Become A Home Partner
At HPBC we use the ‘sweat equity’ initiative to enable future homeowners to earn £10,000 towards the deposit on their homes and at the same time foster a strong sense of community by helping to build their own home and those of their future neighbours.
‘Sweat equity’ not only reduces the cost of your home, but enables you to learn new skills, make new friends, and become part of this unique community even before you move in.
“Being able to invest ‘sweat equity’ rather than cash is a great idea. It means that people like me who do not have the money readily available for a big deposit can use their strength and hard work instead.”
Home owner Julia Walimbwa (right) with HPBC Chair Rev Dr Shannon Ledbetter
Where health issues affect a home partner’s ability to work on site there are opportunities to contribute your hours in other ways such as administrative tasks including marketing, IT, social media, and planning Team Builds.
Our focus is on helping those who wouldn’t ordinarily be able to afford to own a home of their own and we have a comprehensive procedure for selecting families.
Properties are purchased on a Shared Ownership basis, whereby Home Partners purchase a 50% or more share in their home and a 2.75% annual rent (paid monthly) is paid to Onward Housing Group on the residual equity of the property.
Joyce Wong
To become one of our home partners at our current project at St Bernards Church, Liverpool, you must:
Live or work in the Liverpool area or have strong family connections here.
Must be in housing need.
Be willing to give 500 hours of your time towards creating this unique community.
Be in a financial position whereby you can obtain a mortgage between 30-70% of the house price.
On applying to HPBC, you will be given an overview of the project and tour of site, before being asked to fill in a simple application form and to obtain a credit rating report. You will then meet with an independent mortgage adviser, who will undertake a financial assessment and check your ability to secure and repay a mortgage.
If you meet our qualifying criteria you will be visited in your home by two members of our Family Selection Committee, who will take you through the final steps to becoming one of our home partners and, provided all the criteria has been met, will make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees that you be accepted on to the programme. With all the paperwork and checks completed you will then be ready to start your “sweat equity”. That’s when the fun starts!
To find out more about becoming one of our home partners contact our Chief Executive Liza Parry, tel: 07817066084 or email liza@hpbc.org.uk.