Since 2005 we have been building the UK's largest property co-community. If you've no idea what a co-community is, don't worry, it's a term we've invented to describe a group of people whose purpose is to help one another afford somewhere bigger, better and sooner than they could alone. This may be as simple as exchanging information on our forum, contributing to our blog or joining forces to co-buy, co-invest or co-rent with one another to multiply your funds, divide all the costs and afford so much more.

An Introduction To The World Of SharedSpaces

• Co-Buying Basics
• Co-Investing Basics
• Co-Renting Basics
• Innovative Innitiatives
• Just The Beginning

Co-Buying Basics
SharedSpaces is the UK's original and still the largest 'co-buyer network'. Established in 2005, we now have thousands of people registered looking for someone they click with. The concept is simple. If you cannot afford to buy on your own, why not buy with someone else; a friend, a family member or someone you find through SharedSpaces. By doing so you'll multiply your buying funds, divide your costs and be able to afford somewhere far nicer and far sooner than you thought possible alone. SharedSpaces offers shared ownership information and advice for anyone looking to co-buy. We can provide you with financial and legal experts to walk you through the process, and of course you can search through everyone on our national database to find your ideal mortgage mate.

Co-Renting Basics
We know that even with the options we have to offer there will still be some of you who cannot afford to buy, or are not yet prepared for the responsibilities of ownership. For you there is co-renting. It's basically flat-sharing, finding someone to split the rent and the bills with to keep your costs to a minimum, so you can save more for the home you would like to buy someday, or simply to enjoy life a little more. Co-Renting could also be a "try-before-you-buy" stage in co-buying. You've found who you think is the ideal co-buyer for you, but you want to make absolutely sure before you take the plunge, so you decide to rent with them for a short while. It's a cheap and simple way to find out if you really can live together. Register and search our database for your perfect property pal.

Innovative Initiatives
From time to time we come across other organisations with brilliant ideas that could help you buy or invest. We will bring them to you so you can judge for yourself if they're as good as we think they are. Feel free to contact them, and then chat about them in our forum so others get to know what you think.

Currently we're delighted to present to you two companies that we feel are offering something a little different that could just help you up onto the property ladder. The First Time Buyer Group (don't be fooled by the name, they also help second time buyers and investors too) offer a 'reward' for buying through them. They will give you back your deposit, stamp duty, finance arrangement and legal fees and survey costs which could amount to thousands of pounds that you would have otherwise lost that you can now put to better use. We think it's great for a new home owner. There's also a well respected and innovative new home builder Acorn Property Group which has recently introduced the concept of 'Rent to Buy' to help you afford your new home. The scheme allows you to rent a property from them with no obligation to buy, but if you do decide to they will give you back 50% of all your rent to help with your buying costs. It's the only way rent is not wasted money. Come to our Hot Property page to see more.

Just The Beginning
This is just the start of what SharedSpaces has to offer. You'll find our pages teaming with ideas and advice. The buying process, shared ownership, housing associations, things to consider when viewing a property, investment options including land investment and overseas property, financial, insurance and legal essentials which you should know before considering buying or co-buying, and the ability to share your knowledge and experience with others in the co-community through our forum.

So, have a good look around our site. You can register FREE as a Trial Member to have access to even more of the site, and when you are ready to start searching for a co-buyer, co-investor or co-renter, all you need to do is to upgrade to Full Membership. This will allow you to contact as many members as you like to find the one or ones for you.

If you have any questions or comments at all or if you're a journalist looking for information on an article you're writing, please do not hesitate to use the contact us page to get in touch and we'd be delighted to help in any way we can; alternatively you can email us at .