Cerys Gardiner, 27, became a homeowner at 25 with a 5 per cent deposit after a mortgage adviser pointed her toward new-build incentives. She spent just under £15,000 in total, including solicitors' fees, to complete the purchase in August 2025.
From £4,000 savings to a £12,000 deposit
Gardiner, from Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, had saved only £4,000 in her lifetime ISA and thought buying a home was years away. After reserving her property in March 2025, she had four months to gather the deposit. She moved home temporarily, redirected her rent money into savings, and took on extra freelance marketing work to boost her funds.
"I worked a hell of a lot of freelance jobs in five to six months to be able to bolster that," she said. "I was able to make it happen and go from £4,000 to £12,000."
A new-build incentive made the difference
The key was a conversation with a mortgage adviser, who suggested a new-build home with a 5 per cent deposit incentive. Gardiner secured a three-bed home under £250,000 on a new estate, with the developer gifting the remaining 5 per cent, which she arranged through provider Nationwide.
"He said they can give incentives with a 5 per cent deposit and support," she said. "From that point on for me 5 per cent was more achievable on my own than 10 per cent."
Her monthly mortgage is £982, and with bills it comes to £1,400, around 50 per cent of her take-home pay as a marketing manager. She is on a 40-year mortgage term with a 4.49 per cent fixed rate for five years.
Wider market context and advice
The share of UK mortgages with deposits under 10 per cent is the highest since 2008, according to the Bank of England. Lenders including Lloyds, Santander, Skipton and Yorkshire Building Society have launched deals covering upwards of 95 per cent of a property's value, in some cases up to 100 per cent, aiming to help first-time buyers. The average deposit for first-time buyers is currently around 20 per cent.
Gardiner advises finding a good mortgage adviser and solicitors to advocate for buyers. "Start by asking the question otherwise you might write it off without knowing," she said.
