Stop worrying about what happens next. We'll walk you through it.
Your personalised homebuying plan handles the confusing parts — budgets, timings, legals, costs. From offer accepted to keys in hand, you'll know exactly what's happening and what to do next.
What you get
Know exactly what you can afford
Stop guessing. Calculate your real budget with all the costs included — stamp duty, solicitors, surveys, moving, overlap rent, insurance. No nasty surprises when you're already in love with a property.
Stop Googling 'what happens now?' at 11pm
Your plan explains every single step, in plain English. Mortgage offer → searches → exchange → completion. You'll understand what your solicitor is doing, why it takes time, and what comes next. No confusion. No stress.
Be the buyer sellers choose
Get your mortgage sorted, pick your solicitor, and confirm your budget before you find the property. When you make an offer, you'll be organised and ready. Sellers know that means you're serious — and you'll complete.
How it works
Calculate your real budget
Enter your income, savings, and where you're buying. We'll calculate what you can actually afford — including all the hidden costs (surveys, legal, moving, overlap rent, insurance). Most people forget about these until it's too late.
You'll know your budget before you fall in love with a property
Get your step-by-step roadmap
We create a personalised plan that shows you exactly what to do at every stage — from now until completion. It includes timings based on real data (searches take 2-6 weeks, not 2-3), so you understand what's normal and what's not.
You'll stop wondering 'is something wrong?' and know exactly what's happening
Check off your tasks, stay calm
As you move through each stage, you'll have clear task lists, reminders, and plain-English explanations. Understand what your solicitor is doing. Know when searches should arrive. Never feel lost or confused.
You'll feel in control, organised, and ready for the next step
Move in with confidence
You'll understand exactly what happens on completion day — exchange of contracts, key collection, moving in. No surprises. No panic calls to your solicitor at the last minute. You'll know what's happening and why.
You'll actually enjoy the day you get your keys
Real scenarios, real lessons
Avoid costly mistakes
Sarah found a flat she loved and saved money by skipping the survey. Six months after moving in, she discovered an £8,000 damp problem the seller had hidden. A £400 homebuyer survey would have spotted it.
Our plan explains the trade-offs between different survey types so you make informed decisions — not skip essential checks and discover costly problems later.
Know your critical timeline
James got his mortgage offer and didn't realise how quickly things move. He waited three weeks before instructing a solicitor — not understanding that mortgage offers typically last just 3-6 months (depending on the lender). By the time the searches came back 4-6 weeks later, his offer had expired. He had to reapply at a higher interest rate.
Your plan shows the critical timeline: instruct your solicitor immediately after mortgage offer approval, understand your specific offer expiry date, know that searches take 2-6 weeks. No more guessing about what's normal — and no expired offers.
Understand your true affordability
Priya saved a £20,000 deposit for a £200,000 flat. She got her mortgage agreed and made an offer, then discovered she needed £1,200 solicitor fees, £600 survey, £800 removals, £1,500 overlap rent, and £1,000 insurance.
Our affordability calculator includes every cost upfront: stamp duty with first-time buyer relief, solicitor fees, survey, moving costs, overlap costs, and insurance. No unexpected expenses.
Be ready to beat other buyers
Two buyers offered £250,000 on the same house. Buyer A had no mortgage arranged. Buyer B had mortgage in principle, solicitor ready, and no chain. The seller chose Buyer B even though Buyer A offered £3,000 more, because Buyer B could exchange quickly.
Our checklist helps you get your mortgage agreed, choose your solicitor, and confirm your budget — so you're a prepared, organised buyer.
Understand what your solicitor is doing
Mike's solicitor went silent for three weeks. He was convinced something had gone wrong. Later, he discovered they were just waiting for local authority searches — which typically take 2-6 weeks, but can stretch to 10 weeks in busy areas.
Your plan explains what searches your solicitor is running, realistic timeframes for your area, and what's normal versus what needs action. Never sit in the dark wondering 'is this right?'
What UK homebuyers say
Real stories from people who used We Live Together to navigate their homebuying journey
Sarah M.
Manchester, First-time buyer
"I panicked after saving for years to get £20,000 together. Then I ran the calculator and realised I needed another £4,000 just for solicitors, survey, and moving costs. I was gutted. But honestly? Better to know that now than make an offer I couldn't actually complete. The calculator stopped me making a massive mistake."✓ Verified buyer
James T.
Bristol, First-time buyer
"My solicitor disappeared for three weeks. I was convinced something was wrong — maybe she'd lost my paperwork? Maybe there was a problem with the property? I was stressed out of my mind. Then I saw the timeline, realised searches take 2-6 weeks normally, and suddenly everything made sense. I actually felt relieved instead of panicked."✓ Verified buyer
Priya & Dan
London, First-time buyers
"We made an offer alongside two other buyers. I was terrified we'd lose it because the other buyer offered £3,000 more. But our solicitor was already lined up, mortgage was done, and we had no chain. When the seller got the offers, she asked which buyer could move fastest. We got the house not because we paid the most, but because we were prepared. That felt incredible."✓ Verified buyer
Emily R.
London, First-time buyer
"I thought I had £25,000 saved and was ready to buy. The affordability calculator showed me I needed another £5,000 for solicitors, survey, moving costs, and overlap rent. I was gutted at first, but honestly? Better to know now than get stuck halfway through. Saved me from a massive mistake."✓ Verified buyer
Tom H.
Manchester, Second-time mover
"I skipped the survey to save £400 on my first flat. Six months later, discovered an £8,000 damp problem the seller had hidden. This time I got a full homebuyer report and it spotted a dodgy boiler. Saved me £3,000 in negotiations. Never skipping the survey again."✓ Verified buyer
David L.
Edinburgh, Self-employed
"As a freelancer, I thought getting a mortgage would be impossible. The plan explained exactly what documents I needed: two years of tax returns, SA302 forms, and bank statements. Had everything ready when I applied. Mortgage approved in 10 days. Felt like a miracle."✓ Verified buyer
Join 2,500+ UK homebuyers who trusted us
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View Reviews on TrustpilotWhy trust us
We actually know how it works
We've built this with the people doing it daily — solicitors, brokers, conveyancers. We've mapped every stage, every waiting period, every surprise. Your plan reflects how the process really happens, not how it looks in theory.
We've got no hidden agenda
We don't sell mortgages, take commissions, or benefit from any decision you make. Your interests aren't just first — they're the only thing we care about.
We're transparent about what we do — and don't
We give you process education and planning tools, not financial advice. We explain how mortgages work, what to expect, and how to prepare — but we never recommend a specific product. For that, speak to an FCA-authorised adviser. That's the honest boundary.
We cover your region properly
Whether you're buying in London, Edinburgh, Belfast, or Cardiff, we've got region-specific guidance. Scottish missives? We explain them. Welsh Help to Buy details? We've got you. Regional stamp duty? Built into the calculator. No generic 'England-only' assumptions.
Who we help
First-Time Buyers
If you're buying your first home in the UK, we help you understand every single step — so you feel confident and organised, not confused.
Second-Time Movers
If you're moving house and need to manage both selling your current home and buying your next one, we help you manage the chain and timing.
Self-Employed & Complex Cases
If you're self-employed, a contractor, or have complex finances, we help you navigate the extra documentation and processing times.
Buyers in a Chain
If you need to sell and buy simultaneously, we help you coordinate timing, manage dependencies, and avoid chain collapse.
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