BRIGG PEOPLE OFFERED EXPERT ADVICE TO GET ON THE PROPERTY LADDER

Brigg people who are looking to get on the property ladder might well be interested in attending an information evening that North Lincolnshire Council is organising.
Coun Rob Waltham (Brigg & Wolds), the authority's leader, says  useful information and expert advice is on offer.

New Expo has all the help you need to buy a house

FROM CHRIS O'ROURKE, NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL

North Lincolnshire’s first Homeownership Expo will take place on Saturday 2 March at the Engineering UTC Northern Lincolnshire,  for residents to find out everything they need to know about getting on, or moving up the property ladder.
The Expo – which will take place at the UTC in Church Square, Scunthorpe from 1pm to 6pm – has been organised by North Lincolnshire Council, with support from Smooth Financial Solutions, Sills & Betteridge Solicitors, and Walshe’s Property & Letting Agency.
Visitors to the event can meet with estate agents, mortgage providers, solicitors, banks and building societies, insurance companies, house builders and more for advice and guidance on every stage of the house-buying process.
This free event is suitable for everyone on any rung of the property ladder, from first-time buyers to down-sizers. There will also be advice for those looking to buy a second property to let.
Cllr Rob Waltham, the Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, will officially open the event. He said: “Buying a house can be daunting and stressful, especially for first time buyers. The Homeownership Expo aims to make the process as smooth as possible by providing advice and guidance, to help you make informed decisions.
“Visitors can also find out about schemes like Help to Buy, discounted market sales and Shared Ownership on offer, which reduce the barriers people face to buying a house and bring the dream of owning your own home a lot closer.”
Look out for talks from guest speakers taking place throughout the afternoon, giving you advice on getting a mortgage, Stamp Duty, investing in property and buying a house for the first time.
Steve Urry, Mortgage Advisor of Smooth Financial Solutions, said: “Having 10 years of mortgage experience, this event gives the chance to improve local consumers’ knowledge and confidence, as many changes have occurred in the mortgage market over the years. I would like to share my mortgage knowledge to help those that would like to buy but don’t know where to start. I’m really looking forward to it”.
Josh Walshe, the director of Walshe's Property and Letting Agency, also said he was looking forward to the Expo. He said: "I think it is exactly what the community needs. I think that the real problem is the lack of education and general knowledge in the property industry; hopefully this event can be the start to addressing this issue.
“There are so many people out there who are not homeowners but would be able to buy, and equally there are as many people out there who could be making their money work harder for them through basic property investment."
Each of the businesses sponsoring the event – Smooth Financial Solutions, Sills & Betteridge Solicitors, and Walshe’s Property & Letting Agency – will be running competitions at the Expo, and on their social media accounts, for visitors to win prizes associated with buying or selling a house.
Tiffany Smith, Associate/Branch Manager of Sills & Betteridge in Scunthorpe, said: “Recent investment and redevelopment has put Scunthorpe back on the map as a great place to live and work. We are delighted to be involved in the Expo and are giving visitors the chance to win a free conveyancing package.
“We are an experienced Team of Conveyancers and are confident we can assist visitors with all their conveyancing queries.”
Businesses interested in coming along to the Homeownership Expo to speak to house-hunters, can get in touch with the council’s Events team on events@northlincs.gov.uk
Visit www.nortlincs.gov.uk/homeownership for more information and to register your interest in one of the talks.
N.F. ADDS: The UTC is located within Scunthorpe town centre, just a short distance from the bus station.
Pictured above: Housing in Brigg - a place where many people are keen to live. Image by Neil Stapleton.