The Help to Buy Mortgage Guarantee scheme has fallen rather flat in some areas of London, as Camden and Westminster are still on single figure sales using the scheme there.
Westminster has had just seven sales through the secondary scheme, and Camden has seen only five.
Across London, 3,841 people have used the scheme, but the spread is not even, with these central boroughs, where housing is most expensive, not being touched by the scheme.
The Help to Buy scheme was criticised for raising house prices and causing a stir in the London market until it was out of reach of many first time buyers, the people the scheme was created for.
Whether this is a problem with the scheme or with house prices in the area in general, it is undeniable that first time buyers are struggling to purchase property there.
The average asking price for a two bedroom flat in Camden is in the region of £769,702 according to Zoopla.
However, a sales associate from Hadleigh Residential estate agents who sold one of the five Help to Buy properties in Camden, said “I am very surprised that more people haven’t taken advantage of the scheme. We have plenty of properties for less than £600,000,” which is the price cap in the London boroughs, although a property of this value would still require a deposit of £30,000 from the buyer.
Whatever the reason, Help to Buy doesn’t seem to be making an impact in the most expensive areas. But whether this is down to an inherent flaw with the rules of the scheme, or because of the area is hard to tell.
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