Just Mortgages has announced a significant uptick in activity across its new build division, attributing the growth to rising interest in Shared Ownership schemes.

The national brokerage said the first quarter of 2025 had outperformed the same period last year, continuing a trend of year-on-year increases in both new build mortgage volumes and enquiries.

The company said the increase was fuelled in part by changes to stamp duty thresholds, but largely by growing appetite for Shared Ownership, which it described as a “key driver” of client leads and conversations.

Just Mortgages’ new build and affordable homes division has expanded rapidly in response to the demand. Since 2022, its team has grown from 16 to 34 specialist advisers, and to further support its developer and housing association partners, the firm has appointed a new relationship manager and plans to bolster its administrative team.

Paul Wilson, business development director at Just Mortgages New Build & Shared Ownership, said: “Our strong start to the year reflects the direction of travel in the new build space and the growing momentum behind Shared Ownership as a proposition and a way to finally get on the housing ladder.

“It remains a key driver behind our leads and enquiries, as well as the conversations we have with clients and those we meet at events. As ever, appetite is not the issue but ability and Shared Ownership is certainly helping to answer this.”

He added that the division’s success had been supported by close collaboration with lenders, introducers, developers and housing associations, all of whom remain “proactive and keen to support deals”.

AFFORDABLE DRIVE

The renewed momentum comes amid wider government efforts to boost affordable housing delivery. The chancellor recently confirmed £2bn in funding to support the construction of 18,000 affordable and social homes, part of a broader target to deliver 1.5 million new homes over the next four years.

The brokerage is preparing to host its annual New Build and Affordable Housing event later this month. Now in its fourth year, the event will take place on 24 April at St Mary’s Church in Marylebone, and is expected to be its largest yet.

Speakers will include Frances Haque, chief economist at Santander; Alex Slater, commercial director at Rightmove; Neil Rose, chief executive of the Home Builders Federation; and Emma Fletcher, low carbon homes director at Octopus Energy.

John Doughty, chapter managing director at Just Mortgages, said: “With housebuilding and affordable housing firmly in the national spotlight, it’s absolutely right that this important event returns for a fourth year. As ever, we will be bringing together the key players from across the sector to not just assess the current landscape, but to map out the future for the sector and discuss what is needed to meet the government’s ambitious housebuilding targets and to properly support buyers.”