First-time buyer mortgage: a complete guide

Buying your first home involves a sequence of stages: working out affordability, getting an Agreement in Principle, finding a property, applying for the mortgage, valuation, and finally exchange and completion.

Each stage has its own paperwork and terminology, which is largely why first-time buyers often choose to work with a broker rather than navigate it alone.

We can't give personalised advice without understanding your full circumstances, but this gives a general sense of the shape of the process.