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Overcoming the hurdles standing between you and owning a home of your own is one of the best feelings in the world. The Shared Ownership Scheme allows you to reach that milestone even sooner, removing barriers to entry and offering growth over time. But what is shared ownership anyway, and how does it work?
Shared ownership is a property buying scheme that allows you to:
Buy more shares in the future, reducing the cost of rent aaA lot of ink has been spilled about how Shared Ownership could benefit homeowners in theory, but, often, it’s more useful to hear from the people themselves! In this blog, we’ll dive into the emotional benefits that new owners of Shared Ownership homes feel, and why a Plumlife home could be exactly for you.
The biggest emotional and well-being benefits Shared Ownership homeowners report experiencing are:
Keep reading to hear from Shared Ownership homeowners Abbie, Emma, Awadhesh, Nisha, and Dimitrios about their experiences.
This is what everyone shouts about when it comes to Shared Ownership, and for good reason. For first-time buyers and young people, Shared Ownership lowers the barrier to entry, making modern homeownership realistic again.
[image – thumbnail from Abbie interview video]
Abbie, who was previously renting a two-bed apartment, said: “I was saving for a deposit for quite a while, but it just felt like I was never going to reach that. It felt like an endless cycle of saving.
“I chose Shared Ownership because it opened up a lot more options for me. The deposit was lower, the mortgage was lower, and the rent for the remaining share was also lower. It allowed me to afford the type of home I actually wanted to live in.”
In the UK, it typically takes years to save up for a deposit on a home. Nationwide’s senior economist, Andrew Harvey, told the London Standard: “A 10 per cent deposit on a typical UK first-time buyer property is around £23,000.
“Even based on saving 10 per cent of average net pay (around £320) per month it would take a prospective buyer nearly six years to accumulate this.”
Shared Ownership breaks through that price barrier with ease, dropping deposit costs based on the amount of shares being bought.
Emma, a Shared Ownership homeowner in Chadderton, said: “The biggest benefit [of shared ownership] for me was the finance side of things, not having to save up £20,000 for a deposit.
“My deposit was affordable enough for me to be able to save up within six months.”
Once new homeowners have got their foot in the door with a Shared Ownership property, Staircasing allows them to grow their ‘level’ of ownership. Awadhesh started his homeownership journey by buying some shares in a home in Gorton through the scheme, scaling up to full ownership over the next two years.
Awadhesh said: “With the deposit I had, it wasn’t possible for me to buy a home on the open market – especially a new build. But thanks to Shared Ownership, I was able to buy a 70% share in a brand-new home.”
[image – thumbnail from Awadhesh interview video]
So, what convinced Awadhesh to buy more shares in his home? Besides the affordability, there was another major benefit that convinced him to take the plunge: energy efficiency.
Awadhesh and his family discovered that their new-build Shared Ownership home helped them to save more than expected. Awadhesh said, “After living in the property for two years, we found that the energy bills were so much less than our previous home. This allowed us to save and buy the remaining shares.
“It’s an energy-efficient home, which is important when the energy bills are so high.”
You can read about the myriad ways in which new builds help families save money in our blog: Why New Builds Save You More on Energy Bills
In February 2026, the Home Builders Federation reported that energy bills are up to 27% cheaper in new builds than in existing homes due to energy-efficient design. Additionally, 87% of new-build homes have an EPC rating of A or B, while less than 5% of existing homes are rated the same.
[image – featured image from Nisha case study]
For Nisha, energy bills were a deciding factor when house hunting: “Buying a home with solar panels was a big driver as it means that my home could be more energy efficient.
“At my mum’s, I was always turning off lights and sockets; in my new home, this is less of a concern. I was conscious about the cost of bills after moving on, but I’ve found that my house is energy-efficient with fantastic heat retention.”
But there was something else alluring about new-build homes to Nisha: the allure of a fresh start.
First-time buyers, especially, can find a great amount of joy in the newness of new builds. New builds allow you to get that first taste of complete self-expression without the baggage of previous owners weighing you down. And with developments built in well-connected areas, your new life is only one move away.
For Nisha, seeing the construction of the new development beforehand was crucial for making her decision. She said, “I have always lived with family, but I wanted something of my own that was still close to everyone.
“I used to pass the development on the tram and dream about buying a house there. After I had reserved my new home, I would see it going up brick-by-brick coming back from Manchester, and think ‘OMG that’s actually my house!’”
Many new-build owners find the process of their home being built and moving in immensely satisfying, as it gives a real sense of control. Nisha’s commutable new home brings us to another major benefit of Shared Ownership homes: they’re often found in great locations with practical connections.
Dimitrios and his partner moved into their new home in Salford through Shared Ownership and have been loving how close it is to Manchester City Centre. Dimitrios said: “It’s next to the river, close to the city centre, and right by two tram stops. With lots of amenities nearby, it’s so convenient.”
[image – thumbnail to Dimitrios interview video]
It’s not just the local area people love with new builds and Shared Ownership homes, though, it’s also the features and amenities that come with the development.
Dimitrios said, about his Worrall Street home: “There’s a lovely reception area and a co-working space where you can work or socialise. The rooftop space is amazing in spring and summer, and it’s only for residents, which makes it really special.”
Plumlife Homes takes great care to provide residents with facilities and amenities that actually benefit them, like those at Worrall Street. You can learn more about our Shared Ownership properties and view upcoming developments online.
Each of these stories comes from people Plumlife has helped to begin their homeowning journey. Plumlife Homes is a housing organisation that is highly accessible for first-time buyers and young people, which Abbie attests to: “As a first-time buyer, I was anxious and didn’t really know where to begin, but Plumlife guides you through it in a way that you feel really well informed.”
Our sales advisors are well-reviewed, experienced enough to give realistic answers and helpful advice, and authentically engaged in your homebuying journey.
| “Jonny was brilliant, he always kept me up to date and showed a genuine interest in helping me buy my first home. This level of customer service is hard to come by.”
— Nisha |
| “Rachel from Plumlife was amazing! She answered all our questions, helped with mortgage and legal advice, and guided us through everything. The whole journey was quick, and we felt supported throughout.”
— Dimitrios |
| “I’ve had such a wonderful experience with Plumlife and would highly recommend them to a lot of people that want to get onto the property ladder. Especially if they don’t have the full amount to buy on their own”
— Emma |
Plumlife is dedicated to providing quality properties at affordable prices for people at all stages of the property ladder. Shared Ownership is a great option for first-time buyers, and you can view our range of properties online.
Check out our Shared Ownership eligibility and affordability tools below to ensure you qualify for the scheme.
Our Developments Affordability Checker Eligibility Checker
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