First-time buyer guides

UK mortgage overpayment guide: reduce term vs reduce payments, how overpayments reduce interest, and what to check about ERCs and limits.

A plain-English UK guide to valuation vs survey: what a lender valuation is (and isn’t), what survey levels usually cover, and how to choose based on risk and budget.

A plain-English UK guide to conveyancing: the legal steps from offer to completion, what conveyancers do, what costs you might see, and why timelines vary.

UK mortgage affordability guide: what lenders check, why results vary, and how stress testing works. Includes examples and common mistakes.

Mortgage fees can add up. Learn what arrangement, booking and valuation fees are, when you pay them, and how to compare deals with examples.

First-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland may pay reduced SDLT if eligible. Learn the rules in plain English with worked examples.

An AIP (Agreement in Principle) is a lender’s initial borrowing estimate. Learn what it is, what’s checked, and see worked examples.

How much deposit do you need to buy a home in the UK? Learn how LTV works, what 5%, 10% and 15% deposits mean, and see worked examples.

A UK guide to comparing mortgages: interest rate vs fees, APRC, fixed periods, and a practical break-even method using simple scenarios.

A UK first-time buyer checklist covering deposit, stamp duty (SDLT), surveys, legal fees, mortgage fees, insurance and moving costs—plus a budgeting template.

A plain-English guide to UK mortgage affordability: income multiples, stress tests, commitments, and how to sense-check results with calculators.