For many aspiring homeowners, buying a home often feels like a starting point where life can really begin. It’s about having your own front door, putting down roots and being able to plan properly. Yet for many, saving a deposit to buy a home is almost impossible.
That’s why Own Homes has created a new pathway into homeownership, designed around real life.
It’s called #RentSaveOwn: Rent your new home. Save while you rent. Own when you’re ready.
Meet Toby and Abi
Toby Buckby, 27, and Abi Gilmore, 26, know this deposit challenge well.
They’re a couple living apart in Northamptonshire, both staying with family while they save. Toby works as a claims handler for a motor insurance company. Abi is an NHS pharmacy technician.
“We can afford the monthly mortgage payments,” Toby explains. “It’s the deposit that stops us from buying.”
Before moving back in with his grandparents, Toby rented on his own. “I loved the independence,” he says. “But once rent, bills and everyday costs went out, there wasn’t much left to save.” Abi’s situation has been different, but the challenge remains the same. “I stayed at home to clear debt first,” she says. “My repayments were basically what I would have been saving.
“Owning a home is our number one priority,” Abi says. “Having a family and getting married are on hold until we own.”
A different way to move forward
Toby and Abi are the kind of homebuyers Own Homes can help. They’re on their homebuying journey and plan to use #RentSaveOwn.
Rather than asking homebuyers to rent while saving for a deposit to buy, they can:
- Live in a new build home they choose
- Build their deposit while renting
- And own within five years.
Chris Lee, Founder and CEO of Own Homes, was responsible for delivering Help to Buy, the UK’s largest ever Government-backed homeownership scheme. That experience shaped how he’s building Own Homes. “So many people can afford the monthly mortgage to own a home,” he says. “What they can’t do is save the deposit. We wanted to create something that makes homeownership easier, and without putting life on pause. We make it possible to save a deposit while renting and living in the home they will own.”
The result is a homebuying option that feels predictable, transparent and realistic, especially for those navigating this journey for the first time.
How #RentSaveOwn works
At its heart, #RentSaveOwn is simple.
First, homebuyers choose their brand new home from one of Own Homes’
partner housebuilders.
Own Homes buys the home. When it’s built, they move in and rent it.
Each month, they pay a fixed amount equal to a mortgage payment. Part of that payment covers the rent. Another part is automatically placed into a dedicated savings account.
That savings pot builds month by month. It is possible to boost savings by adding extra money, and friends or family can add to it too. When they’re ready, they use their savings as a deposit and take out a mortgage from any mortgage lender to buy the home they already live in.
There’s no guesswork. From day one, they can see how much they’re saving and how close they are to owning.
Staying in control every step of the way
Own Homes has designed #RentSaveOwn to put homebuyers firmly in control.
With access to an app, they can simply track how savings build each month, how much of their money is going toward their future home, track progress over time, and know how soon they’ll be ready to buy. It’s about building confidence and giving them control of their money. Over time, that visibility helps to build healthy habits and long-term financial confidence.
As Chris puts it, ”Homebuyers aren’t just working towards owning a home; they’re able to plan, save and build wealth in a way that feels manageable and motivating.”
Why living in the home makes such a difference
For Toby and Abi, that visibility is what makes #RentSaveOwn different.
Toby says, “When you’re saving, it can feel like a constant sacrifice without seeing the finish line. You’re always giving things up, but the goal feels far away.”
Abi agrees. “Saving means saying no to things. And when you can’t see your progress, it can be demotivating. Living in the home while saving changes that.” With #RentSaveOwn, you live and breathe the motivation. You see every day what you’re saving for. It makes homeownership feel real, not distant or imaginary.”
It also provides a sense of certainty about where you’ll be living, making it easier to plan, settle in and feel in control.
Who #RentSaveOwn is for
#RentSaveOwn with Own Homes is designed for those who:
- Are able to afford a mortgage-level monthly payment
- Want to own the home they live in
- Are looking for a clear, structured route into homeownership.
Those who apply must have a household income over £45,000, be in stable employment or self-employment, and have a good credit history.
There are upfront costs, including one month’s rent in advance and an administration fee, and homebuyers commit to purchasing the home once they have been approved.
“We’re very open about the responsibilities involved,” says Chris. “It’s important homebuyers understand the commitment they are making before they start.”
That openness is deliberate because the aim is confidence.
Clear information, real support
Buying a home for the first time can feel overwhelming.
Learning about mortgages, surveys, solicitors’ fees, insurance, and other costs isn’t always easy to understand, especially if those buying don’t have someone close who’s been through it recently.
Own Homes explains the costs, commitments and next steps from the outset, so that homebuyers can see
what’s expected of them and what support is available.
For Abi, that support matters and she comments, “There are companies out there that don’t always have your best interests at heart. Knowing you can ask questions and get clear answers is really reassuring.”
Making rent work harder for your future
Renting can often feel like money that simply disappears each month. Own Homes reframes rent to be a stepping stone towards homeownership and financial stability.
By automatically saving part of their monthly payment, homebuyers can build a deposit without having to save on top of rent. Over time, those contributions add up, turning rent into progress. At the end, homebuyers also have a home that can help build equity, and this helps strengthen long-term wealth.
Launching soon
Own Homes is launching later this year, but you don’t have to wait until then to find out whether this rent-to-own option could work for you. You can explore how it works and decide whether it’s right for you by visiting ownhomes.com.
Own Homes offers a different way to own your own home, because owning a home should feel achievable. Visit ownhomes.com
First Time Buyer is an exciting bi-monthly glossy which takes a stylish and comprehensive look at all the options available, setting them out in an entertaining and informative way, and helping potential customers navigate their way through what is often a daunting and complex process. We dispel the myths, reinforce the facts and arm the reader with the tools necessary to make their homeownership dreams a reality.