These are organisations appointed by
the Housing Corporation as a one stop shop and point
of contact assessing eligibility and providing information
for applicants on all of the home ownership options
available in their area. Each HomeBuy Agent covers a
particular geographical area or zone. All are Registered
Social Landlords with a proven track record in delivering
low cost home ownership schemes.
How do I know which properties
are available?
All housing associations that are offering
homes for sale or discounted rent in Cambridgeshire,
Peterborough, West Suffolk (Forest Heath, St Edmundsbury)
and Northamptonshire are marketing their properties
on this website. Khe also has a number of shared ownership
schemes in Milton Keynes.
Where individual eligibility criteria apply these will
be detailed for the particular scheme or development.
In order to proceed with a scheme or development that
you are interested in you must first register with Khe
your HomeBuy agent. Khe will also share your application
details with other housing associations that may also
send you property information.
Can I afford it?
Buying a property is expensive and feedback
from purchasers confirms that an amount of £2500
to cover the one-off costs is realistic. To proceed
with your application, you will need to have access
to at least £2500, either through savings or from
family/friends, without the need to borrow extra money
on your mortgage or to take out a personal loan.
If you think you can afford a mortgage we suggest you
seek advice from an independent mortgage advisor. It is unlikely that if you have an annual income below £10,000 you will be unable to afford home ownership unless you have substantial savings.
Can I buy additional shares?
If you buy a New Build HomeBuy property
you can increase your ownership at a later stage and
own the property outright if you wish to. This is called
“staircasing”. Many people who buy affordable
homes staircase to become full owners.
If you purchase through Open Market HomeBuy you can
also buy the remaining 25% at a later stage and own
the property outright.
I am not a UK National. Am I
eligible to apply?
You will be eligible to apply for HomeBuy
if you have the right to reside permanently in the UK.
If you are not a British citizen this means you should
have “indefinite leave to remain” stamped
inside your passport. People from member states of the
EU/European Economic Area may also apply if you are
currently living and working in the UK.
If you do not have the right to reside permanently in
the UK we can consider your application to rent a home
at discounted rent (key workers only).
What happens if I want to sell
my home and move, after I have purchased through HomeBuy?
Advice about selling and re-purchasing
a property would be available from the housing association
that dealt with the original purchase.
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