<p>Vistry Group has announced that it will be one of the first housebuilders to deliver Sage Homes’ Home Stepper Housebuilder Shared Ownership model, having exchanged contracts with the affordable housing provider to offer an alternative route to home ownership.</p> <p><span>Vistry has partnered with Sage to deliver an initial portfolio of around 800 shared ownership homes with a market value of more than £250 million. The partnership will feature both Vistry Housebuilding and Countryside Partnerships homes.</span></p><p></p> <p><span>Sage, England’s largest provider of newly built affordable homes, said that its Home Stepper scheme was different to traditional shared ownership offerings which were often location restricted due to section 106 agreements.</span></p><p></p> <p><span>But Home Stepper, it explained, would allow housebuilders to convert a wider range of open market houses and apartments to shared ownership if the purchaser could not afford the asking price. The scheme offers homes on a part-</span><span>buy, part rent basis.</span></p><p></p> <p><span>“This means buyers on lower incomes and with smaller deposits can afford homes previously beyond their reach. A shared ownership home is typically cheaper than renting privately and considerably cheaper than the cost of buying a home on the open market,” Sage said.</span></p><p></p> <p><span>Vistry Group’s ceo Greg Fitzgerald, said</span><b>: </b><span>“We have a …