Just Mortgages New Build and Shared Ownership has been appointed to Sovereign Network Group’s broker panel to advise buyers across the housing association’s developments.
The specialist division of the national brokerage will work with Sovereign Network Group, one of England’s largest housing associations, to support purchasers of Shared Ownership homes as well as customers looking at future staircasing options.
Sovereign Network Group provides more than 85,000 homes across London, the South East, South West and the East of England. Just Mortgages said its new build and Shared Ownership team has more than 35 dedicated advisers, with the appointment giving SNG access to a national advice operation focused on the sector.
The deal also underlines the continued importance of Shared Ownership for advisers, housing associations and lenders, particularly as the market looks at ways to improve support for borrowers beyond the initial purchase.
Paul Wilson (pictured), business development director at Just Mortgages New Build & Shared Ownership, said: “Joining SNG’s exclusive broker panel is a proud moment for Just Mortgages as it reflects our standing in the new build space and our expertise in the Shared Ownership arena.
“This is a fantastic partnership as both brands are hugely passionate about this fantastic scheme and share the same drive to help unlock homeownership for more people.
“Working together helps make this a reality through SNG’s brilliant Shared Ownership properties and our commitment to quality advice at every stage of the tenure.”
David Ward, head of staircasing and resales, added: “Just Mortgages has a tremendous reputation for quality advice in the new build space – particularly around Shared Ownership.
“Their expertise, their footprint and their proven reputation makes them a fantastic partner as we continue to help more people realise their homebuying ambitions through Shared Ownership.
“Furthermore, we share many of the same values and both strive to put the customer first in everything we do. We are thrilled to welcome Just Mortgages onto our panel and look forward to working with them.”
The announcement comes as the sector places greater emphasis on staircasing, with brokers and housing associations under pressure to help buyers move towards full ownership where possible. Industry figures cited in the release show the number of owners staircasing to full ownership fell to 1% of total stock in 2023/24, while the average over the past five years was 2%.
Just Mortgages said it continues to support Shared Ownership clients after the initial purchase, with its client services division discussing staircasing during regular reviews.
John Doughty, chapter managing director at Just Mortgages, said: “Given its success, it’s easy to think of Shared Ownership as a mechanism for affordability and overlook its potential as a route to full home ownership.
“Increasingly though, the sector is prioritising greater efforts to not just raise awareness but actively support Shared Ownership buyers to increase their share through staircasing.
“It’s something we definitely need to see more of and requires greater collaboration between lenders, brokers and housing associations.
“It’s great to see that staircasing is a clear component of SNG’s proposition and a shared priority for both our brands. It continues to form a key part of our advice journeys and will play a considerable role in our partnership with SNG moving forward.”
