Share to buy

What Share to buy does

Share to Buy Ltd is a UK-based online property portal founded in 2004 and headquartered in Sudbury, England. The company operates a web-based marketplace that aggregates affordable homeownership listings from more than 300 housing providers, including shared ownership specialists such as LiveWest, VIVID Homes, L&Q, Peabody, Countrywide Shared Ownership, and Newlon Living. Its product surface covers nine government-backed schemes — Shared Ownership, Deposit Unlock, First Homes, Rent to Buy, London Living Rent, Discount Market Sale, Discount Full Ownership, Intermediate Rent, and HOLD (for people with long-term disabilities) — alongside free buyer tools including a property search portal, mortgage affordability calculators, a staircasing calculator, a mortgage comparison tool, an eligibility scheme selector, and an AI-powered support assistant.

Underlying the portal is a standard web architecture integrating listing search, filters, user accounts with saved properties and alerts, and referral connections to a panel of specialist mortgage brokers (e.g., Censeo Financial, MySafeHome) and conveyancing solicitors. The company complements its digital offering with educational content (guides, FAQs, webinars) and large-scale live events, including the London Home Show (held for 10 consecutive years, 3,800+ attendees in 2023) and the newly launched Manchester Home Show 2026.

The business model is B2B2C. Buyers access all portal features free of charge. Revenue is generated primarily through listing fees paid by housing providers, developers, and sales agents who advertise affordable homes on the platform (marketplace commission), supplemented by event sponsorships and exhibitor fees from the London and Manchester Home Shows, and affiliate referral income from mortgage brokers and conveyancing partners. In December 2024, the company rebranded and broadened its scheme coverage beyond Shared Ownership, signalling a strategic pivot toward positioning itself as England's central hub for all affordable homeownership pathways.

Name

Share to buy

Legal name

Share to Buy Ltd

Website

https://sharetobuy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Share to Buy is a UK online property portal aggregating listings from 300+ housing providers across nine affordable homeownership schemes, serving first-time buyers, second steppers, families, and people with disabilities seeking Shared Ownership and related schemes in England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Real Estate Marketplace

NAICS

Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (519)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & First-Time Buyer Brokerage (BPAJAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Buyer Representation Services (BPAJAAAJ), Residential Real Estate Brokerage (Buy/Sell) (FSAEAJAA), Seller Representation & Listing Services (BPAJAAAK)

Keywords

• Shared ownership property portal
• Affordable housing marketplace
• First time buyer resources
• Property listing platform
• Home buying schemes

Headquarters

HQ city

Sudbury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Listing Fees from Housing Providers: Housing providers, developers, and sales agents pay to list their affordable homeownership properties (Shared Ownership, First Homes, Deposit Unlock, Rent to Buy, etc.) on the Share to Buy portal. The platform also partners with private sellers selling their current Shared Ownership home.
2. Event Sponsorships and Exhibitor Fees: Revenue generated from hosting property exhibitions such as the London Home Show and Manchester Home Show, where developers and housing providers pay to exhibit and sponsors contribute to event costs.
3. Webinar and Educational Content Partnerships: Partnerships with housing associations, mortgage brokers, and conveyancing solicitors for live webinars and expert sessions, creating referral-based revenue opportunities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Share to Buy operates a national online property portal that aggregates listings of affordable homes across England from 300+ housing providers and developers, covering schemes such as Shared Ownership, Deposit Unlock, First Homes, Rent to Buy, London Living Rent, Discount Market Sale, HOLD, and Intermediate Rent. The platform serves individual buyers with free property search tools, mortgage and staircasing calculators, an AI-powered support assistant, educational guides, and live events, while charging housing providers and event sponsors for listings and exhibitions.

Product overview

Share to Buy is a national property portal and educational resource dedicated to affordable homeownership and buying schemes in England. The platform operates as a unified property search portal with integrated tools and services, combining a core property listing database with multiple buying scheme products (Shared Ownership, Deposit Unlock, First Homes, Rent to Buy, London Living Rent, Discount Market Sale, Discount Full Ownership, Intermediate Rent, and HOLD for people with disabilities), expert advisory services (mortgage brokers, conveyancing solicitors), buyer tools (affordability calculators, staircasing calculator, mortgage comparison), support resources (guides, FAQs, webinars), and live events. The product portfolio serves first time buyers, second steppers, families, and people with disabilities seeking affordable routes to homeownership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Property Search Portal National online property portal allowing buyers to filter and search affordable homes across England by location, bedrooms, monthly outgoings, and deposit. Lists new-build and resale homes from 300+ housing providers covering Shared Ownership, First Homes, Deposit Unlock, Rent to Buy, and other schemes.
• Mortgage Affordability Calculators Free online calculators that help prospective buyers understand how much they may be able to borrow, with a dedicated Shared Ownership affordability calculator and a general mortgage affordability calculator.
• Mortgage Comparison Tool Online tool that helps buyers search for and compare Shared Ownership mortgage products from participating lenders to find a suitable product for their affordability profile.
• Staircasing Calculator Free online calculator that enables Shared Ownership owners to estimate whether they have sufficient equity to purchase additional shares in their home and projects the resulting new mortgage costs.
• Share to Buy Support Assistant AI-powered online assistant that helps prospective buyers navigate the home-buying process and get answers to questions about schemes, affordability, and next steps.
• Eligibility Scheme Selector Interactive online tool that helps users determine which affordable home-buying schemes (Shared Ownership, First Homes, Deposit Unlock, Rent to Buy, HOLD, etc.) they may be eligible for based on their circumstances.
• Share to Buy LIVE Events (London Home Show and Manchester Home Show) Live property exhibitions and events held across England, including the London Home Show (running 10+ years with 3,800+ attendees at QEII Centre in 2023) and the Manchester Home Show 2026, where aspiring buyers meet housing providers, mortgage brokers, and conveyancers face-to-face.
• Expert Webinars and Sessions Live and recorded webinar sessions featuring housing specialists, mortgage brokers, and conveyancing solicitors covering Shared Ownership, London Living Rent, affordability, and the home-buying process.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gallagher RecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2022Reinsurance firm managing the Deposit Unlock scheme alongside the Home Builders Federation. Gallagher Re administers the insurance-backed guarantee that allows homebuilders to help buyers purchase with 5% deposits.
• MySafeHomecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMySafeHome is the UK's leading specialist mortgage broker for people with long-term disabilities. They assist individuals in purchasing homes through Shared Ownership or the HOLD scheme using specialist interest-only mortgages. MySafeHome has helped over 1,600 people with disabilities achieve homeownership and is featured on Share to Buy's expert help section.
• Shared Ownership Week PartnerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with housing providers for Shared Ownership Week: Legal & General Affordable Homes, L&Q, Peabody Sales, Newlon Living, Hyde New Homes, Places For People, Sovereign Network Homes, So Resi, Square Roots. Details are shared with these partners when users opt-in to the Shared Ownership Week mailing list or enquire about properties.
• Censeo FinancialcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecialist Shared Ownership mortgage broker panel providing expert mortgage advice to Share to Buy users. Censeo Financial participates in webinars, affordability workshops, and expert sessions on the platform.
• Countrywide Shared OwnershipcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured developer partner listing Shared Ownership properties on the Share to Buy portal. Countrywide is one of the UK's leading estate agency groups specializing in affordable homeownership.
• Newlon LivingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured developer partner - the specialist home ownership and property sales team of Newlon Housing Trust listing Shared Ownership homes on Share to Buy.
• Home Reach FlexcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured developer partner offering a new flexible way to help buyers move, listing properties on the Share to Buy portal.
• TembominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for Lifetime ISAs - Tembo offers Lifetime ISA products to help first-time buyers save for home purchases, featured in Share to Buy's expert help section.
• Deposit Unlock Mortgage LenderscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerParticipating mortgage lenders for Deposit Unlock scheme include Accord Mortgages, Bluestone Mortgages, Nationwide Building Society, and Perenna. These lenders enable buyers to purchase new-build homes with just 5% deposits.
• Home Builders FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe body representing housing developers launched Deposit Unlock in partnership with Gallagher Re and mortgage lenders. Manages the scheme enabling buyers to purchase new-build homes with 5% deposits.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Rightmove: The UK's largest general property portal listing residential sales and rentals. While not specialized in affordable homeownership, it dwarfs Share to Buy on traffic and inventory and could easily extend into affordable housing verticals, making it the primary competitive threat.
• OnTheMarket: UK property portal backed by major estate agencies, listing residential sales and lettings nationally. Represents another broad marketplace competitor with overlapping buyer audiences and the resources to expand into segmented verticals like affordable housing.
• Zoopla: Second-largest UK property portal covering sales, lettings, and house price data. Operates a broad marketplace with substantial consumer mindshare, comparable marketplace economics, and the ability to launch affordable housing filters as a direct threat to Share to Buy's niche.

Others

• Purplebricks: Former UK online estate agency that disrupted traditional agency models with a hybrid marketplace approach. Relevant as a comparable UK property marketplace business model, though it now operates in a different sub-segment of the market.
• First Time Buyer: UK media brand and resource hub focused on first-time buyer content, schemes, and new-build listings. Comparable as an adjacent information and lead-generation platform targeting the same first-time buyer audience with educational content and scheme coverage.

Regional players

• Pocket Living: London-focused affordable housing developer operating the Discount Full Ownership scheme listed on Share to Buy. Comparable as a regional affordable homeownership specialist and channel partner supplying listings to the platform.

Emerging players

• Wayhome: UK startup offering part-rent, part-buy homeownership as an alternative to Shared Ownership. Comparable as an emerging niche player addressing the same first-time buyer affordability pain point with a differentiated scheme.
• Rentplus: UK specialist in Rent to Buy schemes, helping tenants save towards a deposit while renting. Comparable as an emerging specialist in the same affordable homeownership ecosystem, with overlapping buyer segments and scheme-based monetization.

Direct peers

• Home Reach: Affordable homeownership portal run by Keepmoat and partners offering Shared Ownership and similar schemes. Closely comparable as a niche marketplace with shared buyer targets, provider-funded model, and scheme-specific property listings.
• So Resi: Shared Ownership-focused resale and new-build portal operated by Legal & General Affordable Homes. Directly comparable as a specialist marketplace for Shared Ownership properties, serving the same buyer segments and competing for provider listings in the same niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/sharetobuy
• Xx.com/sharetobuy
• Facebookfacebook.com/ShareToBuy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Share to buy