LTV, APR, DTI... it's enough to make your head spin. Let us break it down for you. Dig into our content to learn more about house hunting, first-time buyer mortgages, interest rates and so much more.
There’s a lot of outdated advice floating around when it comes to buying your first home. One of the most common is that you’ll need to save a 20% deposit before you can even think about applying for a mortgage. But here’s the truth: while a 20% deposit could unlock better mortgage rates, it’s not essential. In fact, there are plenty of ways to get on the ladder with far less — and some buyers don’t need to save a deposit at all! Here’s everything you need to know.
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If your friends have bought a house in their 20s, you might be wondering how on Earth they’ve done it — especially if they bought in an expensive area and you have a feeling their salary isn’t that different to yours. You’re happy for them (mostly), but it’s hard not to compare. You’ve been cutting back, building up your savings, and checking your credit report religiously, yet homeownership still feels out of reach. But before you go blaming yourself or living like a student again, here are five unfiltered truths about what it really takes to buy in your 20s, and why you’re probably doing better than you think.
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The Bank of England has cut its base interest rate from 4.25% to 4.0%. This widely expected move comes as the UK battles weak economic growth. And experts are predicting another rate cut before the end of the year - even as inflation hit 3.6% in June, nearly twice the Bank of England’s 2% target. What does this mean for you? We’ve covered all you need to know, including how this impacts mortgage affordability and saving rates.
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If you’re saving a deposit for your first home, you’ve probably been inundated with advice from well-meaning family members who just want to help. Some of their tips might be valuable, such as viewing houses in person or paying for a survey. Other suggestions, like cancelling your subscriptions and giving up takeaways, can be frustrating to say the least - especially if your family members bought their first home in the 80s, 90s, or earlier. Back then, house prices were lower, and saving a deposit didn’t require a five-year strategy. So although your loved ones might have the best intentions, their pearls of wisdom may be less effective in today’s housing market. Let’s take a look at the biggest lies about buying a house, and what your parents got wrong.
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If you're hoping to buy a home in 2025, your chosen city can make or break your chances for getting on the ladder. The average buyer in London needs to earn over £101,000 a year and save more than £53,000 for a 10% deposit, for example. Over in Liverpool however, you could potentially buy with an income of just £32,600 and a deposit of around £16,300. With so much variation between different cities, let’s take a look at what it actually takes to buy a home where you want to live.
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Are you thinking of renting out a property for the first time? Whether you’re renting a flat to complete strangers or buying an affordable home for your child to live in at university, here’s our guide to getting a mortgage as a first time landlord.
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If you’re a skilled worker with a Tier 2 or skilled worker or skilled worker visa, it’s possible to buy a home or investment property in the UK. Wondering where to start and how to boost your chances? Here’s our guide to getting a mortgage if you have a Tier 2 or skilled worker or skilled worker visa.
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If you’ve moved to the UK for work or you’d like to buy property here despite not being a British passport holder, you might be wondering how you can buy a house. Read on to find out how to get a mortgage as a foreign national in the UK.
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If you’re applying for a mortgage or even just thinking about buying your own home one day, you’ve probably seen the term Loan to Value (LTV) crop up. It’s one of the most important numbers lenders consider when looking at a mortgage application, so let’s take a look at what LTV means, how it’s calculated, and what you can do to improve it.
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If you’re a first-time buyer, you may be able to get a discount on your first home or some of the associated costs. Let’s take a look at some of the best first-time buyer discounts and explore how you can get on the ladder with a small deposit or salary.
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You’ve spent months scrolling through Rightmove, saving as much as possible, and imagining yourself posing on the doorstep of your first home, keys in hand. After all this hard work and dedication, the last thing you need is for one mistake to throw your dreams off track. To help you avoid the pitfalls, we’ve put together five of the most common mistakes first-time buyers make, counting down to the one that trips people up most often.
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Have you ever been told that you could afford to buy a house if you just worked harder and stopped spending so much money? It’s something that Millennials and Gen Z hear all the time! There may be a few things you can do to boost your deposit and your chances of getting a mortgage, but it’s probably not your fault that you don’t own a house yet - even if you don’t have a side hustle, you love going out for brunch, and you’re paying for multiple streaming services at once. Here’s why it’s actually so hard to get on the property ladder in the UK, and why it’s got nothing to do with avocado toast…
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On the evening of 15th July 2025, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her widely anticipated Mansion House speech. Speculation had been rife about potential changes to the annual tax-free allowance for Cash ISAs in the lead up to the speech, but what was changed? Keep reading to find out what was announced, and if there have been any changes to Cash ISAs.
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The average first-time buyer mortgage payment is now 20% lower than the average rent across Great Britain. But is buying always cheaper than renting? And if you’d like to buy your own home, which regions offer the best value for money? The average rent is just over £1,200 per month. Let’s break down what £1,200 a month really gets you in rent vs mortgage payments, and how you could save a deposit faster or boost your affordability so you could buy sooner and leave renting forever.
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Does it feel like you’re years away from buying your first house? You could be closer than you think. So many renters are convinced it’ll take forever to buy their first home, only to speak to a mortgage expert and find their first step on the ladder is closer than they think. So if you’re desperate to buy your own place, here are 7 signs you could be ready to buy a house - even if you think you’re not.
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You’ve been saving a deposit, dreaming of the day you can hang pictures on the wall, and your TikTok algorithm thinks you’re in the market for a sofa. But are you actually ready to buy a house yet? When buying your first home, the deposit is just one piece of the puzzle. If you’re missing the other pieces, you might not be ready to buy a house just yet. So today, let’s take a look at the 7 financial red flags that could be standing between you and your dream home, and more importantly, how to fix them.
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A Lifetime ISA is a special ISA savings account designed to help first-time homebuyers and retirement savers save up for a first house deposit or retirement faster. But this financial tool has come under some criticism in the last few days following the Treasury Committee's latest report. Here’s what you need to know about the Treasury Committee's recent report, our take on the findings, and how it all impacts you.
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You can save up to £20,000 per tax year in an Individual Savings Account (ISA) without paying tax on your interest or investment returns. But when does the ISA allowance reset? Find out in this guide.
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An ISA transfer lets you move money from one ISA to another, without affecting your ISA annual allowance or your savings’ tax-free status. If you’ve already started an ISA transfer, or you’re thinking of moving your funds, here’s how long an ISA transfer should take.
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Today (19th June 2025), the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has voted to hold the base rate steady at 4.25%. After cutting the rate for the second time last month, today’s decision was widely expected by the market, with the committee voting for a hold.
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Most people can earn a certain amount of interest without paying tax on it, thanks to something called the Personal Savings Allowance (PSA). But how does it work, how much is it, and are you eligible?
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We all know saving money is important, but it’s hard to do when you’ve got bills to pay and your income only stretches so far. So whether you’re putting money aside for your first home, a big trip, or just building a financial buffer, we’re here to help you figure out how much to save each month, where to keep your money, and how to reach your savings goals faster.
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If you buy a house or flat in Wales, you may need to pay a tax on your property purchase called Land Transaction Tax. This is the Welsh equivalent of Stamp Duty. Find out how much Land Transaction Tax you’ll need to pay for your property purchase in this guide.
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When you buy property in Scotland, you may need to pay Land and Buildings Transaction Tax. Like Stamp Duty in England and Northern Ireland (and Land Transaction Tax in Wales), it can significantly increase the cost of buying a property. So how does Scotland’s version of Stamp Duty work and how much tax will you pay?
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If you’re buying a house or remortgaging your home, a mortgage broker can help you find the right mortgage with as little stress and paperwork as possible. If you’ve never used a mortgage broker before, you might be wondering what to expect. To help you prepare, here are 10 questions your mortgage broker might ask you.
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Even though it can feel hard to get on the property ladder, there are benefits to being a first-time buyer. To help you get your foot in your own front door, here’s our breakdown of some of the most creative first-time buyer schemes and deposit-boosing savings accounts that can help you buy your first home sooner.
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You might have heard people say that it’s harder for first-time buyers to get onto the property ladder today in comparison to previous generations. But why is it so difficult for first-time buyers to buy homes, and what can you do to finally make home happen? Find out in this guide.
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A Fixed Rate ISA is a savings account where you lock your money away for a set period and earn a guaranteed interest rate in return. Your interest will be tax-free and protected from fluctuating interest rates, but you won’t be able to withdraw your money until the end of your fixed term (usually between one to five years). In this guide, we’ll run over all the Fixed Rate ISAs currently available from TSB. If you’re looking for the best Fixed Rate ISA on the market, keep in mind that the familiar high-street banks don’t always offer the most competitive rates.
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A Fixed Rate ISA is a type of savings account where you agree to lock your money away for a set period, in return for a fixed interest rate. You’ll be protected from falling interest rates and all your interest will be tax-free, but you won’t be able to make any withdrawals until the end of your fixed period. In this guide, we’ll cover all the Fixed Rate ISAs currently offered by Yorkshire Building Society. If you’re looking for the best Fixed Rate ISA available across the market, keep in mind that the familiar high-street banks don’t always offer the most competitive rates.
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If you’d like to protect your savings from falling interest rates, a Fixed Rate ISA will give you a guaranteed interest rate for an agreed period of time. All your interest will be tax-free too, but you won’t be able to make any withdrawals until the end of your chosen term. In this guide, we’ll cover all the Fixed Rate ISAs currently offered by Leeds Building Society. If you’re looking for the best Fixed Rate ISA available across the market, keep in mind that the familiar high-street banks don’t always offer the most competitive rates.
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