Buying your first home in the UK: a step-by-step first-time buyer's guide

Buying · 8 min read · by Jordan · 8 July 2026

Buying your first home is one of the biggest things you'll ever do, and almost nobody explains it end to end in a way that isn't trying to sell you something. This is that explanation: what happens, in what order, and what's normal at each step — for first-time buyers anywhere in the UK.

One honest note before we start: this is general guidance, not financial or legal advice. We'll tell you how the process works and what to ask, but your mortgage broker, lender and conveyancer are the people qualified to advise you on money and law. We never ask what you earn or what you can afford.

The short version

For most first-time buyers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland the journey is: save a deposit → get a mortgage in principle → find a home and make an offer → offer accepted → conveyancing (the legal work) → exchange contracts → completion → keys. In Scotland it's genuinely different (Home Report, offers through a solicitor, missives), which we cover below.

The part that catches everyone out is what happens after your offer is accepted — the 8–20 weeks of quiet, jargon and waiting. That's the part we go deepest on.

Step 1 — Your deposit and a "mortgage in principle"

You'll typically need a deposit of at least 5–10% of the property price, though a bigger deposit usually opens up better mortgage rates. Exactly how much you can borrow depends on your circumstances — that's a conversation for a mortgage broker or lender, not something to guess at.

Before you start viewing seriously, get a mortgage in principle (also called an Agreement in Principle or "AIP"). It's a lender's early indication of what they might lend you, and estate agents will often ask to see one before they take your offer seriously. A whole-of-market, FCA-regulated mortgage broker can compare lenders and handle this for you — many are fee-free.

First-time-buyer tip: sort your ID, proof of deposit (bank statements, and a gift letter if family are helping) and payslips into one folder now. Slow paperwork is the number-one self-inflicted delay later on.

Step 2 — Finding a home and making an offer

View more than you think you need to, and see places at different times of day. When you find the one, you make an offer through the estate agent (in England, Wales and NI). Offers aren't binding at this stage — you can still negotiate, and either side can walk away until contracts are exchanged.

When your offer is accepted, the agent marks the property "Sold STC" (Sold Subject to Contract) and sends out a memorandum of sale with everyone's details. That's the starting gun for the legal work.

Step 3 — Offer accepted: what actually happens next

This is where first-time buyers feel most in the dark, so here's the real sequence:

Instruct a conveyancer

A conveyancer (or solicitor) handles the legal side. Compare a few on fixed-fee quotes and reviews — the cheapest isn't always the fastest. You'll pay some money on account and complete ID and anti-money-laundering checks.

Mortgage application and survey

You move from your mortgage in principle to a full application. The lender does its own valuation (that's for them, not a survey of the home's condition for you). It's worth arranging your own survey too — a Level 2 HomeBuyer report for most homes, or a Level 3 Building Survey for older or unusual ones.

Searches and enquiries

Your conveyancer orders searches (local authority, water & drainage, environmental) and raises enquiries with the seller's solicitor about anything unclear. This is usually the longest, most opaque stage — weeks can pass with little visible progress, and often that's completely normal.

Exchange and completion

Once the mortgage offer, searches, survey and enquiries are all satisfactory, you exchange contracts — the point at which you're legally committed and your deposit is paid. Then, on the agreed completion date, the money moves and you get the keys.

(In Scotland this part works differently — there's no "exchange". Your solicitor negotiates missives, and once they're concluded you're legally committed; you move in on the agreed date of entry.)

This is exactly the stretch Home Buying Steps is built for: it shows your country's real stages, tells you whether a silence is normal or a red flag, and gives you ready-to-send emails to chase your solicitor without souring the relationship.

How long does it take?

Government figures put the average at around five months from offer to completion, though a straightforward, chain-free purchase can be quicker and a long chain or a leasehold flat can be slower. Local authority search times, mortgage processing and how quickly everyone answers enquiries are the big variables.

First-time buyer costs and tax

Budget beyond the deposit for: your mortgage broker (often free), conveyancing fees, searches, a survey, and buildings insurance from exchange. Then there's the purchase tax, where first-time buyers often get a break — but the rules differ by nation and change over time, so confirm the current position with your solicitor or the relevant tax authority rather than relying on a number in an article:

England & Northern Ireland: Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), with first-time-buyer relief up to a threshold.
Scotland: Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT), with its own first-time-buyer relief.
Wales: Land Transaction Tax (LTT) — note Wales does not have a specific first-time-buyer relief.

We don't calculate your tax for you — that depends on your personal circumstances — but your conveyancer will.

How it differs across the UK

England, Wales and Northern Ireland share broadly the same process; Wales uses LTT instead of SDLT, and Northern Ireland has its own property searches. Scotland is a different system entirely: the seller provides a Home Report up front (so you rarely need your own survey), you offer through your solicitor rather than the agent, and the deal becomes binding at conclusion of missives, not exchange. If you're buying in Scotland, read our dedicated Scotland guide — an England checklist with the words swapped will mislead you.

Five mistakes first-time buyers make

Viewing before getting a mortgage in principle — you lose homes to buyers who have one.
Choosing a conveyancer on price alone — communication and speed matter more than £50.
Panicking at silence — quiet weeks in searches and enquiries are usually the process working, not a disaster.
Leaving buildings insurance to the last minute — you need cover in place from exchange (or conclusion of missives in Scotland).
Not verifying bank details by phone — before sending any large sum to your solicitor, confirm the account by phone. Conveyancing fraud is real.

FAQ

Do I need a solicitor and a mortgage broker? A conveyancer/solicitor handles the legal work — yes, you need one. A mortgage broker is optional but usually helpful and often free; they compare lenders and manage the application.

How much deposit do I need as a first-time buyer? Usually at least 5–10% of the price, though more can mean better rates. What you can borrow depends on your circumstances — speak to a broker or lender.

What's the difference between exchange and completion? Exchange is when you become legally committed and pay your deposit; completion is when the money transfers and you get the keys. In Scotland, conclusion of missives is the binding point and you move in on the date of entry.

Is buying in Scotland really different? Yes — Home Report, offers via your solicitor, missives, date of entry and LBTT. It's a genuinely different journey, not just different words.

Is this financial or legal advice? No. This is general guidance to help you understand the process and ask better questions. Your broker and conveyancer advise you; we help you work with them.

Ready to see your own version? Home Buying Steps gives you your country's exact stages, what's normal at each one, and the emails to send when things stall — free, and on your side only. It's general guidance, not legal or financial advice.

Home Buying Steps provides general guidance only, specific to the country you select — not legal, financial, mortgage or tax advice. Always consult your own solicitor or broker. Read the full disclaimer.