4 essential tips for first-time buyers

Buying your first home is a huge step. It’s probably the biggest financial decision of your life so far and the list of things to think about can be daunting.

That’s why we’ve pulled together four essential tips to help you minimise stress and make your homebuying journey as smooth as possible.

Ask for advice

It’s no surprise that we’re topping our list with advice. Whether it’s a friendly pointer from a relative or expert guidance from one of our mortgage advisers, a helping hand goes a long way towards taking the stress out of buying your first home.

Friends and parents who own their home are a great resource to lean on. They might recommend solicitors or removals companies, go with you to viewings or even help you towards the cost of a deposit. And, if things get stressful, they’ll always offer a kind word of encouragement.

Our advisers, meanwhile, can help you through every stage of the homebuying process. They’ll assess how much you can afford to borrow, guide you through the mortgage market and recommend a mortgage that’s right for your needs. They’ll take care of the paperwork and keep everything on track so you can focus on getting ready for your new home.

Save as much as possible

There’s no way around it – buying a house is expensive, so you’ve got to save, save, save. Most lenders accept a minimum deposit of 5% of the value of the property you want to buy, but it’s always good to aim higher if you can. The bigger your deposit, the less you’ll have to borrow and the more attractive you’ll be to prospective lenders.

There are some key things you can do to help you save for a deposit, from setting a savings goal to finding the right place to put your cash. There are plenty of tools and guides available online, but our advisers can also help you with this first stage of your homebuying journey.

Expect to compromise

We’d all love our first home to be our dream home, but it’s likely you’ll have to compromise on a few things. Could you live without a driveway or a big garden? Could you buy in a less desirable area and get a smaller mortgage? Decide what you’re prepared to compromise on and try to keep an open mind about what your first home might look like.

Know your budget

Your deposit and repayments are the biggest costs associated with buying your home, but there are other expenses to think about too. From conveyancing fees and surveys to insurance and removals, budgeting for these additional costs is crucial to make sure they don’t build up or take you by surprise.

You can find helpful lists online that explain these costs and how much they might come to. Alternatively, you can talk to one of our advisers about factoring them into your savings plan.

There’s a lot more to think about when buying your first home but using these four tips as a starting point is a good way to set yourself up for smooth, stress-free process.

Want to talk to an expert? Get in touch with Kelly today.

YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.

Crystal Clear Financial Planning & Mortgages is a trading style of Martin Jones Financial Planning Consultants LLP which is an appointed representative of The Openwork Partnership, a trading style of Openwork Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Approved by The Openwork Partnership on 07/04/2025