Untangling the first-time buyer maze – insights into the property ladder

Taking your first step onto the property ladder is an exciting time. From choosing your first home to collecting your fresh set of keys, it’s a journey like no other.

But it can also be a confusing time with upfront costs and mortgage rates to consider, and plenty of financial jargon to learn. That’s why we wanted to find out more – from the first-time buyers themselves.

Two people outside a house.

Untangling the first-time buyer maze – insights into the property ladder

 

Taking your first step onto the property ladder is an exciting time. From choosing your first home to collecting your fresh set of keys, it’s a journey like no other.

But it can also be a confusing time with upfront costs and mortgage rates to consider, and plenty of financial jargon to learn. That’s why we wanted to find out more – from the first-time buyers themselves.

What our survey involved

We surveyed 2,000 UK adults planning to buy their first home, to get their understanding of the homebuying process.

We asked them questions around:

  • what they know about the process
  • how confident they feel about buying a home
  • some of the barriers when getting a mortgage
  • how long they’ve been saving
  • how much they’ve saved
  • who they would consider owning a home with
  • if they are willing to move to a new area to buy a home
  • where they get their information from.

The results revealed that most first-time buyers don’t feel confident about buying a home. But they are actively looking for information to better understand the process.

What the results say

Only 13% of first-time buyers fully understand the homebuying process.

1 in 3 Gen Z buyers are turning to TikTok for answers.

50% of first-time buyers are happy to move away from friends and family.

Research carried out by OnePoll on behalf of Lloyds, which surveyed 2,000 UK Adults who are prospective first-time buyers. Survey conducted online from 17th to 21st July 2025.

Mind the (confidence) gap

Our research found that many first-time buyers in the UK aren’t worried about finding a home. Instead, the worry often comes from a lack of confidence around the wider process and knowing where to start.

Knowledge gaps in the buying process

A small number (13%) of future buyers said they fully understand the homebuying process, while 42% said they know some of the process. Less than half (32%) understand most of what’s involved in buying a home. A further 13% said they don’t understand anything at all about the homebuying process.

But this knowledge gap within the homebuying journey hasn’t completely put off aspiring homeowners. A large number (65%) haven’t spoken to a lender or mortgage adviser yet, but plan to do so. Only 19% don’t plan to speak to an adviser at all.

  • When asked which area of the homebuying journey they felt least confident about, 29% of first-time buyers mentioned the legal steps involved. This might include things like conveyancing and Land Registry.

    Around 22% didn’t feel confident about getting a getting a mortgage, and 12% said they weren’t confident about finding the right home.

  • Affordability is another common worry for first-time buyers. This might include saving for a deposit and paying conveyancer fees, as well as covering the monthly mortgage payments.

    In fact, around 22% of respondents said that needing to pay a large sum of money delayed them from making an offer on a home. And 19% claimed they were concerned about future job security or income stability.

Going social to secure a property

We asked first-time buyers where they get their information about buying a home – and the results vary.

Top social media platforms for homebuying advice

When it comes to social media platforms in general, around 23% of all respondents said they trust YouTube for homebuying advice. TikTok came second at 20%, followed by Facebook (16%) and Instagram (15%). Only a small number (11%) cited Reddit as a useful source, and even fewer (7%) say they trust X.

31% said they don’t trust any social media platform, with the 65 and over category being the most sceptical of social media. 21% said they don’t get their information from social media.

  • Full breakdown by age

    Platform

    18 to 24

    25 to 34

    35 to 44

    45 to 54

    55 to 64

    65+

    Platform

    YouTube

    18 to 24

    22%

    25 to 34

    23%

    35 to 44

    25%

    45 to 54

    27%

    55 to 64

    29%

    65+

    0

    Platform

    TikTok

    18 to 24

    31%

    25 to 34

    19%

    35 to 44

    12%

    45 to 54

    10%

    55 to 64

    8%

    65+

    0

    Platform

    Facebook

    18 to 24

    15%

    25 to 34

    16%

    35 to 44

    17%

    45 to 54

    21%

    55 to 64

    13%

    65+

    0

    Platform

    Instagram

    18 to 24

    15%

    25 to 34

    17%

    35 to 44

    15%

    45 to 54

    14%

    55 to 64

    2%

    65+

    0

    Platform

    Reddit

    18 to 24

    10%

    25 to 34

    12%

    35 to 44

    11%

    45 to 54

    9%

    55 to 64

    8%

    65+

    0

    Platform

    X (formally Twitter)

    18 to 24

    6%

    25 to 34

    7%

    35 to 44

    8%

    45 to 54

    9%

    55 to 64

    6%

    65+

    0

    Platform

    None of the above

    18 to 24

    17%

    25 to 34

    23%

    35 to 44

    27%

    45 to 54

    14%

    55 to 64

    15%

    65+

    0

    Platform

    N/A I don’t trust any social media platform for homebuying advice

    18 to 24

    29%

    25 to 34

    28%

    35 to 44

    31%

    45 to 54

    44%

    55 to 64

    48%

    65+

    100%

  • Social media is a common source of information among younger buyers, with those aged 18 to 24 more likely to turn to social media rather than brokers or lenders.

    In fact, around 31% of 18 to 24-year-olds trust TikTok as a source of mortgage advice. This compares to a national percentage of 20%, and 12% of those aged 35 to 44. The survey also found women are more likely to trust TikTok (22%) compared to men (15%).

  • It isn’t just mortgage advice on TikTok where there’s a clear difference between men and women. A large number of men (33%) said they’d trust YouTube as a source of information, compared to a smaller number of women (19%).

    Male first-time buyers are also more likely to trust Facebook than women, at around 21% and 14% respectively. Similarly, around 16% of men would turn to Reddit for advice, compared to just 9% of women.

  • While first-time buyers are relying more on online sources for homebuying advice, parents still come out on top as the most trusted source. Around 34% of respondents said parents were their most reliable source. That number rises to 46% in those aged 18 to 24.

    Family can still play a big part in the first-time buyer journey – whether it’s helping you through the process or lending a hand with your mortgage.

Going social to secure a property

We asked first-time buyers where they get their information about buying a home – and the results vary.

Top social media platforms for homebuying advice

When it comes to social media platforms in general, around 23% of all respondents said they trust YouTube for homebuying advice. TikTok came second at 20%, followed by Facebook (16%) and Instagram (15%). Only a small number (11%) cited Reddit as a useful source, and even fewer (7%) say they trust X.

31% said they don’t trust any social media platform, with the 65 and over category being the most sceptical of social media. 21% said they don’t get their information from social media.

  • Social media is a common source of information among younger buyers, with those aged 18 to 24 more likely to turn to social media rather than brokers or lenders.

    In fact, around 31% of 18 to 24-year-olds trust TikTok as a source of mortgage advice. This compares to a national percentage of 20%, and 12% of those aged 35 to 44. The survey also found women are more likely to trust TikTok (22%) compared to men (15%).

  • It isn’t just mortgage advice on TikTok where there’s a clear difference between men and women. A large number of men (33%) said they’d trust YouTube as a source of information, compared to a smaller number of women (19%).

    Male first-time buyers are also more likely to trust Facebook than women, at around 21% and 14% respectively. Similarly, around 16% of men would turn to Reddit for advice, compared to just 9% of women.

  • While first-time buyers are relying more on online sources for homebuying advice, parents still come out on top as the most trusted source. Around 34% of respondents said parents were their most reliable source. That number rises to 46% in those aged 18 to 24.

    Family can still play a big part in the first-time buyer journey – whether it’s helping you through the process or lending a hand with your mortgage.

Moving away to get on the ladder

Can you buy your first home with your current budget? Could your budget stretch further in certain areas compared to others? These raise the question of where people are willing to go to get on the property ladder.

Willingness to move

More than half of first time buyers said they’d be willing to move away from friends and family to secure their first home. Around 22% said they’d move anywhere in the UK to buy a home, while 28% said they’d move within their current region. But 32% said they’d prefer to stay in the area they currently live in.

Interestingly, more than half (59%) of Gen Z buyers said they are likely to move away from friends and family. This is above the national average of 50%, and the highest of any age group.

6% said they’d move anywhere in the world, with 2% saying they would move outside of the UK but stay in Europe. 4% said that affordability had no impact on where they’ll buy a home. 6% weren’t sure where they wanted to buy a home.

  • Aspiring first-time buyers in Birmingham, Chelmsford, and London were most willing to relocate to be able to buy their first home.

    But location isn’t always the biggest worry for first-time buyers. When we asked what made buyers delay making an offer on a home, only 15% said uncertainty about the location, or whether the location was right for them.

  • Only 22% of respondents said how close they live to family and friends was an important part of their first home. More first-time buyers (33%) prioritise how close their home is to their place of work.

    Our findings show a clear willingness to move away from the safety net of friends and family to buy a first home. Younger age groups in particular seem to be more flexible about where they want to buy.

Summary

Our research shows that first-time buyers are dealing with a complex process, which can be tough to navigate. They’re actively looking for information from many sources – both in person and online. But many don’t yet have the confidence to go through the process of buying their first home.

This shows a need for accessible and expert first-time buyer guidance to support them.

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