Help to Buy Equity Loan Wales

If you are struggling to raise a deposit to move to a new build home in Wales, then the Help to Buy Wales Equity Loan scheme could be worth looking into.

Similar to the Help to Buy England and Help to Buy Scotland schemes, the Help to Buy Wales Equity Loan scheme could allow you to move home with as little as a 5% deposit and a 75% mortgage. Under the Help to Buy Wales scheme you can make up the rest with a 20% equity loan from the government.

Here’s a quick summary of the important bits for the Wales scheme:

• The Scheme is available in Wales for affiliated new builds up to the value of £300,000
• Existing home owners and first time buyers are eligible
• Buyers are required to provide a minimum deposit of 5%
• This must be your only property and you must occupy the property
• The home purchase will need to meet a minimum of EPC B rating

How does it work?

You can now borrow 20% of the value of a new build property worth up to £250,000 under the Help to Buy Wales scheme. From the date you start the scheme, you will have to pay a monthly £1 administration fee. Other than this, you won’t have to pay anything else in the first five years. In the sixth year you will be charged interest on your loan which will increase every year by inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), plus 2%. 

The scheme may not be available for all new builds in Wales, so do check with your house builder to see whether they are taking part in the scheme. Most of the well-known house builders are already taking part in this scheme.

So what do you need to know?

The Equity Loan is repayable after 25 years, or on the sale of the property, whichever comes first.

You can sell your home at any time, however you will have to pay back the loan: 20% of the sales price at the time you sell. If your property increases in value, you may end up repaying more than you originally borrowed.

For more information and advice on the Equity Loan scheme, please speak to your local house builders, estate agents, mortgage advisors or independent financial advisors.