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First time buyer mortgages

Buying your first home can be a big step. Our online mortgage calculator will give you a rough idea of how much you could borrow, and how much it could cost each month.

Mortgage calculator

Start your mortgage journey online

Mortgage Calculator

If you're searching for your first home, you’ll need to find out how much you could borrow, and how much your mortgage could cost each month.

In just a few minutes, our online mortgage calculator will give you a rough idea and show you our current mortgage rates.

Already started a mortgage calculation?

Log in to your mortgage journey

 

Mortgage calculator

Agreement in principle (AIP)

An agreement in principle confirms how much you may be able to borrow, before you apply for a mortgage.

  • Show estate agents you’re ready to make an offer on your first home
  • Having an AIP ready if you speak to a mortgage and protection adviser could speed up your application
  • Applying for an AIP has no impact on your credit score

Find out more information about AIPs.

Already started an agreement in principle?

Log in to your mortgage journey
 

Agreement in principle

Already started your mortgage journey with us?

Log in to your personalised mortgage dashboard to pick up where you left off. Use the simple step-by-step guide to find the right deal for you and keep track of your progress all in one place.

Log in
 

Find out what to expect

Learn about the process of buying your first home with our expert guides and resources. Get top tips on saving for a deposit, improving your credit score, making an application and more.

Get first-time buyer help

Help getting on the ladder

First Time Buyer Boost

Boost how much you can borrow for your first home by up to 22%.

Conditions apply.

Check if you could benefit

Mortgages with a 5% deposit

With a 95% mortgage, just 5% is needed for your deposit.

Find out if you qualify

Family Boost Mortgage

Your family gives a 10% deposit. If payments are on track, they get their money back with interest after 3 years.

Conditions apply.

Full details and conditions

Government schemes

We support a range of government-backed schemes that could help you buy your first home.

More about government schemes

You could lose your home if you don’t keep up your mortgage repayments

Our current offers

Explore our special offers to see if you could get more from your first home.

Greener home offers

If your new home has an A or B Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), you could qualify for a £250 cashback reward.

You could also get cashback of up to £2,000 for making qualifying home improvements, like insulation, solar panels, or a heat pump. We can even help with installation.

Terms and conditions apply. Offer can be changed or withdrawn at any time.

Go to green-living offers

Had an offer accepted and ready to get your mortgage?

You may be able to apply online or speak to us over the phone

Before you start, make sure you’ve:

 

  • applied for your agreement in principle
  • had an offer accepted
  • got your mortgage roll number handy. You can find this on your agreement in principle result email.

Apply for a mortgage online

You can speak to us at any point if you need some help.

I’m ready, let’s get started


Already started your application?

Pick up where you left off

Apply with a mortgage and protection adviser

They’ll guide you through your application from the comfort of your own home.

Call our mortgage experts.

Let’s take a closer look

  • You can apply for a first time buyer mortgage with Halifax, so long as:

    • at least 1 person applying has never owned a property before
    • you have a deposit of at least 5% of the property’s value
    • you are at least 18 years old.

    Lending depends on an affordability assessment, credit score and a full mortgage application.

  • It depends on how much the property you want to buy costs. You might qualify for stamp duty relief, but only if all applicants are first-time buyers.

    For example, if you qualify for first-time buyer’s relief in England or Northern Ireland, you’d only pay stamp duty on properties over £300,000. Different rules apply in Scotland and Wales, as they have a different type of tax for property purchases.

    Learn more about stamp duty for first-time buyers.

  • We’ll only lend you a percentage of what the property is worth, so you’ll need to put down some of your own money towards the cost of the property. We call this a deposit. Your deposit should be at least 5% of the property’s value, unless you’re applying for our Family Boost Mortgage. If you can put down more than 5%, you can often get a lower initial interest rate.

    Learn more about how mortgage deposits work and get tips on how to save for a deposit.

  • You can use our Mortgage Calculator to get an idea of how much you could borrow with a first time buyer mortgage. Or you can apply for an agreement in principle to get a better idea of how much we might be able to lend you.

  • The property you buy must be located within the UK and loans can only be used to buy your main residential home or for purposes relating to this home.

    We'll consider lending you money to buy different types of property. For some types of properties, we may ask you for a bigger deposit. Any loan we make will be subject to a satisfactory property valuation by a surveyor of our choice.

  • While we'll consider many types of property, we've a responsibility to make sure that a property is suitable security for a mortgage. As a result, we'll not lend against properties where the lower of the valuation or purchase price is less than £40,000.

  • A mortgage has 1 key difference to other loans - it's secured against your home. If you can't keep up with your monthly repayments, you could end up losing your home. You should contact us straight away if you get into any financial difficulties, so we can give you the help you need.

    House prices can rise or fall. If your home’s value becomes less than you owe, you’ll be in negative equity. If you need to sell and the sale price is less than your mortgage, you’ll face a shortfall you’ll need to repay.

  • At the very least, you’ll need to have buildings insurance to get your mortgage. This covers the bricks and mortar, fixtures and fittings of your home. You might also consider taking out contents insurance to cover any possessions inside your home, from furniture to jewellery.

    It’s also important to think about what would happen if you die or if you are too ill to work. Our mortgage and protection advisers can help you find the right level of cover to protect your mortgage should the worst happen.

  • This will depend on the mortgage product. There may be a product fee to pay, which you can add to your mortgage on completion. There could also be other mortgage charges to cover things like your valuation or mortgage set-up. You'll be charged interest on any fees, charges and standard costs added to your loan.

    During your deal, you might have to pay an early repayment charge if you want to switch to a new deal or repay your mortgage early.

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Saving for a deposit

Learn more about saving for a deposit and how to get there faster.

We can help you improve your knowledge about deposits, and building good savings habits, even while you’re still renting.

Saving for a deposit

First time buyer guide

There’s a lot to think about when buying your first home. Our first time buyer guide explains the entire mortgage process in an easy-to-understand way.

Get to know more about the steps involved – from finding your first home to moving in.

First time buyer guide

Free first-time buyer events

We host free, online educational events with our first time buyer experts to help you understand everything you need to know about buying your first home.

You don’t need to be a Halifax customer or even at the house hunting stage to attend. Everyone is welcome!

Our free events

Mortgages

Find and apply for the right mortgage with a little help from us. Whether you want to take that first step or plan your next move, your search starts here.

Mortgages

Apply for the Right Mortgage

Mortgages

Find and apply for the right mortgage with a little help from us. Whether you want to take that first step or plan your next move, your search starts here.

Mortgages