For First-Time Buyers in England & Wales

The insider guide to buying your first home

Written by someone who has spent nine years helping first-time buyers through the process. Everything your solicitor and estate agent wish you already knew.

Get 30-Day Access - £29.99Read Module 1 free
9 years in residential property
Written for first-time buyers
No jargon. No fluff.

Questions?

SH

Summer Heal

Founder, First Key Home. Works in residential conveyancing, with 9 years in residential property

9 years' experience in residential property
Processed hundreds of property transactions
Bought her own first home
Based in England & Wales
Why this exists

Plain-English information about the property buying process

First Key Home was created to give first-time buyers access to clear, plain-English information about the property buying process. The content is written to help buyers understand what to expect, what questions to ask, and how to prepare. It is not a substitute for professional legal or financial advice.

Buying a home is one of the most complicated things most people will ever do. And yet nobody explains it. First Key Home was built to fix that.

"No one explains that your estate agent's legal duty is to the seller, which means their recommendations about solicitors, timelines and next steps are not always impartial. That is not a criticism of agents. It is simply how the market works, and buyers deserve to know it."

This guide is designed to help first-time buyers understand the process: written plainly, honestly, and without jargon. Because the founder still works in residential property, the guide reflects how things work right now. It explains the process in general terms. For legal and financial advice specific to your transaction, speak to your solicitor or conveyancer and a regulated mortgage broker or independent financial adviser.

The Curriculum

Everything you need to know, in order

Fifteen modules covering every stage of the buying process, from finding a property to completion day. Plus the interactive transaction timeline to track your progress.

01

How Buying a Home Works

The complete journey from looking for a property through to completion. Understand the main stages, timeline, and what happens at each step.

Getting started
02

Getting Your Finances Ready

Savings, mortgages, deposit schemes, government help, and how to prepare financially for a purchase.

Finance
03

Getting a Mortgage in Principle

What an AIP is, what it is not, and why you need one before you ever make an offer.

Finance
04

Where to Find Properties

How to use property portals effectively, understand search filters, set up alerts, and find properties that match your needs.

Search
05

Viewing Properties

What estate agents notice, what to look for, and the questions most buyers forget to ask until it is too late.

Before you offer
06

Making an Offer

How offers work, what happens when they are accepted, and what to do next.

Offers
07

Choosing a Solicitor

The single most important decision in your purchase, and how most buyers get it wrong. Includes what solicitors cost and what information they need.

Legal
08

Surveys and Searches

The difference between surveys and searches, what each one looks for, and what to do when either flags a problem.

Due diligence
09

The Conveyancing Process

The full legal process from instruction to completion, what your solicitor does, and how to keep things moving.

Legal
10

New Builds

How buying a new build differs from an existing property and the practical steps to protect yourself through the process.

Property type
11

Completion Day

What happens hour by hour on the day you become a homeowner.

Completion
12

After Completion

What to do after you have completed and the keys are yours.

Moving in
13

The Lifetime ISA (LISA)

The government will add 25% to your savings, but only if you understand the rules. What a LISA is, how to use it, and when the timing can catch you out.

Bonus
14

FAQs

The questions first-time buyers ask most, answered honestly and in plain English.

Q&A
15

Government Schemes for First-Time Buyers

A plain-English overview of the main government schemes available to first-time buyers in England and Wales, including LISA, Shared Ownership, First Homes, and the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme.

Finance

Buying leasehold?

Leasehold properties, including flats and some new builds, involve additional legal steps. The modules on legal process, costs, and timelines all include specific leasehold guidance throughout.

Leasehold guidance is woven throughout the relevant modules.
The Process

From offer to keys: the timeline

Every stage of the buying process, explained clearly, from your first viewing to getting your keys.

1

Offer accepted

Day 1

Your offer is accepted and the process officially begins. Time to instruct your solicitor.

2

Conveyancing begins

Weeks 2 to 6

Your solicitor orders searches, raises enquiries, and reviews the legal pack. Most delays happen here.

3

Mortgage offer issued

Weeks 6 to 10

Your lender completes their valuation and issues a formal mortgage offer.

4

Exchange of contracts

Weeks 10 to 16

Both sides sign contracts and you pay your deposit. You are now legally committed.

5

Completion

1 to 4 weeks after exchange

Money transfers, keys are released, and the property is officially yours.

Read Module 1: How Buying a Home Works for the full breakdown of what controls the timeline, the most common delays, and what you can actually influence.

Pricing

Simple, transparent pricing

Buyers pay once. No subscriptions. No hidden fees.

30-Day Access

£29.99one-time
  • All 15 content modules
  • 50+ question FAQ vault
  • Completion day timeline
  • LISA and mortgage guides
  • Mobile and desktop access
  • Suggest questions for the FAQs
Get 30-Day Access

Lifetime Access

£49.99one-time
  • Everything in 30-Day
  • Unlimited lifetime access
  • All future module updates
  • Downloadable checklists
  • Keep your access after you move in
Get Lifetime Access

Pro Subscription

£89.99/month
  • Free trial included
  • 10 new buyers every month (unused places do not roll over)
  • Branded welcome screen
  • Usage reporting dashboard
  • Priority content updates
Secure payment via Stripe
Not ready to buy yet?

Start with something free

Read Module 1 free

How buying a home works, from finding a property to completion day.

Start reading

Free cost checklist

Every cost of buying your first home on one printable page.

Get the checklist

Stamp duty calculator

See what you would pay as a first-time buyer, band by band.

Work it out

Or browse our free guides for first-time buyers.

Get in touch

Contact us

Have a question or want to find out more? Drop us a message and we will get back to you shortly.

Or email us directly at hello@firstkeyhome.co.uk

Ready to start?

Stop Googling. Start understanding.

Go from overwhelmed to prepared in a weekend.

Get Access NowSee what is covered
For estate agents, brokers & conveyancers

Your first-time buyer clients have questions you do not always have time to answer.

First Key Home answers them before they become your problem. A property professional with 9 years of experience has explained the key stages, from viewing a property to collecting the keys, in plain English. Give your clients access in under a minute.

Estate agents, mortgage brokers and conveyancing firms can use First Key Home to reduce mid-transaction anxiety calls and demonstrate a level of service their competitors are not offering.

Estate agentsMortgage brokersConveyancing firms

The complaint landscape

73,035

contacts to The Property Ombudsman in 2024, a 27% rise on 2023 (TPO Annual Review 2024)

Estate agents receive more complaints and poor online reviews from buyers than from sellers. A buyer who felt unsupported, uninformed, or confused during their purchase is far more likely to leave a negative review, even when the agent handled the sale side perfectly.

The most common buyer complaints centre on feeling left in the dark, not understanding what was happening at each stage, and having no one to turn to with basic questions. These are not complaints about the property or the price. They are complaints about the experience.

First Key Home puts your buyers in a stronger position from the start. A buyer who understands the process asks better questions, moves faster, and is less likely to feel frustrated or abandoned. That can help reduce complaints and support better reviews and a stronger reputation for your branch.

Why it works for your firm

An informed buyer is the best possible outcome for your seller

43%

of sales disputes resolved by The Property Ombudsman in 2024 were decided in the consumer’s favour (TPO Annual Review 2024).

15

plain-English modules taking your buyers from their first viewing to completion day, with checklists and tools for each stage.

£89.99

per month for 10 new buyers every month (unused places do not roll over), your branded page and your progress dashboard. Start with a free trial.

01

For estate agents: better prepared buyers at every stage

Your buyers arrive understanding offers, surveys, and the conveyancing process before you have to explain it. That can mean smoother transactions, fewer sales going abortive because of buyer uncertainty, and clients who associate a positive buying experience with your branch.

02

For mortgage brokers: more productive first appointments

Your clients understand the financial side before they sit down with you. They know what an Agreement in Principle is, what affects their affordability, and why their credit file matters. That can mean clients who engage with your advice with more confidence.

03

First Key Home is the preparation that makes your expertise land better

It is not a replacement for your expertise. It is the foundation that means your clients arrive ready to engage, ready to act, and ready to trust you.

What it could save you

Fewer "what happens now?" calls

First-time buyers ring, email and message because nobody has explained the process. Every chase about searches, enquiries or exchange dates takes your team away from moving sales forward.

Buyers who have read the guide know what is normal, what they need to do and when to expect news. Move the sliders to see what fewer calls could add up to for your branch.

10
4
10

Time your team could get back

6.7 hours

a month, about 80 hours a year

Illustration only, using the figures you choose. It is not a prediction or a promise of results for your firm.

Who subscribes

Built for the professionals who work with first-time buyers every day

EA

Estate Agents

You are instructed by sellers. But the buyers moving through your transactions shape your reputation, your reviews, and your referrals. An informed buyer understands the process and does not call you for explanations that are outside your control. A smooth transaction that completes on time is the best result for the seller who instructed you. An informed buyer responds to requests quickly, instructs a solicitor promptly, and does not wobble at the last minute.

Single branch or multi-branch pricing available

MB

Mortgage Brokers

Your clients are often buying their first property. They understand their mortgage but not always the wider process that surrounds it. Clients who have read First Key Home understand how their mortgage fits into the conveyancing process, what their Lifetime ISA timing means for completion, and why their solicitor is asking for information their mortgage broker already has.

Include the link in your initial advice pack

SC

Conveyancing Firms

You know better than anyone that an informed buyer is easier to work with, faster to respond, and less likely to cause delays that affect the whole chain. A buyer who understands what a local authority search is, why it takes time, and what enquiries are for, will not call your office demanding to know why nothing is happening. Including First Key Home access in your client onboarding pack demonstrates commitment to client care at the point of instruction.

SRA and CLC regulated firms welcome

How it works

Up and running in less than 24 hours

1

Subscribe your firm

One subscription covers your whole team. We set up your firm account the same day.

2

Build your branded page

Customise your own First Key Home page with your firm name, message, colour and logo. Live in minutes.

3

Send it on day one

Include your page link in your buyer welcome email. We have set up First Key Home access for you.

Professional pricing

Simple, transparent pricing for teams of every size

All plans include client access links, your own branded page, a firm dashboard and a listing in our partner directory. Start with a free trial.

Branch

£89.99/month
  • Free trial included
  • 10 new buyers every month (unused places do not roll over)
  • Annual option: £899.90 a year
  • Your branded client page
  • Client progress dashboard
  • Partner directory listing
  • Up to 5 team member seats

Firm

£199/month
  • Everything in Branch
  • Up to 5 branches
  • Branded client welcome screen
  • Priority content updates
  • Dedicated account contact

Network

Custom
  • Unlimited branches & seats
  • Full white-label option
  • Custom onboarding
  • API access for CRM integration
  • Named account manager

No minimum contract. Cancel any time. Contact us for multi-branch pricing.

Questions? Email hello@firstkeyhome.co.uk

Get in touch

Ready to give your first-time buyers a better start?

Fill in the form below and we will be in touch shortly. No hard sell. Just a conversation about whether this is right for your firm.

Prefer to get in touch directly?

We are a small team. If you would rather just send an email than fill in a form, we will reply just as quickly.

Email us

hello@firstkeyhome.co.uk

We aim to reply to all professional enquiries promptly.

No minimum contract. Cancel any time.

Set up the same day you subscribe

Free trial on all firm plans

First Key Home

The complete guide to buying your first home in England and Wales.

For professionals

First Key Home is an educational resource. The content on this site does not constitute legal advice, financial advice, or mortgage advice and should not be relied upon as such. Always seek independent legal advice from a qualified solicitor and independent financial advice from a regulated adviser before making decisions about a property purchase. First Key Home Limited is not a law firm and is not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Financial Conduct Authority, or any other regulatory body.

© 2026 First Key Home. All rights reserved.

First Key Home Limited. Registered in England and Wales, company number 17245025. Registered office: 159 Ashley Down Road, Bristol, BS7 9JT. ICO registration ZC242904.