Stop worrying about what happens next. We'll walk you through it.

Most first-time buyers in the UK need a deposit of 5-20% of the property price to secure a mortgage. A 10% deposit (£25,000 on a £250,000 property) typically unlocks better interest rates than a 5% deposit, while 15-20% deposits offer the most competitive mortgage deals. Some lenders offer 95% mortgages through the government's Mortgage Guarantee Scheme, though these come with higher monthly payments. The larger your deposit, the lower your loan-to-value ratio and the better mortgage rates you'll qualify for.

A mortgage in principle (also called Agreement in Principle or Decision in Principle) is a conditional statement from a lender showing how much they would likely lend you based on basic financial information. Most estate agents and sellers expect buyers to have one before making an offer, as it proves you're a serious buyer who can actually afford the property. Getting a mortgage in principle takes 10-30 minutes online and lasts 60-90 days. It involves a soft credit check that won't affect your credit score, though the full mortgage application later will require a hard credit check.

A mortgage in principle (AIP) typically lasts 60 to 90 days, depending on the lender. Some lenders offer validity periods of up to 6 months. Once it expires, you can usually renew it quickly by re-submitting your details — the lender will run another soft credit check. If your financial circumstances have changed significantly (new job, salary change, additional debts), the amount offered may differ. It's best to get your AIP close to when you plan to start making offers, so it remains valid throughout the process. If your AIP expires before you find a property, don't worry — renewing is straightforward and won't harm your credit score.

Most first-time buyers benefit significantly from using an FCA-authorised mortgage broker with whole-of-market access. A good broker can access exclusive deals unavailable to the public, knows which lenders accept specific circumstances (self-employed, contract workers, adverse credit), handles all application paperwork, and chases lenders for faster decisions. Many brokers charge no fees to buyers as they receive commission from lenders. Look for brokers who search the whole market (not just a limited panel) and hold full FCA permissions, not just introducer status.

Yes, UK mortgage lenders accept gifted deposits from immediate family members (parents, grandparents, siblings) for first-time buyers, though they require specific documentation for anti-money laundering compliance. The person gifting money must provide a signed declaration confirming it's a gift with no expectation of repayment, proof of where the funds came from (bank statements showing at least 3 months of savings), and photo ID. Gifts from friends or distant relatives are harder to get accepted. Some lenders require the gift to be in your account for at least 3 months before completion.

Buying a house in England and Wales typically takes 12-16 weeks (3-4 months) from offer acceptance to getting your keys, though chain-free first-time buyers can sometimes complete in 8-10 weeks. The main time factors include mortgage approval (2-4 weeks after full application), local authority searches (2-6 weeks depending on council), survey and valuation (1-2 weeks), legal enquiries (1-3 weeks), and exchange to completion (typically 1-2 weeks). Scotland's system is faster (8-12 weeks average) due to different legal processes. Properties in long chains or with complex legal issues can take 6+ months.

Making an offer on a property starts with contacting the estate agent (not the seller directly) either by phone or email with your offer amount and any conditions. Strong offers include proof of mortgage in principle, details of your solicitor, confirmation you're chain-free or information about your selling position, and realistic timescales for survey and exchange. In competitive markets, offering the asking price (or above) with quick completion timings makes your offer more attractive than higher offers with uncertainty. Your offer isn't legally binding until contracts are exchanged weeks later, so both parties can withdraw without penalty during this period.

After your offer is accepted, you need to immediately instruct your solicitor (if not already done), submit your full mortgage application with all required documents, book your property survey within 3-5 days, and provide your mortgage lender with the property details for their valuation. Your solicitor will request the draft contract from the seller's solicitor, order local authority and environmental searches (2-6 weeks), and begin reviewing the legal title. This period between offer acceptance and exchange of contracts typically takes 8-12 weeks. Many buyers make the mistake of delaying the solicitor instruction, which wastes valuable time while their mortgage offer validity period counts down.

A property chain occurs when your purchase depends on the seller completing their own purchase, which may depend on their seller, creating a linked sequence of dependent transactions. Chains cause delays because all parties must be ready to exchange contracts simultaneously - if one person's mortgage falls through, survey reveals problems, or someone pulls out, the entire chain can collapse. First-time buyers are attractive to sellers because they're "chain-free" (no property to sell first), meaning faster, more certain completion. Properties where the seller has already bought their next home, is moving into rented accommodation, or has inherited the property are also chain-free and typically complete faster.

Exchange of contracts is the legal point in the UK home buying process when both buyer and seller sign identical copies of the contract, making the transaction legally binding and irrevocable. At exchange, the buyer pays a deposit (typically 10% of the purchase price, though sometimes 5%), a fixed completion date is agreed (usually 1-2 weeks later but can be the same day), and both parties become legally committed to complete. After exchange, pulling out means losing your deposit plus potential legal action for breach of contract and any losses the other party suffers. Exchange typically happens 8-12 weeks after offer acceptance once all searches, surveys, and mortgage approvals are complete.

Completion day is when the remaining purchase money is transferred from your solicitor to the seller's solicitor, legal ownership of the property transfers to you, and you collect the keys to move in. Your solicitor will confirm completion (usually between 12pm-2pm) once they've received confirmation that funds have arrived and the seller's solicitor has released the keys to the estate agent. You should take meter readings immediately upon entry, test smoke alarms, locate the stopcock and consumer unit, and ensure your buildings insurance starts from completion day. Don't book movers or hand in notice on your rental until exchange has happened, as completion dates can change.

Yes, UK law requires you to use either a qualified solicitor or licensed conveyancer to handle the legal transfer of property ownership from seller to buyer. They perform essential legal work including reviewing the contract and title deeds, conducting local authority and environmental searches, raising enquiries about the property, coordinating with your mortgage lender, transferring funds securely, and registering your ownership with the Land Registry. Conveyancing costs typically range from £850-£1,500 plus disbursements (search fees, Land Registry fees, bank transfer fees). Choose a solicitor experienced in residential conveyancing with good communication - responsiveness matters as much as price.

While not legally required, a property survey is strongly recommended for first-time buyers to identify structural defects, damp, subsidence, or necessary repairs before completing your purchase. The mortgage valuation (required by your lender) only confirms the property is worth the loan amount - it's not for your benefit. A HomeBuyer Report (£400-£700) suits most modern properties and identifies major issues, while a Full Building Survey (£800-£1,500) provides comprehensive assessment for older properties, those with visible defects, or if you're planning renovations. Survey findings can help you renegotiate the price downward, request repairs before completion, or withdraw your offer without penalty before exchange.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a property purchase tax in England and Northern Ireland, with first-time buyer relief available for properties up to £625,000. As of March 2026, first-time buyers pay 0% on the first £300,000 (reduced from the temporary £425,000 threshold), then 5% on the portion from £300,001-£625,000. For example, on a £350,000 property, you'd pay £2,500 in stamp duty (5% of £50,000). Properties over £625,000 pay the standard rates with no first-time buyer relief. Scotland has Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Wales has Land Transaction Tax (LTT), both with different rates and first-time buyer reliefs. Your solicitor calculates and pays this from your completion funds.

Beyond your deposit and property price, first-time buyers should budget 3-5% of the purchase price for additional costs including: Stamp Duty (£0 on properties up to £300,000 for first-time buyers as of March 2026), solicitor/conveyancing fees (£850-£1,500), property survey (£400-£1,500 depending on type), mortgage arrangement/booking fees (£0-£2,000), mortgage valuation (£250-£500), local authority and environmental searches (£250-£400), buildings insurance (£200-£500 annually, required from completion), removals (£300-£1,500), and initial setup costs for a £250,000 property, total costs typically reach £8,000-£12,000 beyond your deposit. Many first-time buyers underestimate these costs and find themselves short at completion.

MoneySavingExpert provides general money-saving guidance across all financial topics, while Rightmove lists properties for sale - neither gives you a personalised, stage-by-stage action plan for your specific home buying journey. weMOVEtogether creates a tailored roadmap based on your actual circumstances (income, savings, location, property type, employment status) with realistic timelines, specific next actions, and accurate budget breakdowns including all the hidden costs first-time buyers typically miss. We combine the educational approach of MSE with the property focus of Rightmove, but add the personalisation and step-by-step guidance that neither provides. Think of us as your personal home buying project manager.

No, weMOVEtogether provides educational guidance and process planning tools, not regulated financial advice or mortgage recommendations. We explain how mortgages work, what to expect at each stage, how to prepare your documents, and what questions to ask professionals - but we never recommend specific mortgage products, lenders, or financial strategies. For mortgage product recommendations, you must speak to an FCA-authorised mortgage adviser. We're transparent about this boundary because we have no commercial incentive to push you toward any particular lender or product. Our value is in process guidance, not product sales.

Your plan is personalised based on your specific situation including your income and employment type (employed, self-employed, contractor), deposit amount and source (savings, Lifetime ISA, gifted funds), location (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland each have different processes and costs), property type and price, whether you're chain-free or need to sell first, and any special circumstances (Help to Buy, Shared Ownership, adverse credit). The system calculates your exact stamp duty (including first-time buyer relief), realistic mortgage borrowing, all costs specific to your property price, and timelines that reflect your regional search speeds and chain status. It's not a generic guide - it's your actual roadmap.

Yes, the core homebuying plan, timeline, budget calculator, and process guidance are completely free for all first-time buyers with no credit card required and no hidden fees. We offer optional premium features (detailed legal explainers, template letters, live timeline tracking) for £29-£49 one-time payment, but the free version includes everything you need to understand the process, know your budget, and plan your timeline. We make money from premium subscriptions and partnerships with service providers (who pay us referral fees), but we never recommend services based on commission - we only suggest providers who meet our quality standards. Our free tier is genuinely free, not a trial that converts to paid.