First-Time Buyers
First-time buyer mortgage guides: deposits, schemes, family help, Shared Ownership and how to get your first mortgage approved.
19 articles
Articles
11 min read First-Time Buyer Deposit: How Much Do You Need?
How much deposit do first-time buyers need? Compare 5%, 10% and 20% deposits, gifted deposits, Lifetime ISAs and buying costs.
14 min read First-Time Buyer Mortgage Guide 2026: Step by Step
Buying your first home in 2026? A step-by-step UK guide to deposits, borrowing, schemes, Stamp Duty, fees and the mortgage process from a CeMAP adviser.
9 min read What Is a First-Time Buyer? UK Guide 2026
Are you a first-time buyer? How HMRC, lenders and schemes define it, including inherited, overseas and jointly owned property, plus 2026 Stamp Duty relief.
8 min read Getting a Mortgage on Your Own
Buying a home on your own: how much you could borrow on one income, which income lenders count, deposit options, schemes and family help for single buyers.
11 min read Shared Ownership Mortgages: Complete Guide
How Shared Ownership works in 2026: eligibility, deposits on your share, rent, a worked monthly cost example, staircasing, Stamp Duty, selling and mortgages.
9 min read Right to Buy Mortgages: 2026 Guide
Right to Buy in 2026: current discounts by region, eligibility, how lenders treat your discount as a deposit, the application steps and the proposed changes.
7 min read Right to Acquire Mortgages: 2026 Guide
Right to Acquire explained: which housing association tenants qualify, the £9,000 to £16,000 discount, mortgages, selling rules and Right to Buy compared.
9 min read New Build Mortgages: A Complete Guide
Getting a mortgage on a new build in 2026: deposits for houses and flats, developer incentives, off-plan offer expiry, Deposit Unlock and what to check.
9 min read Gifted Deposit Mortgages: How They Work
Using a gifted deposit: who can gift, the gift letter and evidence lenders need, inheritance tax rules, gifted equity, gifts from abroad and pitfalls.
9 min read Leasehold Mortgages: Lease Length, Ground Rent and Reform
Leasehold mortgages explained: minimum lease lengths, short leases and marriage value, ground rent, service charges and which reforms are in force.
8 min read How Much Deposit Do You Need for a Mortgage?
Mortgage deposits explained for every buyer: home movers, buy-to-let, new builds, self-employed and credit issues. How deposit size changes your rate and costs.
10 min read Help to Buy Equity Loan: Repay, Remortgage or Sell
Have a Help to Buy equity loan? How the interest works, how to repay it, remortgaging rules and fees, selling, and what replaced Help to Buy for new buyers.
9 min read Guarantor Mortgages for First-Time Buyers
How guarantor mortgages work for first-time buyers in 2026: who can be a guarantor, the risks to your family, and alternatives such as joint borrower mortgages.
9 min read Joint Borrower Sole Proprietor Mortgages Explained
How joint borrower sole proprietor mortgages let parents boost your borrowing without owning the home: lender rules, Stamp Duty, risks and how to exit.
10 min read First-Time Buyer Schemes 2026: Every Scheme Explained
Every first-time buyer scheme for 2026: Lifetime ISA, Shared Ownership, First Homes, Rent to Buy, 95% mortgages, Wales and Scotland, and what has closed.
13 min read 15 First-Time Buyer Mortgage Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid 15 costly first-time buyer mortgage mistakes, from credit checks and deposits to Stamp Duty, surveys and mortgage offers. Practical UK advice.
8 min read Buy-to-Let Mortgages for First-Time Buyers
Can a first-time buyer get a buy-to-let mortgage? Deposit and income rules, how rental cover is calculated, Stamp Duty and the trade-offs explained.
8 min read Family Springboard Mortgages Explained
How the Barclays Family Springboard mortgage works: 100% borrowing with a helper's 10% savings held for five years, who can help, the risks and alternatives.
10 min read Mortgage Jargon A to Z: Plain English Guide 2026
Mortgage jargon explained in plain English, from Agreement in Principle and Bank Rate to LTV, SVR and porting. A first-time buyer glossary from a broker.
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