Less than 2% of homes for sale offer buyer support schemes despite strong demand

More than one in three scheme-backed homes already sold as affordability pressures continue to drive buyer demand

The latest analysis from London estate agent Benham and Reeves has revealed that homes offering buyers additional support through affordability and purchasing schemes remain in strong demand, despite accounting for less than 2% of available housing stock across Great Britain.

Buying scheme stock in short supply

The research found that there are currently an estimated 611,443 homes available for sale across Great Britain. Of these, just 11,036 are available with a buyer support scheme attached, meaning such properties account for only 1.8% of all available stock.*

Despite their limited availability, demand remains robust. Across Great Britain, 36.3% of all homes marketed with a buying scheme have already been sold subject to contract, demonstrating the continued appetite among buyers for initiatives designed to help them overcome affordability barriers.

The findings suggest that while housing affordability remains one of the biggest challenges facing homebuyers, opportunities to access support remain relatively scarce.

Midlands leads the nation for demand

The strongest demand for scheme-backed homes can be found across the Midlands.

In the West Midlands, 42.4% of homes offering buyer support have already been sold subject to contract, the highest proportion of any region in Britain. The East Midlands follows at 41.3%, while the North West ranks third at 40.6%.

Yorkshire and the Humber also records strong demand at 39.0%, while Scotland sits at 38.4%.

Across England as a whole, demand stands at 41.1%, highlighting the important role affordability initiatives continue to play in helping buyers secure a property.

Limited supply across most regions

While buyer appetite remains strong, the availability of such homes is relatively limited across the market.

The South East has the highest concentration of scheme-backed homes, where they account for 2.7% of all available stock. The East of England follows at 2.5%, while London and the South West both sit at 2.0%.

In contrast, Scotland has the lowest level of availability, with buying-scheme properties accounting for just 0.4% of stock, followed by Wales at 0.8%.

Even in regions with the greatest availability, homes offering affordability support remain a small minority of overall housing stock.

Marc von Grundherr, Director of Benham and Reeves, commented:

“For many buyers, affordability remains the biggest obstacle to homeownership and that’s why homes offering additional support continue to attract strong demand.

What’s particularly notable is that these properties account for less than 2% of available housing stock across Great Britain, despite more than a third already being sold subject to contract.

The government is rightly focused on increasing housing supply, but buyers also need practical support to help them get onto the ladder. This research suggests there is still a significant appetite for schemes that help bridge the gap between aspiration and affordability.”