You’re ready to find a place to call home for the whole family. So how do you get started?
Choose an area
You can make a home look prettier but you can’t pick it up and move it. It’s all about location, location, location - and finding an area you know you’ll love.
Flooding happens sometimes. Here’s how to make sure your home is properly protected and what you need to look out for when you’re buying a new home.
Not sure where to start your search? We'll help you choose the best place to buy your next home.
Plotting your escape to a life of perpetual sunshine? Maybe this is the year it happens. Here’s our complete guide to buying a house abroad.
Narrow down your search
Looking for somewhere with a garden, garage or office? We’ve got all the tools you need to help you do just that.
Searching for a home with your partner means compromise, planning and a whole lot of patience. A home plan can help you unlock the secrets to harmonious house-hunting with your loved one.
Thinking about buying a leasehold property and wondering what it all means? Let's go through the differences between freehold and leasehold homes.
In the mission to find your dream home, every advantage counts. Here are our top tips to find your perfect home faster.
Buying a leasehold home should be as easy as a freehold home if you know what to look out for.
Buying a leasehold home? While leaseholds are solid investments, it pays to know the potential pitfalls. Here's what to watch out for.
Here’s what you need to know before taking on a big renovation project. We weigh up what makes it worth it, and the hassle you might save if you fork out more for a finished home.
Dreaming of life on the water? We'll take you through the costs involved, the different types of houseboats to choose from and the lowdown on mooring fees.
Want to buy a home at auction? Here’s everything you need to know about the process and top tips for being the winning bidder.
Ready to start home hunting? We've got all the tools you need: from mapping out your favourite streets to checking travel times to the local pub. Let's find your dream home.
Viewing properties
Whether you’re after a do-er upper or a good-to-go home, we’ve got the questions to ask the agents plus tips on how to spot property with potential.
Looking to buy a home that you can add value to? Here are 14 opportunities to look out for at viewings.
It can be hard to know what to ask when you first start viewing properties, so let's take advice from the pros. Our estate agents reveal the questions most first-time buyers want answers to.
Make sure you don't miss anything on your house viewings with our handy checklist for buyers.
New-builds
One top reason to bag a new-build home is that most come with a 10-year warranty. Plus they have the latest eco-friendly, energy-efficient appliances.
From developer incentives to the opportunity to personalise your property and access to home buying schemes, let's take a look at the differences between buying a new-build and a traditional home.
Charlotte Yea bought a new-build, two-bed apartment in Winchester and hasn't looked back. Here's why.
First-time buyer Harry Fallows reveals why he hasn’t looked back since buying a new-build home - and why he’d do it again.
There are thousands of developers building new homes across the UK. Here’s how to choose the best to get your dream home, with the quality and features you expect.
Ready for a brand new home? Alongside developer incentives, there are buying schemes available to help you along the way. Let's take a look.
New-build homes come with a 10-year warranty. Let’s take a look at what they cover.
The New Homes Quality Board has launched a code for builders and developers to ensure new homes are high quality and buyers are protected.
Unsure whether to go for a new-build or a period property? Here are the advantages of brand new and existing homes.
From warranties to cheaper bills, how new homes are good for your bank balance long-term.
Our comprehensive guide to snapping up a new-build property, from the schemes designed to help you buy one to all the perks of brand new goods and 10-year warranties.
Not all Grand Designs have to blow an average homebuyer's budget. The Help to Build scheme aims to make it more affordable and easier to get a mortgage if you’re building a home yourself.
Keen to buy a new build home but struggling to get a deposit together? Deposit Unlock could be the scheme for you. Here’s everything you need to know.
Affordable housing offers a subsidised route to home ownership through government schemes, or subsidised rents for people on low incomes.
There are lots of schemes available to help first-time buyers onto the property ladder. Let's take a look at what's available.
‘Own New - Rate Reducer’ is a brand new scheme offering lower fixed rate mortgage deals for buyers of new-build homes. Let’s find out more.
Ready to buy a brand new, sparkly home? Securing a mortgage for a new-build is similar to buying a more traditional home, but there are a couple of differences. Here’s how it works.
Buy-to-let
Thinking about becoming a landlord? Buy-to-let properties have different stamp duty and mortgage rates. Here's what you need to know.
Nobody wants to fork out an extra 3% in Stamp Duty Land Tax when buying an additional home. The 'replacement of an only or main residence' rules could be a way out of it, says property lawyer John Shallcross.
If you're buying another home which you won't be living in, you may well be liable to pay the 3% stamp duty on second homes. We break down the complex rules in our dedicated Q&A.
Want to give buy-to-let a go? Here’s our complete guide to becoming a landlord, from getting a mortgage and choosing a property to finding the right tenant.
Buying a home to rent out? Here's our easy-to-understand guide to rental mortgages and where to find the best buy-to-let mortgage rates.
Retirement
Did you know there are such things as interest-only retirement properties? There's more to retirement than having more time to babysit your grandkids.
Retirement villages, with their spas, cinemas and on-site facilities can be enticing. But make sure you read the small print before signing up, as they can also be very expensive.
Plotting your escape to a life of perpetual sunshine? Maybe this is the year it happens. Here’s our complete guide to buying a house abroad.
If you’re looking to release some equity in your home for retirement, a lifetime mortgage lets you do just that, while letting you retain ownership of it for life.
Retirement interest-only mortgages are designed to help those who can't repay their mortgage in full when they retire. Here's how they work.
Legally, you're never too old to get a mortgage. As long as you've got the means to pay it, there'll be mortgage providers willing to lend it.
With Brits living and working longer than ever, more of us want to take out mortgages later in life.
