Housing for All, 2021/2022: separated/divorced people now treated as first-time buyers

Just to bring the recent legal change to everybody's attention. The Housing for All (which replaced Rebuilding Ireland) scheme from September 2021 (https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/ee5a9-government-launches-housing-for-all-a-new-housing-plan-for-ireland/) was commenced by Darragh O'Brien three days ago, on 4 January 2022: https://www.gov.ie/ga/preasraitis/6da8e-minister-obrien-launches-expanded-local-authority-home-loan-scheme/

"Commenting he said, “Supporting home ownership is a key objective for this Government. In Housing for All, our new Plan for housing in Ireland we committed to introducing a reformed Local Authority Home Loan scheme to further support access to homeownership for creditworthy homebuyers who otherwise find it difficult to access sufficient finance.

“The new regulations will make it easier for single people to avail of a State backed mortgage for a new, second-hand or self-build home. A ‘Fresh Start’ principle also applies which means that people who are divorced or separated and have no interest in the family home, or who have undergone insolvency proceedings, will be eligible to apply also.

“I am now raising the income ceiling for a single applicant by €15,000 to €65,000 in counties Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow.

“This comes on top of enhancements already made to the scheme. In September I lowered the interest rate for local authority lending by 0.25% and this lower interest rate will continue to apply to loans issued under the Local Authority Home Loan....

A dedicated Local Authority Home Loan webpage for the scheme has been established.

The introduction of the Local Authority Home Loan was announced as part of Housing For All.

The Statutory Instrument was signed on December 14th and commences the scheme on 4 January 2022.

The Scheme is open to all First Time Buyers and to Fresh Start applicants on low or modest incomes who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial lenders to purchase new or second-hand properties or to build your own home.

Houses purchased under the scheme cannot have a value in excess of €320,000 in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Meath, Kildare, Louth and Kildare and €250,000 elsewhere.

Income ceilings apply; single applicants cannot have income in excess of €65,000 if seeking to purchase a home in the €320,000 house price areas; the income ceiling is €50,000 otherwise. The income ceiling for joint applicants is €75,000 nationwide.

The Local Authority Home Loan, similarly to previous local authority loan products, assists borrowers in securing an affordable, long-term fixed rate mortgage to purchase a home of their own. Applicants for the Local Authority Home Loan must have been unable to obtain sufficient financing from a commercial lender."

stevemcf

Thanks for that. Good news!