Buying a House with a Friend or Family Member: What You Need to Know
Buying a property with someone else has become an increasingly common way to get on the property ladder in the UK, whether it's siblings pooling resources, friends sharing a first home, or parents and adult children buying together. But it brings legal, financial and practical complications that don't apply to a solo purchase. Here's what to think about before you sign anything.
What Is a Title Deed and Why Does It Matter?
When you buy a home in the UK, you're not just buying the bricks and mortar, you're buying the legal right to own and use the property. That legal right is recorded in the title deed, one of the most important documents in any property transaction. Here's what you need to know.
Mortgage in Principle Explained: Why You Need One Before House Hunting
A Mortgage in Principle is one of the first things estate agents will ask about when you start viewing properties seriously, and it's an important step that many first time buyers don't fully understand until they need it. Here's what it is, why it matters, and how to get one.
How Much Deposit Do You Need to Buy a House in the UK?
The deposit is one of the biggest barriers to buying a home in the UK and one of the most misunderstood. Many first time buyers assume they need 20% saved before they can even start looking, when in reality the picture is much more nuanced. Here's what you actually need to know in 2026.
How to Negotiate on a House Price
Making an offer on a property isn't just about picking a number, negotiation is a normal part of the buying process and most sellers expect it. Here's how to approach it confidently and what information gives you the strongest position.
What Is Stamp Duty and How Much Will You Pay?
Stamp duty is one of the biggest upfront costs of buying a property in the UK, yet many buyers don't fully account for it until late in the process. Here's how it works, what the current rates are, and how much you can expect to pay.
First Time Buyer Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Buying your first home is one of the most significant financial decisions you'll ever make. Most first time buyer mistakes aren't made because people are careless, they're made because nobody told them what to look out for. Here's what you need to be aware of and ask at each stage.
How Long Does Buying a House Take? A Realistic Timeline
One of the most common questions buyers ask is how long the whole process takes. The honest answer is that it varies, but having a realistic picture of each stage helps you plan, reduces anxiety and means you're less likely to be caught off guard by delays.
Building Regulations and Planning Permission: What to Check Before You Buy A UK Property
When buying a property, the focus tends to be on the visible. What's much harder to see is whether work already done to the property was carried out correctly, safely and properly approved. Here's what to understand and ask before you proceed.
What to Look for on a Second House Viewing: The Checklist Most Buyers Skip
If you're seriously considering making an offer, a second viewing isn't just useful, it's essential. The first viewing is often an emotional experience where important things can get missed. Here's what to focus on when you go back.
Leasehold vs Freehold: What Every UK Buyer Needs to Know
When buying a property in the UK, one of the first things your solicitor will confirm is whether it's leasehold or freehold. For many buyers this distinction can feel a bit obscure, or like legal small print. In practice it has a significant impact on what you own, what you pay and what you can do with your property.
Exchange and Completion: The Final Questions That Protect You
You've had your offer accepted, appointed a solicitor, had your survey done and navigated the conveyancing process. But exchange and completion still require attention. Here's what to ask at the final stages to make sure nothing gets missed.
Buying a Probate or Auction Property: What You Need to Know
Most property purchases follow a fairly predictable path. But probate and auction purchases come with additional complexity that can catch buyers off guard. Here's what you need to know before you proceed with either.
The Conveyancing Process: What Your Solicitor Should Be Doing
Once your offer is accepted, conveyancing begins. For many UK home buyers it's the most stressful part of the process, not because it's complicated, but because it often feels like nothing is happening. Here's what your solicitor should actually be doing at each stage.
Which House Survey Do I Need? RICS Level 1, 2 and 3 Explained
Not sure which house survey you need? If you've started looking into house surveys, you've probably come across the terms Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 and wondered what the difference actually is. Here's what each RICS survey level covers and how to decide which is right for your property.
Making an Offer on a House: What to Ask Before You Commit
Most buyers ask the wrong questions when making an offer on a house. Here's exactly what to ask the estate agent and your solicitor before you commit, from someone who learned the hard way.
10 Questions to Ask When Viewing a House That Many Buyers Miss
Most people walk into a house viewing with a mental checklist of the obvious: how many bedrooms, is there parking, what's the garden like, how much work does it need? Those things matter, of course, but they're rarely the questions that protect you.
The Property Buying Question That Could Have Saved Me Thousands
“Buying a home is one of the most exciting things you'll ever do. It's also, as I discovered, one of the easiest ways to inherit someone else's problem without ever knowing it was there…”