Borrowing With a Help To Buy Mortgage Scheme
The Help to Buy scheme offers an equity loan from the government to help people buy a property with a reasonable deposit.
Having this capital as a down payment, added to the minimum 5% cash deposit, means that applicants can achieve much more affordable interest rates, and have a better chance of getting onto the property ladder.
Revolution Brokers works with thousands of buyers looking for competitive Help to Buy lending - read on for more information or give us a call on 0330 304 3040 to calculate what you can borrow.
How Can I Calculate the Maximum I Can Borrow Through Help to Buy?
In England and Wales, you can borrow up to 20% of the property value through an equity loan. You must have a 5% deposit available.
You then need a mortgage for the 80% balance of the property value to go ahead with your purchase.
If you live in London, you can borrow up to 40% of the property value, and your mortgage needs to be for at least 25% of the purchase price, with the equity loan and mortgage together being at least 60% of the property value.
London Help to Buy properties are capped at £600,000.
In England and Wales, you can borrow up to £120,000 through Help to Buy, with the maximum equity loan in London £240,000.
As an illustration - if you have a deposit of £10,000, and are buying a property worth £200,000:
- Deposit of £10,000.
- Help to Buy Loan of £40,000 (20%).
- Mortgage value £140,000.
How Much is the Maximum Help to Buy Mortgage?
Lenders don’t have a fixed maximum; they will consider how much you earn, how much the property is worth, and how much of a deposit you have available (including the Help to Buy loan).
If you remortgages your Help to Buy lending, the equity loan will carry over onto the new product unless you repay it.
What are the Affordability Calculations for a Help to Buy Loan?
To apply for the equity loan, you'll need to meet the essential criteria and must contribute at least 5% cash deposit towards the property.
You can put down up to a 65% deposit if you have the funds available, and take out a Help to Buy loan of at least 10% of the property value - with a smaller 25% mortgage.
When applying for the loan, you'll need to fill in information about the property you wish to buy, how much deposit you have, how much you earn, and the mortgage details.
Help to Buy mortgages are limited to a maximum of 4.5 times your annual income (for the household), and you'll need to demonstrate that, of your net disposable income, your general outgoings are 45% or less.
What are the Repayment Terms on a Help to Buy Loan?
For the first five years, you do not need to pay any interest but must pay £1 per month to Homes England.
After five years, you start to pay fees and interest. This charge begins at 1.75% and increases each year, but the Retail Price Index (RPI), plus an additional 1%.
You have 25 years to repay your Help to Buy loan - but if you sell the property can repay it sooner. Remember that whenever you repay the equity, you’ll need to pay back the same percentage of the property value, so if your home has increased in value, you'll still need to pay back the same proportion.
Professional Advice with UK Help to Buy Mortgage Applications
If you're hoping to buy a property through Help to Buy and unsure whether you will be able to get the size of mortgage you need or want to run through different lender products to choose the most suitable, give us a call.
The mortgage advisors team is available on 0330 304 3040, or via email at [email protected].
