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Housing and mortgage guides

Examine renting, buying, deposits, mortgages and ownership costs as one connected housing decision rather than a comparison of rent with a mortgage payment alone.

Where to start

Examine the full cost of a home

The housing decision combines cash flow, financing, transaction costs, flexibility and risk. Build the deposit and buying-cost budget first, understand what a lender assesses, then compare the full paths of renting and ownership over a realistic horizon.

  1. 01

    Build the cash target

    Separate the deposit, transaction costs and post-completion reserve.

  2. 02

    Understand the mortgage

    See how affordability, credit, rates, term and loan-to-value affect the loan.

  3. 03

    Compare full housing paths

    Include rent, ownership costs, flexibility and foregone investment growth.

Guides

Explore housing

Compare renting and buying, then account for the fees that sit beyond a deposit.

Put the ideas to work

Related financial tools

Interactive tool

Home Check

Check sold prices, compare price per m² with the wider area and screen nearby planning designations.

Interactive tool

Buy or Rent

Compare household wealth under matched renting and buying scenarios.

Interactive tool

Mortgage Reset

Explore new rates, terms, balances and overpayments.

Interactive tool

True Cost of a Purchase

Bring financing, ownership costs, resale value and opportunity cost together.

Official data, made visual

See the wider picture

Money Atlas

The European housing squeeze

Housing-cost pressure and overcrowding across the EU.

Money Atlas

The financial geography of the UK

Regional pay, estimated tax and private rent.