How to beat first-time buyer anxiety

Buying a house is an exciting time, filled with hopes for the future, the start of a new chapter, and new memories to be made. But there’s no getting away from the fact it can be a stressful time too, especially if this is the first time you’ve gone through the process. 

The first thing to say is if you’re feeling anxious about taking the plunge, you’re not alone. Many of the first-time buyers we speak to feel the same way. The good news is a recent study found that  72% of buyers reported afterwards that buying a house is still worth the stress and anxiety. And the other bit of good news is that we have plenty of experience working with first-time buyers like you, and we really are here to help in any way you need. 

So, what makes buying your first home so stressful?

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), by 2021, the average age of a first-time buyer in the UK was 34 years old. That’s risen dramatically in the last decade or so. And if you think about everything else that’s likely going on in your life at that age – getting married, starting a family, working hard to make waves in your career – it’s easy to see why everything can just become a bit much. 

Added to that, buying a house takes time – at least three months in the current market – and that’s with a fair wind. If solicitors need additional time for conveyancing or if queries crop up, it could be even longer. 

And all the time there is the very real risk that something could fall through, or a part of the chain will collapse.  

Expert advice for easing first-time buyer anxiety

We’ve been around long enough to have seen many, many first-time buyers through from viewings to completion. So we’ve picked up a fair few pieces of advice along the way. Here’s what we tell our home buyers when we can see they’re worrying about things:

Don’t overthink what’s happening or make assumptions about what might happen. In the majority of cases, the house-buying process goes relatively smoothly with little cause for concern. And if something does crop up? Then we work to understand it fully, get the facts of the situation and make a decision based on those. Worrying about what might happen never helped anyone. Although we know that’s easier said than done. 
Talk to your friends and family about their experiences. If they’re living in their own homes they must have gone through this process. And even if issues came up along the way, they got there in the end. They may have some good tips to help you get through this time.
If you’re buying with a partner, set aside a couple of hours a week where you can focus, together, on any admin that needs to be done or questions that arise.
Buying a house really can become all-consuming. What with all the waiting, talking and planning, not to mention fielding questions from well-meaning friends and relatives. So make sure you take time to step back and do something non-house related. Go to the gym, watch a film, read a book or pick up a forgotten hobby. 

And if you feel things are getting on top of you and you’re worried about something in particular, pick up the phone and speak to your mortgage adviser. They will be able to give you an update on your application, answer any questions and put your mind at rest.

How can we support you with first-time buyer anxiety?

Buying your first house is a time of change so it’s absolutely natural to feel nervous or anxious about it. But try to focus on the positives. Very soon you’ll have the keys in your hand and be moving into your fabulous new home.   

And meanwhile, we’ll do everything we can to minimise the stress and keep the process moving. At Lucra, we’ll take care of the entire application, including all the pesky paperwork. We’ll make it clear exactly what we’ll need from you upfront, so you won’t be chasing around for documents and details at the last minute. And we’ll keep you updated with what’s going on every step of the way because we want to make sure there won’t be any nasty surprises for you. 

And don’t forget, if you’re worried at any time or about anything, you can simply pick up the phone. Your mortgage adviser will be more than happy to talk everything through with you. No question is silly – we’ve heard them all before. 

We understand that buying your first house is a huge deal and can genuinely feel stressful. That’s why we want to help make it as easy as possible for you.  First-time buyers get started online today.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.