Buying Your First Home in the UK: A Checklist for 2025

Buying your first home is one of those rare experiences that manages to be both thrilling and tedious in equal measure. One week you're scrolling through listings and picturing where the sofa will go; the next you're chasing a solicitor for an update and wondering why nobody told you about indemnity policies. The good news is that the process, while fiddly, follows a fairly predictable sequence. Understand the order of events and you will spend far less time panicking and far more time measuring up for curtains.

What follows is a practical checklist for 2025, running roughly in the order things tend to happen. Timelines vary — a straightforward purchase might complete in a couple of months, while a chain or a leasehold flat can take considerably longer. Treat this as your map, not a stopwatch.

1. Get your finances in order first

Before you fall in love with a property, work out what you can genuinely afford. Lenders will look at your income, regular outgoings, existing debts and credit history, and they will stress-test whether you could still pay the mortgage if interest rates rose. As a rough rule, many buyers borrow a multiple of their household income, but the exact figure depends on the lender and your circumstances.

Budget for more than the mortgage. You will need money for:

• A deposit — commonly somewhere between 5% and 20% of the purchase price, though the more you put down, the better the rates tend to be.
• Stamp Duty Land Tax (see below), which is a significant cost on many purchases.
• Legal fees, searches and land registry charges.
• A survey.
• Mortgage arrangement fees, if applicable.
• Removals, plus a cushion for the unexpected — boilers have a talent for failing the week you move in.

It is also worth checking your credit report early. Errors are common and take time to correct. If you are buying with someone else, be open about each other's finances before you apply, not after.

2. Secure a mortgage agreement in principle

An agreement in principle (sometimes called a decision in principle) is a lender's initial indication of how much they might lend you, based on a soft check of your details. It is not a guarantee, but estate agents often ask for one before they will take your offer seriously, and it gives you a realistic ceiling to house-hunt within.

You can approach lenders directly or use a whole-of-market mortgage broker. A broker can save you leg work and may find deals you would not spot yourself, though some charge a fee. Once you have found a property and had an offer accepted, you will apply for the full mortgage, which involves a hard credit check and a valuation of the property by the lender.

3. Make an offer and instruct a solicitor

Once your offer is accepted, the property is not yet yours — nothing is binding until contracts are exchanged. This is the point to instruct a conveyancing solicitor or licensed conveyancer. Ask for a written quote that includes disbursements (the third-party costs they pay on your behalf), and be wary of quotes that look suspiciously cheap but exclude searches.

Your solicitor will request the title documents, raise enquiries with the seller's solicitor, and carry out local authority, environmental and other searches. On leasehold properties, they will also examine the lease, service charges and ground rent. Read what they send you rather than skimming it; questions are far easier to raise now than after completion.

4. Arrange a survey

A mortgage valuation is for the lender's benefit, not yours. It confirms the property is worth roughly what you are paying. It will not tell you that the roof needs replacing.

Commission your own survey. Options typically range from a basic condition report through to a full building survey, with the right choice depending on the property's age and type. A 1930s semi with original features warrants more scrutiny than a recently built flat. If the survey flags problems, you have three broad choices: proceed, renegotiate the price, or walk away.

Tip: do not skip the survey to save a few hundred pounds on a purchase worth hundreds of thousands. It is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy.

5. Understand Stamp Duty and other taxes

Stamp Duty Land Tax is payable in England and Northern Ireland, with equivalent taxes in Scotland (Land and Buildings Transaction Tax) and Wales (Land Transaction Tax). Rates and thresholds change, and there are surcharges for additional properties and, in some cases, for non-UK residents. First-time buyer relief has existed in various forms over the years, but the rules and thresholds are not permanent.

Because the figures shift with government budgets, check the current rates on GOV.UK or the relevant devolved authority before you budget. Your solicitor will normally calculate and submit the return for you, and the tax is usually due within 14 days of completion. This is a good moment for a reminder: for anything tax-related, take professional advice rather than relying on a website, including this one.

6. Exchange contracts and prepare for completion

Exchange of contracts is the moment the deal becomes legally binding. You will pay a deposit (often 10%, though sometimes less by agreement) and agree a completion date. From here, backing out means losing your deposit.

Before completion day, sort the practicalities:

1. Arrange buildings insurance from exchange, as you are now liable for the property.
2. Confirm your mortgage funds will be released in time.
3. Book removals and start packing — label boxes by room.
4. Set up utilities, council tax and broadband for your move date.
5. Redirect your post and tell your bank, employer and GP.
6. Take meter readings on the day and photograph them.

7. Completion day essentials

On completion, your solicitor transfers the remaining funds to the seller's solicitor, and once received, the keys are released. In a chain, this can happen late in the day, so keep your plans flexible and avoid booking a removals van at the crack of dawn.

Collect the keys, take meter readings, and check that anything agreed in the contract — appliances, fixtures, garden equipment — is still there and in working order. Report any issues to your solicitor promptly. Then register with the land registry if your solicitor has not already handled it, file your paperwork somewhere sensible, and allow yourself a moment. You have just bought a home.

A final word

No two purchases run identically. Chains break, searches throw up surprises, and mortgage offers expire. The best protection is preparation: know your budget, keep a contingency fund, read what your solicitor sends, and ask questions early. If you are ever unsure about the legal or financial detail, speak to a qualified solicitor, broker or adviser. They have seen your situation many times before, and a short conversation now can save a great deal of stress later.