Buying a home,
worked all the way through.
Pick where you’re buying, then scroll. Every step of the purchase works itself out in your numbers and writes a line on your receipt as you go. No ads, no accounts, nothing stored.
What does a home cost where you are?
Start from reality, not the dream listing. These are current averages from real price data. Tap one to use it, or type the price you're actually eyeing.
How much do you put down?
Bigger deposit, cheaper money. Every 5% of LTV you cross moves you onto a better shelf of rates.
When could you actually have it?
A deposit isn't saved in a drawer. It grows while you stack it, and with interest working alongside you the date is usually closer than the division suggests.
What will a lender actually give you?
UK lenders start from an income multiple: it lends a multiple of your household income (yours alone, or combined on a joint application), trimmed by your existing commitments.
£62,000 household income, minus £3,000 commitments × 4.5 = £265,500 you could borrow.
+ your £40,220 deposit = £305,720 budget.
The costs nobody puts on the listing.
Stamp duty is charged in slices, so each chunk of the price is taxed at its own band’s rate. First-time buyers get the first £300,000 free.
Each segment is the slice of your price taxed at that rate; widths are to scale.
The number you'll live with.
Everything above was preparation. This is the number that shares a bank account with your groceries every month for decades. It deserves the glow.
What the loan costs over 25 years, and how to shrink it.
Interest is front-loaded: the early years barely dent the balance. Small overpayments attack exactly that part of the curve.
Your whole purchase, on one slip.
Everything you worked out above. The link carries the numbers, and your data never touches a server.
Go deeper on any step
Each chapter above has a full calculator behind it, with more options and a proper write-up of how the numbers work.
Deposit & LTV Calculator
Calculate your loan-to-value ratio, find your mortgage rate shelf, and see how much deposit you need.
Savings Goal Calculator
Calculate how long it will take to reach your savings goal, or how much to save each month.
Home Affordability Calculator
Find out how much house you can afford using the US 28/36 DTI rule or UK/EU income multiples.
Stamp Duty & Closing Costs Calculator
Calculate UK stamp duty (SDLT, LBTT, LTT) and US closing costs with a banded slice-by-slice breakdown.
Mortgage Calculator
Calculate monthly mortgage payments with adjustable principal, interest rate, and loan terms.
Mortgage Overpayment Calculator
See how much interest you save and how much earlier you pay off your mortgage by making monthly overpayments.
How this guide works
Every chapter shares one set of numbers. Set your region and a target price at the top, and each step (the deposit or down payment, how long it takes to save, what a lender will lend, the stamp duty or closing costs, the monthly repayment and the lifetime interest) recomputes from the same figures and writes itself onto the running receipt on the right. Nothing is stored and no account is needed; the link you copy at the end carries your numbers in the URL.
How much deposit do I need to buy a house?
Most buyers put down between 5% and 25% of the price. Your deposit (called a down payment in the US) as a share of the price determines your loan-to-value (LTV): a 10% deposit is a 90% LTV mortgage. Lenders price rates in LTV “shelves” (typically 95%, 90%, 85% and 75%), so crossing a shelf (for example getting from a 90% to an 85% mortgage) usually unlocks a cheaper rate, not just a smaller loan.
How much can I borrow for a mortgage?
In the UK and much of the Eurozone, lenders start from an income multiple, commonly around 4.5× gross household income, reduced by your existing debt commitments. In the US, lenders test the 28/36 debt-to-income rule: housing costs under 28% of gross monthly income, and all debts under 36%; the lower ceiling binds. The borrowing-power chapter above estimates your maximum price and can write it straight back into the rest of the guide.
What are the upfront costs of buying a home?
Beyond the deposit (or down payment), you pay transaction costs on completion day. In England and Northern Ireland that is Stamp Duty Land Tax, charged in slices, so each portion of the price is taxed at its band’s rate, and first-time buyers pay nothing on the first £300,000. In the US, closing costs typically run 2–5% of the price; across the Eurozone, notary, registration tax and agent fees commonly total 7–12%, varying widely by country.
Should I overpay my mortgage?
Mortgage interest is front-loaded: in the early years almost all of the balance is still outstanding, so most of each payment is interest. Overpayments hit the balance directly, which is why even small regular overpayments made early can save a large amount of lifetime interest and shorten the term by years. The long-view chapter above lets you slide an overpayment and see the effect.
Figures are estimates for guidance only and simplify some rules (UK tax shown is England & Northern Ireland SDLT; US closing and EU purchase costs are typical ranges). Average prices come from official sources (HM Land Registry, US Census/HUD via FRED, and national statistics offices). Always confirm with a qualified adviser before committing.