How soon can you buy your first home?

Buying your first home can feel exciting, but the process is not always perfectly linear. Some steps happen one after another, while others run at the same time.

This timeline shows the main stages most first-time buyers go through, from checking affordability to collecting the keys. Timings can vary, but it gives you a clearer idea of what to expect and where delays can happen.

Muttuo Mortgages can help you understand what lenders may consider and compare mortgage options across over 100 lenders before you apply.

Your first-time buyer mortgage timeline

1. Work out your budget and what you could borrow

Usually 1 to 3 days

2. Get an Agreement in Principle

Usually same day to 2 days

3. Start viewing properties

Usually 2 to 12 weeks

4. Offer accepted

Usually a few days

5. Instruct your solicitor and begin the legal work

Usually starts as soon as your offer is accepted

6. Apply for the mortgage and arrange the valuation

Usually 1 to 2 weeks

7. Receive your mortgage offer

Usually 2 to 4 weeks

8. Legal checks and searches continue

Usually after lender checks are complete

9. Exchange contracts and pay the deposit

Usually once the mortgage and legal work are complete

10. Completion and collect your keys

Usually 1 to 4 weeks after exchange, depending on the agreement

Timings are only a guide. Your purchase may move faster or slower depending on your lender, solicitor, survey, property chain and how quickly documents are supplied.

1. Work out your budget and what you could borrow

Usually 1 to 3 days

Before viewing homes, it helps to understand what you may be able to borrow and what monthly payment would feel comfortable.

This means looking at your income, spending, debts, deposit, gifted deposit if relevant, and the extra costs of buying and moving.

The aim is to set a realistic price range before you speak to estate agents or start arranging viewings.

Once you have a clearer budget, the next step is usually to get an Agreement in Principle.

2. Get an Agreement in Principle

Usually same day to 2 days

An Agreement in Principle, also called an AIP or Decision in Principle, gives an early indication of what a lender may be willing to lend.

It is not a formal mortgage offer, but it can help you understand your likely budget before viewing homes or making an offer.

At this stage, a lender or broker may look at your income, spending, debts, deposit and credit profile. Some lenders use a soft credit check, while others may complete a more detailed review.

Once you have an AIP, you can usually view homes with a clearer idea of your price range.

3. Start viewing properties

Usually 2 to 12 weeks

Once you have an Agreement in Principle, you can usually start viewing homes with a clearer idea of your price range.

This is where your search becomes more practical. You can compare what you want with what fits your budget, location and mortgage position.

When viewing, it helps to consider:

• whether the asking price feels realistic
• the property condition and possible repair costs
• whether the location works for daily life
• whether the property type could affect mortgage options
• how the home fits your longer-term plans

Try to keep your search grounded in the budget you have already worked out. Once you find a property that feels right and fits your numbers, the next step is usually to make an offer.

4. Offer accepted

Usually a few days

Once you find the right property, the next step is to make an offer through the estate agent.

The seller may accept, reject or come back with a counter-offer. Once a figure is agreed, the property is usually marked as sold subject to contract. This means the sale is moving forward, but it is not legally binding yet.

When your offer is accepted, it helps to confirm:

• the agreed purchase price
• what is included in the sale
• whether there is a chain
• any timing pressures on either side
• the contact details for the estate agent and solicitor

After this, the process usually moves into the formal mortgage and legal stages. You will normally instruct your solicitor, submit the full mortgage application and arrange the valuation and legal work.

5. Instruct your solicitor and begin the legal work

Usually starts as soon as your offer is accepted

Once your offer is accepted, one of the first practical steps is to instruct a solicitor or conveyancer.

They will start the legal work, request the contract pack, review the title and carry out the checks needed before the purchase can move forward.

You may be asked for:

• photo ID
• proof of address
• evidence of your deposit
• bank statements, where needed
• gifted deposit details, if relevant

This stage can take longer if documents are missing, the seller’s solicitor is slow to issue paperwork, or the property title, lease or management information is more complex.

The legal work usually runs alongside the full mortgage application, valuation and lender checks, so several parts of the purchase may move forward at the same time.

6. Apply for the mortgage and arrange the valuation

Usually 2 to 4 weeks

Once your offer is accepted, the next major step is the full mortgage application.

The lender will review your income, bank statements, credit profile, deposit, property details and any documents needed to support the application.

They will also usually arrange a mortgage valuation. This is carried out for the lender, not for you as the buyer, and helps confirm whether the property is suitable security for the mortgage.

You may also choose to arrange your own survey, such as a condition report, HomeBuyer report or building survey. The right option depends on the age, condition and type of property.

If the valuation or application raises questions, you may need to provide more information, renegotiate, review the mortgage amount or look at another lender. If everything is satisfactory, the lender can move towards issuing the mortgage offer.

7. Receive your mortgage offer

Usually 1 to 2 weeks

If the lender is satisfied with the application, valuation and supporting documents, they will issue a formal mortgage offer.

This confirms the lender is prepared to lend, subject to the terms and conditions in the offer.

At this stage, it helps to check the key details, including:

• the property address
• the mortgage amount
• the interest rate and product
• the mortgage term
• monthly repayment details
• any special conditions
• the offer expiry date

A mortgage offer is a major step forward, but the purchase is not legally complete yet. Your solicitor will still need to finish the legal work before exchange of contracts can take place.

8. Legal checks and searches continue

Usually 6 to 12 weeks

While your mortgage application is being reviewed, your solicitor will usually continue the legal work in the background.

This can include reviewing the contract pack, raising enquiries with the seller’s solicitor, checking ownership details and arranging property searches.

Searches can cover things like:

• local authority matters
• drainage and water connections
• environmental issues
• planning or road-related matters

This stage can take time because your solicitor may need replies from the seller, local authority, management company or other third parties.

Once the legal checks are complete, your solicitor is satisfied, and your mortgage offer is in place, the purchase can usually move towards exchange of contracts.

9. Exchange contracts and pay your deposit

Usually once the mortgage and legal work are complete

Exchange of contracts is the point where the purchase becomes legally binding.

Before exchange can happen, the mortgage offer usually needs to be issued, searches and enquiries need to be complete, the contract must be approved, and the deposit should be ready to transfer.

Your solicitor will usually ask for the deposit before exchange. This is often 10% of the purchase price, although the exact amount can vary depending on the agreement and your circumstances.

Once both sides are ready, the buyer and seller sign the contracts, and the solicitors formally exchange them.

After exchange, the final step is completion. This is when the money is transferred, ownership changes hands, and you collect the keys to your new home.

10. Completion and collect your keys

Usually 1 to 4 weeks after exchange, depending on the agreement

Completion is the final stage of the buying process. This is when the money is transferred, ownership changes hands, and you can collect the keys.

On completion day, your solicitor sends the mortgage funds and any remaining purchase money to the seller’s solicitor. Once the seller’s solicitor confirms receipt, the estate agent can release the keys.

Before completion day, it helps to make sure:

• your deposit and remaining funds have been transferred
• your solicitor has everything they need
• your removals or moving plans are confirmed
• buildings insurance is in place, where required
• you know when and where to collect the keys

Completion day can involve some waiting while payments are processed, but once the transaction completes, you can move into your new home.

What can slow the buying timeline?

Even when the main steps are clear, the buying process can move faster or slower than expected. Some delays come from the mortgage side, while others come from the legal work, property checks or wider chain.

Common delays can include:

• missing paperwork or inconsistent information
• slower lender processing times
• valuation issues or extra property checks
• legal enquiries taking longer than expected
• delayed searches
• leasehold or management company delays
• chain-related delays
• unclear deposit sources or gifted funds

Some delays are outside your control, but knowing where they can happen makes the process easier to follow. It also helps you understand why two purchases can move at very different speeds.

How to keep the process moving

You cannot control every part of the timeline, but being organised early can make each stage easier to manage.

It can help to:

• check your budget before you start viewing
• get your Agreement in Principle early
• prepare your documents before they are requested
• keep your deposit source clear and easy to evidence
• respond quickly when your lender, broker or solicitor asks for information
• remember that mortgage and legal work often overlap

The process rarely feels perfectly linear in real life. However, it becomes easier to manage when you know what each stage is trying to achieve and what you may need to provide next.

Bringing the timeline together

The first-time buyer mortgage timeline can feel long when you look at it all at once, but in practice it is a series of manageable steps.

The key is to understand what happens at each stage, what you may need to provide and where the mortgage and legal work overlap.

If you are getting ready to buy your first home, Muttuo Mortgages can help you understand your budget, compare mortgage options and move through the process with clearer guidance from the start.