Don’t miss out on Stamp Duty relief, warns Mactaggart & Mickel

Housebuilder Mactaggart & Mickel Homes is reminding first-time buyers that the Stamp Duty holiday on properties under £250,000 ends on 24th March 2012. When this happens, purchasers will once again have to pay one per cent of the cost of their new home in Stamp Duty. With the thought that this could add as much as £2,500 to the price of moving, says the company, it makes sense for househunters to make a move quickly to secure one of its range of new homes in Scotland.

To help prospective purchasers make an early move, Mactaggart & Mickel is offering a range of assistance packages including My First Home, specially created for first-time buyers. The plan allows new home buyers to purchase their property for just 85% of the full price up-front, with no fixed repayment time on the remaining 15%. This means that buyers could enjoy lower monthly mortgage payments, or even afford a larger property than first thought.

At the company's conveniently located East Craigs development in Edinburgh, all six remaining two-bedroom apartments are available under the My First Home shared equity plan and will be ready for occupation before the March deadline. Thanks to the Plan the up-front price of each apartment falls from £170,895 to just £145,261. Add this to the fact that buyers would not have to pay the £1,789 Stamp Duty, and it makes for a substantial saving for new homeowners.

Marr Meadows in the coastal town of Troon and Cherrybank Gardens in the sought after suburb of Newton Mearns are also perfect for first-time buyers. Marr Meadows enjoys the delightful blend of coast and commutability, combining beautiful local views with excellent road and rail links to and from Glasgow. The two-bedroom ‘Oronsay' villas here have light and airy lounges and contemporary kitchens, while upstairs both bedrooms boast fitted wardrobes. And at Cherrybank Gardens, just a handful of two-bedroom apartments remain, in what has proved a very popular development in this highly-rated Glasgow suburb.

The My First Home Plan is also available on selected plots at Meadow Belles in Mauchline and Campsie Village, nestled at the foot of the picturesque Campsie Hills.

Campsie Village is just one of Mactaggart & Mickel Homes' developments in Scotland at present, and the housebuilder is urging first-time buyers who want to buy a new-build home to act quickly before the end of the Stamp Duty holiday granted on completions until 24th March 2012