[_dain_]

>And on top of this, Lifetime ISAS are a thing, so you only need to save up 80% of your deposit, the govt will pay the rest. And shared ownership is a thing, making it even easier.

LISAs are a trap if you want to buy in the South. You can only use it if the value of the property is £450k or less. The limit hasn't been raised since 2017 despite crazy house price inflation. So many people got completely fucked by this; they have their money locked up in the LISA, can't buy a house near London with it, and can't transfer it to something else without a huge penalty.

See: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2025/06/lifetime-isa-...

More broadly, "the govt pays the rest" is part of the problem. All this help-to-buy stuff amounts to demand subsidies that just push prices higher and higher.

[mike-cardwell]

> LISAs are a trap if you want to buy in the South. You can only use it if the value of the property is £450k or less

In London it limits you. Outside of London, including most of the South, where the vast majority of British people live, most first houses cost less than £450k.

The limit should have been raised though yes. Or perhaps it should be set by region, I don't know. Hopefully it will be updated at some point.