It’s a daunting prospect to think about buying a home a student. You’ve no doubt heard about the huge increase in property prices in recent decades and it’s not very difficult to own that first property without a large deposit. However, help is at hand! In this blog we talk about a solution called shared ownership, which could be the perfect solution to help graduates (or any first time buyer for that matter) get on the property ladder.

Shared ownership is a government scheme that aims at accommodating willing buyers who don’t have means to buy property outright. They will be able to purchase with a reduced deposit that ranges between 25-75% of the total value. If you don’t own another property or you are a first-time buyer, then you can buy. Those folks whose household income is between £20,000-90,000  might as well be eligible.

How can one apply?

If you are interested in applying for shared ownership your eligibility will be accessed at the individual level; alongside the following requirements:

• Location

Applicants who live within the area are usually given the priority. This is strategically set for any development.

• Income

For Property inside London, you will be allowed to apply if your annual household income of up to £90,000 while for those outside your yearly income should amount to £80,000 unless if you have a larger deposit.

• Position

The property bought under shared ownership must be purchased as part owner occupier or if it is the only property that you are entitled to ownership.

Who is eligible for shared ownership?

The following are conditions for eligibility:

• You are eligible if you are renting a council property.

• If you are renting from a housing association

• If you are a former British armed officer for the past two years or you are serving military personnel.

• First-time buyers are also eligible

How does it work?

For a shared ownership, a portion of your property is owned, and then you will be required to pay the reduced rent to the housing organisation who will own the remaining part of your property. However, you are eligible for the “staircase “.

Most of the shared ownership property is leasehold which buyers own the lease for a fixed duration. This scheme has made buying a house more affordable and achievable especially if you are a first-time buyer. It reduces the amount of money required to buy a house at full market value.

Why buy through shared ownership?

Buying through a shared ownership guarantees you the following benefits:

If your share is valued at the minimum threshold, you will be exempted from paying stamp duty.

• You are able to buy a more significant property that probably you couldn’t afford at the market value.

• You have an opportunity to build up your share until you fully own the property.

• You have the security of being a leaseholder.

• You will benefit from a financial interview to ascertain that you can afford to prevent you from straining in the future.…

The industry of student letting has a different place in the economy. It is a very fruitful way of earning money for the landlords based in the United Kingdom. Since the country is the home of many prestigious Universities of the world, the students come from all corners of the world to study under their prestigious tags. Student letting if done right, can be very much effective for the landlords as well as the students, but if it is done wrong, then it can result in an expensive deal for both the parties.

Student letting as a part of the UK’s economy

To complete their courses under the Universities, students have to stay away from their homes for quite a lot of time. Before, the concept of student letting was very small and only could be seen in the towns near to the Universities, but now, with the impetus in the need for higher education the student letting market of the UK has seen a boom in the last twenty to thirty years. The market has grown about 50% which comprises students belonging in the age group of eighteen to thirty. The UK saw this boom with the emergence as the small or cottage industry of the landlords who let out to students. The parents are relieved at this. They rent out by investing in a single investment property which their son or daughter will be keeping until the completion of their degree. This in way assures them with the fact that, even after leaving home, their offspring can thrive in a decent lifestyle. The investment is extremely fruitful for the students which give them the idea as to how to live on own can develop a sense of responsibility in them.
The information acquired from the Office for National Statistics showed that in the last twenty years, the demand for the higher education rose to 45%. By 2013, the student count increased to 3million. The growth is seen due to high demand in the undergraduate students. This has not only inspired the domestic students, but the trend has also attracted students from around the globe. The percentage of the foreign students in the United Kingdom is expected to rise and hit the benchmark of 15. Following are the estimates as to how many students are occupying the city in which condition.

259,000 students live with their parents at home

459,000 students occupy the halls of residence

680,000 students live in the houses with multiple occupations

Off late, the trend of letting the place to stay provided by the private owners or landlords has been falling. This is because the houses with multiple occupation and hall of residence are giving beds and rooms at a very low price than compared to the prices offered by the landlords. The rising number of the halls and houses is also a major factor in the decreasing popularity of the student letting. The rentals of the students have also seen a considerable increase in the past twenty years, and in this scenario, the houses and halls are quite economical for the students to save a substantial sum of currency.

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