[tomatocracy]

Shared appreciation/whatever you want to call it is only really appropriate in my view where you have a strong view that your income is likely to grow more quickly over the next few years than house prices.

This is because these schemes are usually limited in availability in such a way that you can't rely on them being there again when you decide to move up - so you need to be sure you can borrow a mortgage of the size of the amount of shared appreciation you are paying back to be able to move up (otherwise you'll get "trapped" - you can only afford to move to a cheaper house or stay where you are).

If you don't think your income will rise that quickly, or you think house prices will rise even faster, you'd be better off buying a place you can afford without shared appreciation and taking the biggest traditional mortgage you can get.

If you think prices are going to fall but want/need to buy now anyway then they are a fantastic deal.