In this guide, you’ll learn the key considerations, work through a practical example and find useful next steps. Take your time and use the free worksheets to put ideas into practice.
What you’ll take away
- Calculate your full housing budget
- Check affordability
- Understand deposit options
Calculate your full housing budget
Allow for deposit, legal fees, surveys, moving costs, insurance and maintenance as well as monthly repayments.
Check affordability
Think about interest-rate changes, childcare and other commitments, not only a lender’s maximum loan.
Understand deposit options
Compare savings products and any current first-time-buyer schemes through official sources.
Get appropriate mortgage advice
A regulated mortgage adviser can explain products and suitability for your circumstances.
Keep this checklist handy
- Deposit and savings totals
- Credit reports
- Income evidence and regular commitments
Putting your learning into practice
Use the guidance above to identify the information you need and the questions to investigate. Consider:
- Calculate your full housing budget.
- Check affordability.
- Understand deposit options.
- Get appropriate mortgage advice.
This is general financial education, not a personal recommendation, an assessment of suitability or an invitation to buy or arrange a financial product. Check current official information and obtain appropriate professional advice for individual circumstances.
Keep learning
Use a worksheet to explore your own figures, or browse another topic in the guide library.
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