First-time buyers
A first-time buyer’s guide to buying your first home
Deposits, mortgages and the buying process, step by step.
Read guideHow much deposit do you need for a mortgage?
What you need, how it affects your rate, and how to build one.
Read guideMortgage in principle, explained
What it is, why you need one, and how to get one.
Read guideWhat credit score do you need for a mortgage?
How lenders judge your credit, and how to improve yours.
Read guideThe real cost of buying a home
The fees beyond your deposit, and what to budget for.
Read guideShared ownership vs Help to Buy
How each scheme works, and who they suit.
Read guideDo first-time buyers pay stamp duty?
First-time buyer relief explained, with worked examples.
Read guideRemortgaging
Remortgaging explained
When it is worth switching, and how the process works.
Read guideWhen should you remortgage?
Timing your switch to avoid the standard variable rate.
Read guideHow much can you borrow when you remortgage?
Affordability, equity and releasing cash from your home.
Read guideDo you need a deposit to remortgage?
Why your equity does the job, and when it matters.
Read guideFixed vs tracker mortgages, explained
The pros, cons and who each type of rate suits.
Read guideProduct transfer vs remortgage
Stay with your lender or switch? How to decide.
Read guideSelf-employed & complex income
Getting a mortgage when you’re self-employed
What lenders look for and how to present your income.
Read guideCan you get a mortgage with one year’s accounts?
Yes, with the right lender. Here’s how.
Read guideHow lenders assess self-employed income
Net profit, dividends and retained profit, made simple.
Read guideContractor mortgages, explained
How lenders turn your day rate into borrowing power.
Read guideMortgages for company directors
Salary, dividends and retained profit, and how to borrow more.
Read guideProtection
Do you need life insurance?
Who needs cover, how much, and the types available.
Read guideHow much life insurance do you need?
A simple way to size cover to your commitments.
Read guideLife insurance vs critical illness cover
What each one pays out for, and how they work together.
Read guideDo you need income protection?
The cover that replaces your income if you can’t work.
Read guideIncome protection vs critical illness cover
Ongoing income or a lump sum? How to choose.
Read guideLife insurance in trust, explained
Why it speeds up payout and can cut inheritance tax.
Read guideProtection for the self-employed
No sick pay? The cover that matters most when you work for yourself.
Read guideHome insurance
Buildings vs contents insurance
What each covers, and why you may need both.
Read guideHow much contents insurance do you need?
Estimate your cover room by room, and avoid under-insuring.
Read guideHome insurance exclusions to watch for
What’s typically not covered, and how to stay protected.
Read guideChoosing an adviser
Larger and higher-value mortgages
How large-loan and high-net-worth lending really works.
Read guideMortgage broker vs going direct to your bank
What a broker does, and the deals you could miss.
Read guideMortgage broker vs comparison sites
Why a headline rate isn’t the deal you’ll actually get.
Read guideWhat does a mortgage adviser cost?
Fees, commission and what ‘fee-free’ really means.
Read guideMortgage adviser in Southampton & Hampshire
Personal, whole-of-market advice, local to you.
Read guide