Home Stepper is available on selected Countryside Homes properties. Eligible homes are listed on our website, and availability may vary. Please get in touch with our sales consultants for more information and to check if a home qualifies.

The share you can purchase depends on your individual financial circumstances. You may be able to buy up to 75% your home, but it's important to choose a share that aligns with what you can afford.

Yes, you can increase your share of home ownership gradually through a process known as 'staircasing'. Over time, you could eventually own 100% of your home. When this happens, a transfer of the freehold interest for houses or the full leasehold interest for apartments will need to take place.

Once you've purchased your home through Home Stepper, you'll pay rent directly to Sage Homes. The monthly amount depends on the value of your home and the share you've purchased. You'll only pay rent at a rate of 2.75% on the unpurchased share of your home, which is owned by Sage Homes.

Your rent will be reviewed annually on 1st April. Typically, it will reflect the year-on-year change in the Retail Price Index (RPI), plus 0.5% in the preceding 12 months. These terms are clearly explained in your lease, and our sales teams are always available to walk you through the process.

In addition to the rent you pay to Sage Homes, you will need to pay 100% of your household bills, including council tax and utility bills. You'll also need to pay 100% of any applicable maintenance fees and estate charges associated with the home you choose.

An annual leasehold management fee will be charged directly by Sage, alongside your service charge. This fee is £195 per year and will increase each year in line with inflation. The terms are clearly set out in your lease agreement.

The term "Shared Ownership" refers to the fact that you are acquiring a percentage share of the home, with Sage Homes owning the remaining share. You'll live in the home as if you own it outright, subject to the terms of the lease.

While you're welcome to purchase a Countryside Home with another person, it isn't a requirement of the Home Stepper Shared Ownership scheme. If you do choose to purchase the property with another person, your combined household income mustn't exceed £80,000 (£90,000 in London).

Sage Homes will provide buildings insurance, and payment for this will be included within your service charges. Your Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) will be able to tell you how much this will cost. However, you'll need to arrange your own contents insurance separately.

You'll be free to sell your home at any time. To begin the process, you'll need to notify Sage Homes, who will then arrange an independent RICS valuation to determine the sale value of your home. The purchaser(s) will need to meet the Home Stepper eligibility criteria. Sage Homes then has 4 weeks from receiving your notice to nominate a purchaser(s) to ensure that others can benefit from the scheme.

If Sage Homes can't find a nominee to purchase your home, or if a nominee fails to exchange contracts within 12 weeks of your solicitor issuing the draft sale contract (and related sale documentation), you'll be able to sell your home on the open market. In this case, once the sale is complete, you'll need to repay Sage Homes the market value of the percentage share Sage Homes owned prior to the sale.

Additionally, you'll need to cover the costs of this process, including the valuation, Sage's marketing fee (1% of the full market price), and legal and admin fees.

Yes, Stamp Duty will apply, and the amount you pay will depend on the percentage share of the home you're purchasing. There may be allowances available to reduce the Stamp Duty due (such as being a first-time buyer buying a home under the Stamp Duty payment threshold).

Please speak to your solicitor, who'll be able to provide a detailed calculation based on your specific circumstances.

As a Shared Ownership customer purchasing a Countryside Home under the Home Stepper scheme, you'll be responsible for completing and/or paying for any repair works that aren't covered by our two-year warranty or the NHBC's 10-year warranty and insurance policy.

If your chosen home comes with white goods, such as a fridge and washing machine, each item will have its own guarantee, which will be provided to you upon legal completion.

Yes, you are welcome to decorate your new home to make it truly yours. However, for any significant changes, such as adding an extension, you'll need to seek permission from Sage Homes and Countryside Homes and ensure the necessary planning permissions are in place.

As the provider of the Home Stepper scheme, Sage Homes will need to provide consent for you to keep pets at the property. Please get in touch with Sage Homes directly for further details.

While most Shared Ownership leases don't permit full subletting, Sage Homes will consider requests to take on a lodger on a case-by-case basis. To explore this option, please contact Sage Homes directly for further information.

Yes, there are some standard administrative fees involved in the process:

• When purchasing a leasehold property, the lender will register a Legal Charge on the title to the property, which your landlord will need to be notified of.
• Sage will need to approve your mortgage offer, which involves a charge of £50 (+VAT).
• At the time of legal completion, Sage must receive a Notice of Charge (Notice of your mortgage lender) in accordance with the terms set out in the Shared Ownership lease, the fee for which is  £75 (+VAT).

Your solicitor will include these fees in your completion statement, and they'll be payable on the day of completion. These fees won't apply if you are buying your share without a mortgage.

No, Shared Ownership properties are not covered under the Consumer Code or NHQC (New Homes Quality Code). However, they still meet the stringent standards of excellence we apply to all our high-quality, sustainable homes.