'You can either go direct to a lender, or to a broker to start your mortgage application. Brokers often take a small fee, but their job is to find the best mortgage rates suited to you and your circumstances. Going direct to a lender may mean that you’ll pay more in interest rates over time, or higher fees, depending on whether the broker can negotiate these on your behalf, or if they have access to exclusive, broker-only deals.

'Some estate agents may ask for a Mortgage in Principle prior to taking on any offers, which your broker or lender can give you based on your earnings. It's essentially proof that you’ll be able to afford a house and shows the estate agent that you’re serious about purchasing.

'Once you’ve found the property you want, you’ll need to provide your broker or lender several documents; identification such as a passport, bank statements of usually six months, employment details, pay slips for the past three months and evidence of your deposit.'