This National Home Buying Week, your first home could be closer than you think with Shared Ownership. Esaiyas Mollallegn, Head of Marketing and Sales Operations at SO Resi by Metropolitan Thames Valley, explains
So far, 2026 is shaping up to be a positive year for first time buyers, and as we look to the year ahead, homeownership feels more within reach than ever before. Thanks to a combination of falling mortgage rates, earnings growth running ahead of inflation and house prices rising slowly, monthly mortgage costs for first time buyers as a share of income are at their lowest level since 2022.¹
The evidence right now suggests that first time buyers will be the driving force behind the housing market this year. However, for many looking to get their foot on the housing ladder, cost may still be a major hurdle to overcome, especially in London.
Recent figures from Nationwide Building Society reveal that a first time buyer in London typically needs to raise around three times the amount of cash as someone in Scotland or some parts of northern England, in order to put down a 10% deposit.²
That’s a lot of time spent saving, especially when you’re young and want to be living life to the full. Step forward Shared Ownership, a tried and trusted solution to homeownership, enabling buyers to start with a share and building up ownership over time.
At SO Resi, we’re delivering a number of Shared Ownership homes across London, including Zone 3 and 4 hotspots SO Resi Wembley Park, SO Resi Westgrove, and SO Resi Hendon Waterside. To the south of the river, we are creating new homes in desirable Zone 2 postcodes at SO Resi Clapham Park, SO Resi Peckham and SO Resi Oval Village, next to the iconic The Kia Oval cricket ground.
So, what exactly is Shared Ownership?
Shared Ownership is a great way to get your foot on the property ladder. It allows you to buy a share of a new home – typically between 10% and 75% – while paying below-market rent on the rest.
The process is simple and well supported, usually through a housing association or specialist provider. Better still, most major banks now offer Shared Ownership mortgages, with around 30 lenders providing dedicated products.
With SO Resi, you can buy with as little as a 5% deposit, and it’s based only on the share you’re purchasing, not the full property value.
For example, on a £300,000 home, buying a 25% share (£75,000) could mean a 5% deposit of just £3,750. Buying outright could require a deposit closer to £30,000.
Over time, you can buy more shares and increase your ownership until you own the home outright. You can even add an extra 1% share each year with no additional fees, making homeownership more flexible and achievable than ever.
In London, we have a number of Shared Ownership options in some of London’s most up-and-coming postcodes.
To find out more about Shared Ownership, visit us online via sharedownership.co.uk
1 theguardian.com/money/2025/dec/31/uk-house-prices-first-time-buyers-2026-sales-interest-rate-cuts-rent-rises
2 standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/property-news/london-first-time-buyers-home-deposit-b1267208.html
SO Resi Wembley
SO Resi has created new Shared Ownership homes across two developments in Wembley, SO Resi Wembley Park and SO Resi Wembley Way. Located in one of London’s hottest locations for first time buyers, Wembley has been transformed into a shopping, cultural and entertainment destination, thanks to the stadium, OVO Arena and Boxpark.
Example prices for SO Resi Wembley Park start from £97,500 for a one bedroom apartment based on a 25% share (full market value £390,000) with a 5% deposit from £4,875.
SO Resi Oval Village
SO Resi by Metropolitan Thames Valley has launched 46 apartments located just a stone’s throw from the iconic Oval Cricket Ground in Lambeth. SO Resi Oval Village, part of the wider Oval Village regeneration by Berkeley, offers studio, one and two bedroom apartments, all available through the Shared Ownership scheme.
Prices at SO Resi Oval Village start from £47,000 for a 10% share of a studio apartment (full market value £470,000), available with a 5% deposit of £2,350.
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.
