First-time buyer mortgages
For buyers checking deposit, affordability, mortgage in principle and what documents lenders may ask for.
Count Ready helps UK buyers, homeowners and landlords understand suitable mortgage options based on their circumstances. Use this page to choose the closest route, see what happens next, and decide whether to speak to an adviser.
Most people do not need to read every mortgage guide before enquiring. Start with the situation closest to yours, then an adviser can explain what lenders may consider, what evidence may be needed and whether a mortgage route looks realistic.
For buyers checking deposit, affordability, mortgage in principle and what documents lenders may ask for.
For homeowners reviewing a current deal, changing lender, borrowing more or checking early repayment charges.
For new landlords, portfolio landlords and limited company applicants checking rental stress tests and criteria.
For applicants with missed payments, defaults, CCJs, DMPs, IVA, bankruptcy or previous repossession.
For sole traders, company directors, contractors, freelancers, CIS workers and applicants with complex income.
For skilled worker, spouse, family and other visa holders checking deposit, residency and lender requirements.
For council or housing association tenants looking at discount, affordability, deposit and purchase steps.
For business owners and investors exploring commercial or semi-commercial property finance.
The aim of the first conversation is clarity, not a hard sell. You can explain what you are trying to do and an adviser can tell you what may matter before an application is considered.
Count Ready Limited is an appointed representative of Connect IFA Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Count Ready is entered on the Financial Services Register under reference 976111.
Mortgage recommendations depend on your personal circumstances and lender criteria. We do not guarantee approval, the lowest rate or acceptance by any lender.
The compact guide below keeps useful search-stage information on this page without turning it into a second long article. If you already know you want advice, use the call-back route above.
Mortgage advice guide
This section is here to support the choices above, not to make the page feel like a separate mortgage textbook. It covers the points that normally shape a mortgage conversation: deposit, income, credit history, property type, lender criteria and your timescale.
Every recommendation still depends on your circumstances. Count Ready can explain what may be realistic before you decide whether to move forward with an application.
A mortgage is a loan secured against a property. You usually repay it monthly over an agreed term, and the lender has a legal charge over the property until the mortgage is repaid.
Lenders usually look at income, commitments, deposit, credit conduct, property details and whether the mortgage remains affordable if circumstances or interest rates change.
Advice is useful when your situation is not simple, such as self-employed income, adverse credit, a visa, buy-to-let, remortgaging, complex property or tight timescales.
The first conversation is about clarity. You do not need every document ready before you ask, but these points usually decide which mortgage routes are worth exploring.
These answers are deliberately brief so the page stays useful. The right answer for you depends on lender criteria and your full circumstances.
It depends on the mortgage type, property, credit profile and lender. Some buyers may need a larger deposit if the case is specialist or the lender sees higher risk.
It may be possible. Lenders usually want evidence of trading history and income, but the approach differs for sole traders, directors, contractors, freelancers and CIS workers.
Some lenders consider adverse credit. Dates, amounts, deposit size, recent conduct and the type of issue can all affect what may be available.
Many homeowners start around six months before the current deal ends. This gives time to check rates, product transfers, lender options and any early repayment charges.
Not always. Fees, incentives, affordability, criteria, tie-in period, flexibility and the chance of acceptance can matter as much as the headline rate.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments. If payments are a concern, speak to your lender early and get advice before arrears build.
Getting a mortgage on maternity leave
Mortgages for flats above shops
Non-standard construction mortgages
Mortgage on a property with an annexe
Mortgages for properties with a history of subsidence
Below market value property mortgage
Mortgages for concrete construction properties
Undervalued property mortgages
What is an Islamic mortgage, and how do they work?
Probate and inheritance mortgage
Mortgages for a timber framed property
Mortgage on a home next to a commercial property
Flying freehold property mortgages
Single brick construction mortgage
Mortgages on properties in a flood zone
Mortgages for a property with solar panels
Mortgages on an Uninhabitable Property
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