In Text with JD – Shared ownership still critical despite booming product choice

The mortgage market has started 2026 in a very good position. According to Moneyfacts, product choice is the highest it’s been since 2007. It’s particularly good news for first-time buyers, because the number of deals in those higher-loan-to-value (LTV) brackets are also at an 18-year high.

Alongside this, we have seen plenty of innovation from lenders across all parts of the market – improving their products and criteria to support affordability. It means that we have started the year with plenty of interest and enquiries across Just Mortgages – whether it’s buyer registrations, valuation requests or mortgage appointments.

So, with the lending landscape in good health, what does this mean for schemes like shared ownership? Is it job done – time to shut up the doors? Well, not exactly. Shared ownership continues to answer a need and support an integral part of the market in achieving their homeownership aspirations.

I recently sat down with Sarah Ellis, head of aftersales at SO Resi, who is seeing much of the same trends as our new build and shared ownership division. Not only are interest and knowledge around the scheme only improving – helped by education across the market and support from providers – but the scheme itself has become far more mainstream in recent years.

As a result, demand has only grown with shared ownership becoming increasingly competitive. Sarah rightly pointed out that it can often be the case where multiple applicants are pursuing the same property. It is hoped that as we continue to see more lenders, providers and housing associations come to the table, we’ll see supply only increase.

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It’s great to hear of SO Resi’s plans to create more shared ownership homes – boosted by the government’s increasing funding in affordable housing. It’s a good sign that the government is understanding both the need for the product and the current supply challenges.

Shared ownership caters to broad range of borrowers

So why is shared ownership on the rise? It’s not just driven by first-time buyer demand. As Sarah explained, the scheme was previously marketed directly to first-time buyers as an answer to their affordability woes. Now though, the scheme supports a much broader demographic of borrowers, including movers, families and single buyers – particularly those moving on from a divorce.

In Sarah’s words, the scheme offers a perfect ‘stepping stone’ into homeownership and a viable path for divorcees looking to get back on the property market with a single income stream. We completely agree and regularly support single buyers and those returning to the market through a shared ownership proposition. Much like in Sarah’s remit at SO Resi, we’ll work with borrowers to look at staircasing or even a sale in the future as their circumstances change.

This is an area where Sarah called for greater support. In her words, it would be great to see more lenders invest in the entire product – rather than just at entry and to 100% staircasing. She argues there is a gap when it comes to incremental staircasing and a need for greater education and lender backing around this component of the scheme.

It is a big area of focus at Just Mortgages, working with our in-house client services team to regularly discuss staircasing options as part of the full financial reviews conducted during the refinancing process. It is already generating positive results and helping shared ownership buyers increase their share. Sarah also mentioned success stories where staircasing is mapped out from day one as part of a full financial plan.

It’s another example of where broker partnerships play a critical role in maximising the shared ownership scheme and delivering the best possible outcomes. Sarah makes no secret of how complex the scheme is and why specialist advice is not just a recommendation, but an absolute must.

I personally believe that collaboration is key to driving this fantastic market forward. Speaking with Sarah, she agrees. In her words, she’d like to see more providers coming together, sharing the things we do well and with the things we don’t, going arm in arm with one another with greater sector sharing. In doing so, we have more chance of improving customer satisfaction and the reputation of the product itself.

So should shared ownership be put on ice amid high levels of product choice? Certainly not. We both agree that shared ownership remains a mainstream product in an ever-diverse mortgage market – a scheme that is only set to expand in the coming 12 months and years ahead, supporting borrowers from all walks of life in the pursuit of homeownership.