Help to Buy Valuation in Selling

A Help to Buy valuation is a very specific kind of property survey, required by the government’s Help to Buy scheme administrator. It is not the same as a standard mortgage valuation. The report has to be carried out by a RICS registered valuer and follows strict government rules. It sets the current market value of your property, which is then used to work out how much of the equity loan can be repaid. If you are making a partial repayment, staircasing to full ownership, or selling up, this official valuation is the place to begin. Our surveyors know the Homes England requirements inside out, and we keep every report within their exact criteria.

The Help to Buy equity loan scheme was set up to help first-time buyers get onto the property ladder, with an interest-free loan of up to 20% of a new-build property's value, or 40% in London. If you bought through the scheme in Selling or elsewhere in Kent, that loan will eventually need repaying, and the figure is based on the property's market value at the time of repayment. The scheme stopped taking new applications in December 2022, although existing homeowners are still working through their repayments. We provide valuations that meet the needs of Homes England, or the relevant authority in Wales.

Help to Buy valuations are quite different from standard RICS level 2 or level 3 surveys. A survey looks at condition and flags defects, while a Help to Buy valuation is only concerned with the open market value, using comparable sales and present market conditions. That said, many homeowners like to know the condition of the property as well as its value, so we can arrange a separate survey alongside the valuation if you want one. When you book, we can talk through the benefits of doing both.

Selling is a charming village in the Borough of Swale in Kent, just outside the market town of Faversham. It has a peaceful rural feel, yet local amenities and transport links are still close by. Properties here range from historic cottages to modern family homes, and the village’s character has a real influence on value. The average property price in Selling stands at approximately £663,333, which reflects the premium buyers pay for village life in this part of Kent. A strong sense of community also helps, with pubs, churches, and local events drawing people who want a quieter way of living.

The wider Faversham area, which includes Selling and the surrounding villages, has seen mixed property price movement in recent years. Recent data shows that average property prices in the ME13 postcode area have had slight fluctuations, with some sectors showing growth of around 6.4% in the past year and others seeing modest declines of around 2.1%. That variation is exactly why a professional valuation matters more than an estimate, because local conditions can shift sharply even within a small area. Homes on Selling Road, for example, have not moved in the same way as those in the village centre.

Faversham has built a strong reputation as a commuter hub, thanks to its train station with regular services to London and the Kent countryside that continues to attract families and professionals. The town’s population grew by 7.6% between 2011 and 2021, which points to steady housing demand. Its economy mixes traditional shops, restaurants, and newer businesses, giving it a balanced feel that keeps drawing new residents in. For Help to Buy customers in Selling, those local market pressures make an accurate, current valuation essential when planning a repayment.

Across Selling and Faversham, the local building stock reflects Kent’s traditional heritage, with many homes finished in brick and render. Newer developments in the wider ME13 area have added modern housing, but the village itself still keeps much of its historic character. Those construction differences are part of why local valuations beat generic online tools, because our surveyors can judge how different building types are performing in the local market.