ORBIT HOMEBUY AGENTS ARE THE KEY TO AFFORDABLE HOMES

Many of our front line Key Workers are still finding it difficult to find a home of their own that they can afford. Despite an overall drop over the past year or so, house prices remain relatively high and lenders are asking for higher deposits than in the past, putting purchasing out of the reach of many who aspire to own their own home.

However, there are still a number of ways you CAN afford to purchase, and Orbit HomeBuy Agents can help you achieve your dream of home-ownership.

Orbit is the largest HomeBuy Agent in England, covering six 'zones' - Norfolk and Suffolk; Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire; Birmingham, Solihull and the Black County; Herefordshire and Worcestershire; Coventry and Warwickshire; and Staffordshire and Shropshire. Orbit HomeBuy Agents work in partnership with their stakeholders - other developers, local authorities and housing associations in their areas of operation - acting as a one-stop shop, to promote a range of HomeBuy products for people interested in finding an affordable home of their own - either to buy or to rent. Key Workers are one of Orbit HomeBuy Agents' priority groups, and this includes both medical and non-medical staff. Providing your annual household income is less than £60,000, Orbit HomeBuy Agents may be able to help.

You could be eligible to purchase your new home on a part-buy part-rent basis using New Build HomeBuy. This means you would generally take out a mortgage for a share of the property and rent the remaining share at a discounted rate. You can then purchase additional shares in the future until you own the property outright.

Alternatively, many developers are now offering brand new homes for purchase through the HomeBuy Direct scheme. Those eligible can take advantage of equity loans provided jointly by the developer and the government of up to 30 per cent of the property value, with no interest to be paid on the loan for the first five years. If you are currently unable to purchase you may wish to consider Rent to HomeBuy and Intermediate Rent, both of which are helping many people find an affordable rented home while they save up the deposit needed to step onto the property ladder.

HomeBuy Agents Manager, Karen Coleman said: "Many people who desperately want their own home are unaware that help is available but we are processing around 1,000 applications each month from people looking for a home and you could be next. Why not visit our website or give us a call for further information, it could be your first step into your new home."

For further information please call 03458 50 20 50 or visit
www.orbithomebuyagents.co.uk