Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. House Smart Property Group does not give mortgage advice. Any recommendation of a lender or a product comes from the authorised broker we introduce.
Why the mortgage and the survey belong together
Most advice splits them. In a purchase they affect each other. We do the RICS survey with our own chartered surveyors, introduce an authorised broker for the mortgage, and instruct conveyancing through our panel.
The survey can change the budget. A failing roof or damp can mean a lower price or money kept back for repairs. That changes the loan-to-value and the deals open to you.
The lender's valuation is not a survey. It protects the lender. A down valuation leaves a gap, and your broker needs to know at once.
Offers expire. Usually after about six months. A late survey can push you up against that date.
One set of facts. When the broker, surveyor and conveyancer share what was found, the problem is dealt with in days.
What whole-of-market advice means
The advice comes from the broker, not from us. A broker is either whole-of-market or restricted. The Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association forecasts that about 87% of regulated mortgage lending will go through brokers in 2026 and 2027.
| Type of adviser | What they can recommend | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Bank or building society | Only that lender's mortgages | You see one set of criteria and rates |
| Restricted broker | A set panel of lenders | They must tell you they are restricted, and which lenders they use |
| Whole-of-market broker | The wider market, including deals only available through brokers | The widest choice when your situation is not straightforward |
Why the lender match matters
Lenders treat first-time buyers differently. One accepts a gifted deposit and another does not. Some limit borrowing for the self-employed, people in a probation period, or income that includes bonus or overtime. A whole-of-market broker matches the criteria, not only the headline rate.
Moneyfacts reported in February 2026 that the market had passed 7,500 products. Deals at 90% loan-to-value were about 13% of the market, and 95% deals about 7%. Fees, incentives and criteria decide the deal, not the rate alone.
Which survey a first-time buyer needs
The survey is about the condition of the home. Older terraces and converted flats, common across Greater Manchester, usually need a Level 2 or a Level 3. If damp, timber or structure is flagged, a specialist report can be arranged before exchange.
| Survey | What it covers | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Mortgage valuation | Value, and whether the property is security for the loan | The lender only. It is not your condition check |
| RICS Home Survey Level 1 | A short condition report with traffic-light ratings | Newer conventional homes in good condition |
| RICS Home Survey Level 2 | Condition ratings, repair guidance, and an optional valuation | Most standard houses and flats in reasonable condition |
| RICS Home Survey Level 3 | Construction, defects, causes and repair options | Older, larger, altered, listed or non-standard homes, or major work |
The order of the purchase
Seven steps, treated as one sequence.
- 1
Talk to a broker before you view. They look at what you can borrow, the deposit and your credit file. We can introduce you. The advice is theirs.
- 2
Get an agreement in principle. It shows an agent you are serious. Some involve a full credit search, so the lender should be chosen carefully.
- 3
Budget past the deposit. Survey, conveyancing, broker or lender fees, the move, and stamp duty. In England and Northern Ireland a first-time buyer pays no stamp duty up to £300,000 and 5% from £300,001 to £500,000. Above £500,000 the relief goes entirely. Scotland and Wales have their own rules.
- 4
On the day the offer is accepted, book the survey and the conveyancer. That is the gap most delays come from.
- 5
The broker submits the application. The lender then instructs its own valuation.
- 6
Read the survey with the broker and the conveyancer. You can ask for a lower price, ask the seller to repair, get specialist quotes, or walk away. A price change goes back to the lender through the broker.
- 7
Offer, exchange, completion. When the offer is out and the searches are back, the conveyancer agrees the date. On completion you collect the keys.
Mistakes that cost time or money
These are the usual ones.
Treating the valuation as a survey. Commission your own RICS survey.
Going only to your own bank. You can miss a deal that is only sold through brokers.
Booking the survey late. There is no time to renegotiate, and the mortgage offer can run out.
The cheapest conveyancer. A heavy caseload often means a slow reply.
Ignoring repair costs. £5,000 of work changes the budget even when the mortgage is approved.
New credit during the purchase. A new finance agreement or a missed payment can affect the offer.
What House Smart does, and what it does not
We are a RICS chartered surveying firm. We inspect the property, introduce an authorised broker, arrange a specialist report when the survey needs one, and instruct a conveyancer from a panel that carries fewer live cases than a high-volume firm. We do not recommend a mortgage, a lender or a rate.
Email letschat@housesmartpropertygroup.co.uk to start with the survey and an introduction.
Book the survey, and we'll make the introduction
Tell us about the property. We price the RICS survey and introduce you to an authorised broker. The mortgage advice comes from them.
Get a quoteFrequently asked questions
A step-by-step walkthrough for first-time buyers: what to book, when to book it, how to read the report, and how to renegotiate on defects.
The mortgage valuation your lender arranges is not a survey, doesn't inspect the property for your benefit, and won't catch the things that actually cost you money.
Average conveyancing costs in 2026, what a quote includes, and the extras that sit on top, including stamp duty.