You probably have a dream home in a dream neighbourhood already, right? A beach house by the sea… A townhouse at the heart of the action… A cool loft apartment in an up-and-coming area… A secluded cottage with roses round the porch…
Well it’s good to know what you’re looking for, but the first step is to check out the typical prices in your area for first-time-buyer properties (it's easy to do this online with websites such as Rightmove and Zoopla) and see if you've saved up enough.
If it looks like you’re going to have to compromise, don’t worry – this can often be a chance to add value to your home, rather than buying somewhere that is already at its peak price. Explore the areas nearby – they might have a fantastic community vibe you didn’t know about, or be in the local council’s plans for regeneration.
Alternatively, be willing to go for a place that’s underpriced because it might need some cosmetic improvements – as long as it’s structurally sound you can put your own stamp on it when you can afford it, and in the meantime just whack a coat of paint onto that 1970s wallpaper.
If it’s still all looking a bit pricey, you could consider local affordable housing options such as Shared Ownership or government initiatives like Help to Buy.