NewBuy, the government-backed mortgage scheme which enables home buyers to purchase a brand new home with a 5% deposit, has hit 1,300 registrations according to the Home Builders Federation.<br> <br> The initiative is six months old and started with seven builders and four lenders – there are now 30 builders selling homes with NewBuy and six lenders, the latest being Aldermore.<br> <br> "We are now starting to gain some real momentum and with more and more builders and lenders coming on board are confident NewBuy will make a real difference," said HBF executive chairman Stewart Baseley.<br> <br> This view was echoed by the Council of Mortgage Lenders which said it expects to see stronger take up of NewBuy in the autumn.<br> <br> CML chief economist Bob Pannell said: "We expect to see stronger take up of NewBuy over the coming months, helped by a concerted marketing effort by builders and the recently launched Funding for Lending scheme which has prompted reductions in NewBuy mortgage rates."<br> <br> CML said gross mortgage lending in August was £12.6 billion, 1% down on July and a 4% fall from £13.1 billion in August 2011.