5 tips to help you find your first home

Struggling to know where to start your homebuying journey? We’ve got you covered.

There’s a lot to think about when buying your first house. It’s probably one of the biggest financial decisions of your life, so we’re sharing five tips to help you make sure you find the perfect home.

Start with an open mind

We’d all love our first home to our dream home, but being a first-time buyer often involves compromises when it comes to size, features and location. Keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to view houses that don’t tick all your boxes.

Talk to your local estate agent

Estate agents can be a treasure trove of knowledge and expertise. They’ll give you a good idea of the properties available in your area, help you narrow your search and assess whether your budget will get you the kind of house you’re looking for.

Check out the location before

You can change a lot about a house, but you can’t change the location. It’s worth identifying three to four local areas you like based on what’s important to you, like commute time, schools and amenities.

Use property websites

Search websites like Zoopla and Rightmove are now the first port of call for many buyers. Most give you a wide range of options that allow you to filter by size, features, location, ownership and many more.

Speak to a mortgage adviser

Financial advisers help you find the right mortgage product, but they can also help before you get to that stage. They’ll work with you to establish a budget and set savings goals, which help give you an idea of what you can afford and how long it might take to gather a deposit.

Get in touch with Kelly today to supercharge your search for your first home.

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