Five ways first-time buyers can prepare to step onto property ladder in 2026

Mary-Lou Press, president of NAEA Propertymark, suggested that first-time buyers should make sure they understand the key stages of the process (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA) - (PA Archive)

Aspiring first-time buyers looking to enter the housing market this year may be able to make their experience go more smoothly by taking certain steps to prepare, according to a property expert.

According to research published by Nationwide Building Society last week, a 10% deposit on a typical UK first-time buyer property is around £23,000.