Getting a Mortgage After Paternity Leave Mortgage Bridge provides general information and administrative support as a mortgage introducer. It does...
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First-time buyer guides
Understanding your first mortgage and the buying process
General information on deposits, affordability assessments, documents, credit checks and the stages involved in buying a first home. Learn about factors lenders may consider when assessing a mortgage application.
About these guides
General information only. Mortgage Bridge is a mortgage introducer, not a mortgage adviser. Mortgage availability depends on individual circumstances and lender criteria; acceptance is not guaranteed.
We receive a share of the adviser’s commission on introductions that complete. Read the full important information about these guides.
Any property used as security, including your home, may be repossessed if you do not repay borrowing secured against it.
Getting a Mortgage After Maternity Leave: What Lenders May Consider
Getting a Mortgage After Maternity Leave: What Lenders May Consider Mortgage Bridge provides general information and administrative support as a...
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Understanding a Mortgage Decline Where Student Loan Deductions Were Relevant
General information about recorded reasons, income-contingent payments and affordability. Another application or debt change does not guarantee a different decision.
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Gifted Equity as Purchase Funding: Mortgage and Legal Distinctions
General information about transferred value, accepted price and deposit treatment. Gifted equity is not cash and is subject to lender...
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Using Lifetime ISA Funds for a Home Purchase: Withdrawal and Mortgage Rules
General information about qualifying first-home withdrawals, timing and lender checks. A Lifetime ISA is not a separate mortgage or approval...
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How Lenders May Assess New-Build Flats in Buildings Over Ten Storeys
General information about new-build classification, building height, warranties and valuation. Ten storeys is context, not a universal lending threshold.
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How Lenders May Assess Flats in High-Rise Buildings
General information about height, building evidence, leases and valuation. High-rise status does not identify a universal approval or decline rule.
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Mortgage Assessment of Flats Without an EWS1 Form
General information about lender evidence and alternative building-safety records. The absence of an EWS1 does not establish a universal lending...
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Ex-Local Authority Property: Mortgage Assessment Factors
An ex-local authority property may raise construction, lease or block questions for a mortgage lender. Former council ownership alone does...
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Flat Above Commercial Storage: Mortgage Assessment
A flat above commercial storage may require evidence about use, access, title and valuation. A larger deposit does not guarantee...
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Flat Above Retail Units: Mortgage Evidence and Assessment
A flat above retail units may involve questions about business uses, title, access and building management. The number of shops...
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First-Time Buyer Mortgage Documents: What They Show
First-time buyer mortgage documents may include ID, income, bank statements and deposit records. Requirements vary by lender and individual case.
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Deposit on a Low Income: Funding, Evidence and Costs
Understand a deposit on a low income, including savings access, purchase costs and evidence of funds. No deposit amount guarantees...
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First-Time Buyer Income: Mortgage Assessment Explained
First-time buyer income is one part of mortgage assessment. Learn about accepted earnings, commitments and why a salary multiple is...
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Overtime Income: First-Time Buyer Mortgage Assessment
Overtime income can be regular, seasonal or discretionary. Learn about payment records and why a lender may assess it differently...
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Mortgage Application Misunderstandings: First-Time Buyers
Mortgage application misunderstandings can concern early checks, offers and completion. Learn what each stage establishes and what remains outstanding.
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First-Time Buyer Mortgage Application: Evidence Explained
Understand the evidence in a first-time buyer mortgage application, including income, bank statements, deposit records and property information.
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Down Valuations: What They Mean for First-Time Buyers
Down valuations explained for first-time buyers: lender values, loan-to-value limits and potential funding gaps. Outcomes depend on the application.
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First-Time Buyer Mortgage Offer: Conditions and Completion
A first-time buyer mortgage offer has terms, conditions and a validity period. Learn how an offer differs from an illustration...
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First-Time Buyer Budget: Mortgage and Ownership Costs
A first-time buyer budget involves more than a mortgage payment. Learn about purchase expenses, household bills and the timing of...
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Side Income: First-Time Buyer Mortgage Evidence
Side income can come from employment, business or other sources. Learn why records and lender assessment matter rather than assuming...
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Important information about these guides
Mortgage Bridge acts as a mortgage introducer and provides general information and administrative support. These guides are for educational purposes only and should not be relied upon as mortgage advice, a recommendation or an assessment of your eligibility or suitability.
Mortgage Bridge does not assess mortgage suitability, determine eligibility, recommend products or make lending decisions. Any review of enquiry information by Mortgage Bridge is administrative only. Any regulated mortgage advice is provided separately by an adviser acting through a network authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, following an assessment of your individual circumstances.
Deposit requirements, income-assessment methods and the evidence requested differ between lenders. A calculator or planning tool provides an illustration based on its inputs and assumptions; it does not confirm how much you can borrow or the deposit a lender will require.
An agreement in principle is not a binding mortgage offer or a guarantee that funds will be available. A formal application is subject to further checks, and any mortgage offer may contain conditions and an expiry date.
Criteria, products, schemes and costs can change. Information in a guide may not reflect the requirements that apply when you make an enquiry or application. An adviser acting through an FCA-authorised and regulated network can assess your circumstances and explain which options, if any, may be available.
If you make an enquiry, we can provide administrative support and introduce your enquiry to an adviser. Mortgage Bridge has commercial referral relationships and receives a percentage of the commission earned by the adviser on introduced cases that complete. We therefore have a financial interest in those cases completing.
Read more about our role and how enquiries are handled in our About Us page, Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
Any property used as security, including your home, may be repossessed if you do not repay borrowing secured against it.