Homeowner
|
In very broad terms, an 'owner' is a person or organisation who has the rightful title to something such as property, i.e. the property belongs to them.
A homeowner is a person who owns a home, whether an apartment or house. They may have fully paid for the home and own it outright, or they may still owe money for it: an individual who has a mortgage on a property is still regarded as the homeowner even if the mortgage has many years to run and much money is owed.
Homeowners do not have to reside in their properties: landlords are still homeowners even if they rent out their properties to other people.
Homeowners who have acquired their first home (whether outright or through a mortgage) are usually said to have taken their first step on the ‘housing ladder’. They are often referred to as 'first-time buyers', and a number of government schemes have been introduced in recent years to encourage and support their entry into the housing market.
It is also possible to be a homeowner jointly with other people (such as a partner) or through shared ownership schemes provided by housing associations, although this may be viewed by some as part-home ownership. Such schemes typically involve purchasing a share of a property (typically between 25%-75%). A mortgage is required for the share that is purchased, and rent is paid on the remainder.
The housing policies of the conservative Thatcher government of the 1980s were designed to increase home ownership throughout the UK and to decrease the number of households in rented accommodation. Owning your home was regarded by many conservatives as almost a basic right. Policies were therefore implemented to bring this about, such as ‘right to buy’ where council tenants were given the right to buy their homes from the local authority – often at prices that were well below market values.
More recently, the government’s ‘help to buy’ scheme is aimed at enabling first-time buyers get on the property ladder and become homeowners.
See also: Home ownership.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Affordable housing.
- Affordable rented housing.
- Buy to leave.
- Buy-to-let mortgage.
- Consumer Code for Home Builders.
- Fixing our broken housing market.
- Home design prospects under the Future Homes Standard.
- Housing associations.
- Housing tenure.
- How can I improve my kerb appeal?
- Intermediate housing.
- Real Estate Investment Trusts.
- Rent to buy.
- Right to buy.
- Right to rent.
- Scotland reaches homebuilding milestone in 2021.
- Section 106 agreements.
- Shared equity / Partnership mortgage.
- Shared ownership.
- Social housing.
- Social rented housing.
- What is a mortgage?
Featured articles and news
The Association of Consultant Architects recap
A reintroduction and recap of ACA President; Patrick Inglis' Autumn update.
The Home Energy Model and its wrappers
From SAP to HEM, EPC for MEES and FHS assessment wrappers.
Future Homes Standard Essentials launched
Future Homes Hub launches new campaign to help the homebuilding sector prepare for the implementation of new building standards.
Building Safety recap February, 2026
Our regular run-down of key building safety related events of the month.
Planning reform: draft NPPF and industry responses.
Last chance to comment on proposed changes to the NPPF.
A Regency palace of colour and sensation. Book review.
Delayed, derailed and devalued
How the UK’s planning crisis is undermining British manufacturing.
How much does it cost to build a house?
A brief run down of key considerations from a London based practice.
The need for a National construction careers campaign
Highlighted by CIOB to cut unemployment, reduce skills gap and deliver on housing and infrastructure ambitions.
AI-Driven automation; reducing time, enhancing compliance
Sustainability; not just compliance but rethinking design, material selection, and the supply chains to support them.
Climate Resilience and Adaptation In the Built Environment
New CIOB Technical Information Sheet by Colin Booth, Professor of Smart and Sustainable Infrastructure.
Turning Enquiries into Profitable Construction Projects
Founder of Develop Coaching and author of Building Your Future; Greg Wilkes shares his insights.
IHBC Signpost: Poetry from concrete
Scotland’s fascinating historic concrete and brutalist architecture with the Engine Shed.
Demonstrating that apprenticeships work for business, people and Scotland’s economy.
Scottish parents prioritise construction and apprenticeships
CIOB data released for Scottish Apprenticeship Week shows construction as top potential career path.
From a Green to a White Paper and the proposal of a General Safety Requirement for construction products.
Creativity, conservation and craft at Barley Studio. Book review.
The challenge as PFI agreements come to an end
How construction deals with inherited assets built under long-term contracts.
Skills plan for engineering and building services
Comprehensive industry report highlights persistent skills challenges across the sector.
Choosing the right design team for a D&B Contract
An architect explains the nature and needs of working within this common procurement route.
Statement from the Interim Chief Construction Advisor
Thouria Istephan; Architect and inquiry panel member outlines ongoing work, priorities and next steps.