Getting help to buy your home
There are a number of schemes set up to help you buy a new home if you can't afford one:
- Low cost initiative for first time buyers (LIFT)
- New Supply Shared Equity Scheme
- Open market shared equity scheme
- Shared ownership
Low cost initiative for first time buyers (LIFT)
If you would like to buy your own home but can't afford to pay the full market price for a property, the low-cost initiative for first time buyers (LIFT) could help. The scheme is designed to help people on low to moderate incomes buy their first home. When you apply for the scheme, your financial circumstances will be assessed.
New Supply Shared Equity Scheme
The New Supply Shared Equity Scheme (NSSE) aims to help eligible applicants on low to moderate incomes to buy an affordable new build home which has been built for shared equity sale. Applicants will fund the majority share of the purchase of the property and own it outright. The Scottish Government will hold the remaining share of the property under a shared equity agreement.
For example, if you pay for 70% of the property, the Scottish Government will pay for and hold a 30% share in the property. You will have the opportunity to increase your share of the property up to 100% in the future.
For further details view LIFT New Supply on the Link Housing website.
View New Supply Shared Equity resale properties on the Grampian Housing website.
Open market shared equity scheme
The Open Market Shared Equity Scheme (OMSE) can help people who want to buy a property on the open market. The Scottish Government contributes between 10% and 40% of the purchase price of the house.
The scheme is aimed at first-time buyers, social rented tenants, disabled people with a housing need, armed forces personnel and recent veterans.
For further details please visit LIFT Open Market on the Link Housing website.
Shared ownership
Shared ownership is a scheme where applicants part-buy and part-rent a property from a registered social landlord. These properties are normally built by the registered social landlord specifically to help people get onto the home ownership ladder. You can find out more about shared ownership on mygov.scot.
For more information on registered social landlords currently running shared ownership schemes in the Aberdeenshire please contact: