If you would like buy your own home, most people use a mortgage to allow them to borrow enough money. You will need to have a job with a regular income and you will need to arrange for a bank, building society or other mortgage lender to lend you the money, which you pay back every month with interest added. You will usually need to pay a deposit towards the value of the house too, usually around 10% of its value.
House prices can be very different across Leeds depending on the area and the type of house. The amount you pay every month (repayments) can be different depending on UK interest rates at the time and the type of mortgage you have. Find out more from Money Helper, a national website:
You can get an idea of house prices by visiting estate agents or websites such as:
Not all migrants are eligible for a mortgage and the rules can be complicated depending on your circumstances. For example, you may have to be able to provide proof of your income, previous UK home addresses and have a credit history in the UK such as being able to prove that you have paid credit card payments and your mobile phone bill on time.
Applying for a mortgage
If you are eligible for a mortgage you will need to start by finding out from a bank or building society if you are earning enough and how much you can borrow.
Before you do that, you can get an estimate using online calculators like this one from Money Helper:
If you want to find out more about your options, you will need to speak to mortgage lenders such as banks or building societies. You can do this over the phone, online or in their branches on the high street.
You can find out more about banks and building societies here:
Overview of UK Banks and Building Societies
Help to Buy is a scheme run by the government to help make buying a home more affordable. As with any type of mortgage, not all migrants will be eligible so you will need to check. There are different Help to Buy schemes, for example which allow you to pay a smaller amount of money towards owning the property and you pay rent on the rest.
