Scottish Building Society signs up to £150m First Home Fund
Scottish Building Society is one of the first lenders to sign up to the Scottish Government’s new £150 million First Home Fund.
Launched today, applications are now open for a new national pilot scheme helping first-time buyers with the deposit for a new home.
The Scottish Government’s First Home Fund will make the housing market fairer by providing a total of £150m until March 2021 to help at least 6,000 people buy their first home.
First unveiled back in April, shared equity pilot scheme will provide first-time buyers with up to £25,000 to help them buy a property that meets their needs and is located in the area where they want to live.
It is open to all first-time buyers in Scotland and can be used to help buy both new build and existing properties.
Under the scheme, buyers will be required to fund a minimum of 5% of the value of their new house from their own funds. The loan will be secured on the equity of the home; is repayable in full at any time, and must be repaid if the home is sold. No monthly payments will therefore apply.
Reacting to the new scheme, Paul Denton, chief executive officer of Scottish Building Society, commented: “We are delighted and proud to be one of the first lenders to offer this new scheme.
“This new funding scheme offers a greater degree of flexibility to first time buyers and allows them to benefit from the lower interest rates available on lower ‘loan to value’ mortgages. Compared to other funding schemes, there are no limits on the property value and the government contribution could be as high as 49% allowing for more people to purchase their first home.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “For many people, getting a deposit together is often an obstacle in buying their first home. Removing barriers and supporting people to buy the home they want is at the heart of this new fund. That is why we are acting to make the process fairer, to offer a helping hand to those buying a new home.
“The First Home Fund will provide first-time buyers with up to £25,000 towards the cost of buying a home that meets their needs and is located in the area where they want to live.
“Since 2007, the Scottish Government has provided more than £1.2 billion in shared equity schemes, which have helped tens of thousands of people into home ownership, particularly those aged under 35 and this new scheme adds to the support we are providing.”
Existing home ownership schemes have helped more than 32,000 households in Scotland buy their own home since 2007, particularly those aged under 35.
The First Home Fund will run from 18 December 2019 until March 2021