The UK’s largest dedicated event for first time buyers, the London Home Show, returned to Westminster for the tenth year in a row on Saturday 15th April 2023. With demand for Shared Ownership at an all-time high following the end of the government’s Help to Buy scheme, organisers Share to Buy logged record numbers of attendees – with almost 5,000 guests throughout the day.

Held at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre twice a year, the event offers hopeful first time buyers a wealth of information on affordable homeownership schemes, including Shared Ownership, Discount Full Ownership and London Living Rent. Since launching in 2013, the London Home Show has welcomed almost 65,000 hopeful buyers through its doors, giving them face-to-face access to some of the housing industry’s biggest names.

Nick Lieb, Head of Operations for Share to Buy comments: “We were delighted to celebrate 10 years of the London Home Show with our largest attendance to date! With the government’s Help to Buy scheme closing at the end of last month, a substantial gap has been left in the market. It’s clear from the thousands of hopeful buyers who joined us at the weekend that demand for Shared Ownership and other alternative housing options is higher than it’s ever been before. At Share to Buy, we are committed to raising awareness of the different home-buying schemes on offer, helping potential purchasers to understand their options and continue to access affordable housing.”

“Whilst there is a vast amount of information online, nothing compares to being able to ask questions in person, and for all of these potential purchasers who are only just discovering schemes like Shared Ownership and London Living Rent for the first time, getting their questions answered face-to-face is vital. Our spring 2023 show is just the beginning – we expect to see interest in affordable homeownership schemes, as well as the London Home Show, rising steadily year-on-year from here out.”

Hosted by Share to Buy, the UK’s leading online portal for first time buyer homes, the London Home Show gave guests the opportunity to discover hundreds of affordable homes available across London and the Home Counties. The free-to-attend exhibition is an invaluable resource for those looking to purchase a home, giving budding buyers the opportunity to discuss their house-hunting journey and financial situation with industry experts, receiving vital information, advice and guidance.

Throughout the day, a busy programme of workshops, seminars and educational sessions were fully booked, and attended by over 1,500 guests. The hugely popular ‘Affordability Workshops’ returned, giving those looking to purchase a home the chance to hear from first time buyer mortgage specialists, Censeo Financial. The specialised workshops gave attendees the opportunity to ask questions about the mortgage process and learn about the options available to them.

Guests were also able to attend ‘Ask the Experts: Shared Ownership 101’ sessions, where a panel of housing associations, mortgage brokers and solicitors talked through the Shared Ownership application process in detail and took questions from the audience.

Brand new for 2023, Dutton Gregory Solicitors hosted a seminar where attendees could have their legal questions answered, alongside other insightful ‘First Time Buyer Workshops’ including sessions with HomeViews, the UK’s only review site dedicated to residential properties, and specialist mortgage lender, Gen H.

Partnering with some of the sector’s leading housing providers, financial advisors, specialist solicitors and sales agents, sponsors of the event included Southern Housing New Homes, SO Resi, FABRICA, Guinness Homes, L&Q, Peabody, Square Roots, Notting Hill Genesis, SiteSales and Dutton Gregory Solicitors. There was a total of 43 exhibitors in attendance.

To register your interest for the next London Home Show, taking place in autumn 2023, visit www.sharetobuy.com/homeshow.