Leeds Building Society has reported that the popularity of Shared Ownership has seen a rise in demand and is becoming more popular outside of its traditional stronghold of London.
According to their figures, from 2009 to 2018, the proportion of Leeds Building Societyโs Shared Ownership borrowers buying in London decreased from 34% to 13%, as other regions saw growing demand.
The South East continues to be the most popular area to make use of the initiative to enter the property market, with just under a third (30%) of Leeds Building Society borrowers buying in the region.
Areas of the UK experiencing growth in the use of shared ownership in the same period, include the South West (4% of borrowers in 2009 to 13% in 2018), East Midlands (6% of borrowers to 12%), West Midlands (4% of borrowers to 10%) and North West (4% of borrowers to 8%).
Matt Bartle, Director of Products at Leeds Building Society said, โShared Ownership has been in existence for 40-years and provides an opportunity for people to step onto the property ladder, particularly for first time buyers, as itโs one way to bring down the size of deposit required.
“London has traditionally been associated with Shared Ownership due to its high property prices, however weโre seeing significant growth in homebuyers in other regions taking advantage of the scheme. The market is strong, healthy and growing across the UK and offers a way to help more people to have the home they want.
“To increase access to Shared Ownership for buyers we used our expertise in the market to develop a bespoke product range, including 95% borrower share mortgages, as we continue to support those less well served by the wider market.โ
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