The stuff the glossy guides leave out, from solicitors to toilet brushes! 

Buying your first home is brilliant. It’s also, frankly, a bit of a nightmare. The process is opaque, the jargon is relentless, and everyone seems to assume you already know what an “exchange” is. You don’t. That’s fine.

Here are the things that genuinely matter, the bits that will either save you money, save you stress, or both.

Tip 1:

Get your mortgage in principle sorted early, and lock in your rate 

Before you start properly viewing properties, get a mortgage in principle. It tells sellers you’re serious, and more importantly, it gives you a rate to work with.

Here’s the thing about rates: lock one in. If rates fall between now and completion, most lenders will let you switch to the lower one. But if rates go up and you haven’t locked anything in? That’s not an abstract problem, it’s a real, immediate hit to what you can afford each month. Don’t leave it open-ended.

Always go for the lower rate when you have the option. Sounds obvious, but it bears saying out loud.

Tip 2:

Stress-test the numbers before you commit

Your mortgage won’t be at its current rate forever. When it comes up for renewal, typically every 2 to 5 years, rates might look very different. So, before you sign anything ask yourself: could I still afford this if the rate went up by 2%? 3%?

This isn’t pessimism. It’s just being sensible. The people who get into trouble aren’t the ones who planned for the worst, they’re the ones who assumed the best.

Tip 3:

Your solicitor matters more than you think 

This is one of those things nobody really tells you. You’ll spend a lot of time stressing about the property itself – the survey, the offer, the negotiation, but the solicitor is the person who moves the process forward. Or doesn’t.

Get a recommendation from someone you actually trust, not just a comparison site. You want someone who communicates clearly, breaks things down without making you feel stupid, and proactively keeps you updated rather than waiting for you to chase them.

Having the right people on your side makes an enormous difference to how stressful the whole thing feels. A good solicitor doesn’t just do the legal work but manages the process for you, and that’s worth a lot.

A bad one, by contrast, will leave you anxious, in the dark, and wondering if your purchase is about to fall through.

Tip 4:

Budget for more than just the mortgage

The monthly mortgage payment is the obvious number. But there’s a stack of other costs that can catch people out, especially in the first few months.

Home insurance is one that often surprises people – many lenders require it before they’ll release the funds, so it’s not optional. Worth noting: some banks and credit card providers offer discounts on home insurance if you’re an existing customer or part of a loyalty scheme. It’s not a fortune, but it’s worth checking before you just go with whoever comes up first on a comparison site.

Then there’s council tax, which if you’re buying in London can vary dramatically from one borough to the next. Check it before you fall in love with a flat.

And then there are the stupid little things. The toilet brush. The plates. The bin. The shower curtain. The light bulbs. Moving-in day has a way of revealing just how many small things a home needs, all at once, all requiring immediate purchase.

Budget a few hundred pounds for first-month incidentals and you’ll be much less stressed when it happens.

Tip 5: 

Watch where your deposit is sitting, and how quickly you can access it

This one is quietly important. If your deposit is sitting in a stocks and shares ISA or any kind of investment account, you need to find out in advance how long it takes to withdraw. Some investments take days or even weeks to liquidate.

When your solicitor asks for the funds, the timeline can be tight. If the money isn’t ready in time, you could face late fees – or worse, risk the whole transaction. Check this well in advance, not the week before completion.

Buying your first home is a lot. But most of the stress comes from the unknown, and most of the unknown can be reduced with a bit of preparation. Sort the mortgage early, pick your solicitor carefully, and budget properly for the full picture. The rest you’ll figure out as you go.

Thank you, 

The Citygate FP Team 

Citygate Financial Planning Limited (trading as Citygate Financial Planning) is registered in England and Wales under company number 9188423, with its registered office at 80 Coleman Street, London, EC2R 5BJ.  Citygate Financial Planning Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Reference Number 647956).