longer suits your needs.
You will need to have a deposit (at least 5% of the share you want to buy) and – if not a cash buyer – be able to take out a mortgage for the remaining cost of your share.
You’ll need to find out if you’re able to take out a mortgage for the amount needed. This will depend on your income, affordability checks and your credit history. Every lender has their own criteria and ways in which they measure affordability and the ‘risk’ level of applicants. Our independent financial advisors are Shared Equity specialists, so with Places for People you’re in good hands. Find out more about Shared Equity mortgages.
Finding Shared Equity houses near me
There are developments all over the country offering Shared Equity properties to eligible homebuyers. So, that brand-new home could soon be yours.
Shared Equity FAQs
How do I apply?
In the first place, talk to our Sales team. They’ll take your details and refer you to an independent mortgage broker or independent financial advisor, who’ll talk to you about the various options available and take you through the application process. So you’ll get all the help you need.
*Shared Equity can be offered between 60% and 80%. These are indicative costs, subject to change and subject to affordability and credit checks. These costs were last checked on 25 August 2023. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. We recommend taking advice from a qualified independent mortgage broker or financial advisor, who will find the right deal for your buying circumstances.
What restrictions are there on the loan?
There are only a few. You must not own any other properties and this property must be your principal residence. You are not allowed to rent out the property or take in a lodger. You must not remortgage without our permission, and you have to repay the equity loan before you can release any equity for other purposes.
When do I have to repay the loan?
The loan will be a set percentage of the property’s value. So when you come to sell your house in future, you’ll pay back the same percentage of the sale price.
For example, if you have a 20% equity loan on a house worth £200,000, you will have borrowed £40,000 as the equity loan and the remaining 80% will be funded by a combination of your deposit and mortgage.
When you sell your house you will pay back the equity loan. If your house is worth £220,000 when you sell it you’ll pay back 20% of the current market value e.g. £44,000. In this example, your own equity will have also increased in value.
Who owns the property?
You do. You’ll own 100% of the property and there’ll be no rent to pay.
Who provides the loan?
The equity loan is provided by Places for People Scotland and the Scottish Government.