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first time buyer

Apletree Finance mortgage advice Blackpool
Latest Newsmortgage

Do First-Time Buyers Need a Guarantor?

Buying your first home can feel like a stretch, particularly when rising property prices, affordability checks and deposit requirements all come into play. For some first-time buyers, a guarantor mortgage is suggested as a possible route onto the property ladder. A guarantor is not a requirement for first-time buyers, and many people purchase their first home without one. However, in certain circumstances, having a guarantor can help strengthen a mortgage application. Before going down this route, it is important to understand how guarantor mortgages work, when they may be appropriate, and the responsibilities involved for everyone concerned.A guarantor mortgage involves…
David Gallagher
February 23, 2026
Appletree first time buyer advice
Latest Newsmortgage

How can the Bank of Family support first time buyers?

Getting onto the property ladder has never been easy, and with rising house prices and the cost of living continuing to squeeze savings, many first-time buyers are turning to family for a helping hand. According to recent research, gifts and loans from the so-called “Bank of Mum and Dad” totalled around £9.4 billion in 2023. If it were a real bank, it would be one of the largest in the UK! But these days, it’s more accurate to call it the Bank of Family, as support now often comes from parents, grandparents, and even siblings. At Appletree, we see many…
David Gallagher
November 17, 2025
mortgage advice blackpool
Latest Newsmortgage

What Are the Pros and Cons of 100% Mortgages?

A 100% mortgage is a home loan that allows you to buy a property without putting down any deposit. Before the 2008 financial crisis, deposit-free mortgages were widely available, with some lenders even letting borrowers take out more than the property’s value to cover living costs. After the crash, these products disappeared from the market. In 2023, as first-time buyers continued to struggle with high rents and rising living costs, some lenders began to reintroduce 100% mortgages. For example, if you wanted to buy a property worth £325,000, you could borrow the full £325,000. Any lender offering such a product…
David Gallagher
September 22, 2025