UK mortgage overpayment guide: reduce term vs reduce payments, how overpayments reduce interest, and what to check about ERCs and limits.
First-time buyer guides
UK first-time buyer guides covering deposits, mortgage affordability, stamp duty basics, and the common costs you need to budget for.
Week commencing 27/04/2026
Week commencing 20/04/2026
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.
Week commencing 13/04/2026
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.
Week commencing 06/04/2026
UK mortgage affordability guide: what lenders check, why results vary, and how stress testing works. Includes examples and common mistakes.
Week commencing 30/03/2026
Mortgage fees can add up. Learn what arrangement, booking and valuation fees are, when you pay them, and how to compare deals with examples.
Week commencing 23/03/2026
First-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland may pay reduced SDLT if eligible. Learn the rules in plain English with worked examples.
Week commencing 16/03/2026
An AIP (Agreement in Principle) is a lender’s initial borrowing estimate. Learn what it is, what’s checked, and see worked examples.
Week commencing 09/03/2026
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.