First-Time Buyers mortgage brokers in Aberdeen
8 independent, FCA-authorised advisers covering Aberdeen and the wider Scotland area who handle first-time buyer mortgage cases. Contact them directly — we never sell your details.
Aberdeen Mortgage Company
Glasgow
Advanced Financial Planning Scotland Ltd
Aberdeen
Amanda Law Mortgages
Aberdeen
IMP Mortgage & Protection Advice Ltd
Aberdeen
Portlethen Financial Services
Aberdeen
Protect Mortgage Solutions
Aberdeen
The Aberdeen Mortgage Brokers
Aberdeen
VT Wealth
Aberdeen
First-Time Buyers mortgages in Aberdeen: what to know
First-time buyers face the tightest affordability constraints of any group, but also get the most support: no stamp duty below the first-time-buyer threshold in England and Northern Ireland, access to Lifetime ISA bonuses, and lender schemes aimed specifically at smaller deposits. If you are buying in Aberdeen, the practical question is usually how to bridge the gap between the deposit you have and the loan the lender will offer.
- A Lifetime ISA adds a 25% government bonus on up to £4,000 a year toward a first home, but the property price cap and the withdrawal penalty outside the rules both catch people out.
- First-time buyers pay no stamp duty in England and Northern Ireland below the first-time-buyer threshold. Scotland and Wales operate their own systems with different reliefs.
- Gifted deposits from family are widely accepted, but the lender will want a signed letter confirming the money is a gift rather than a loan, plus evidence of its source.
- Get an agreement in principle before you view seriously in Aberdeen. Many estate agents will not book viewings without one, and it is usually only a soft credit check.
What matters locally in Aberdeen
The city's characteristic granite tenements and terraces run through the West End, Rosemount and Ferryhill, with the West End holding the larger period houses. Suburbs such as Cults, Bieldside and Milltimber sit at the higher-value end, while Torry, Northfield and Mastrick are considerably more affordable. Aberdeenshire commuter towns draw families out of the city. The Scottish process applies throughout — Home Report, offers, conclusion of missives — though offers over is less universal here than in Edinburgh, and fixed-price marketing is more common.
- Landlords in a rental market closely linked to energy-sector activity, where interest coverage and void assumptions deserve conservative planning.
- Offshore and rotational income, where lenders differ on how they annualise pay based on a two-weeks-on rota and whether they count offshore allowances.
Scotland
Buying in Scotland works differently enough to change how you plan. Purchase tax is Land and Buildings Transaction Tax rather than Stamp Duty, it has its own bands and its own first-time buyer relief, and an Additional Dwelling Supplement applies to second homes and buy-to-let. Sellers must provide a Home Report — a single survey, an energy report and a property questionnaire — before marketing, so you see a surveyor's valuation before you offer. Homes are often advertised at offers over with a closing date, and the purchase becomes binding when missives are concluded, typically earlier in the process than exchange of contracts south of the border. Flats are not leasehold: you own them outright and share liability for common repairs with the other owners in the building.
Do I pay Stamp Duty when buying in Aberdeen?
No. Property in Scotland is subject to Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT), collected by Revenue Scotland, not Stamp Duty Land Tax. The bands are set by the Scottish Government and differ from those in England, there is a first-time buyer relief, and an Additional Dwelling Supplement applies if the purchase is a second home or a buy-to-let. Check the current rates with Revenue Scotland before you finalise your budget.
Questions worth asking a first-time buyers broker
- What deposit do I need as a first-time buyer in Aberdeen?
- 5% is the practical minimum with most lenders, though 10% opens up noticeably better rates and 15% better again. Some lenders offer deposit-free options backed by a family guarantee or savings charge.
- Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty?
- In England and Northern Ireland, first-time buyers pay nothing below the first-time-buyer threshold and a reduced rate above it up to a cap. Scotland (LBTT) and Wales (LTT) run separate systems with their own first-time-buyer treatment. Our stamp duty calculator covers the England and Northern Ireland rules.
- How long does an agreement in principle last?
- Usually 30 to 90 days depending on the lender. It is not a formal offer, but it demonstrates to agents that you are a serious buyer and gives you a realistic budget before you view.
- Can I buy with a friend or sibling?
- Yes. Most lenders will consider up to four applicants, though many only count the income of two. Take legal advice on how you hold the property — joint tenants versus tenants in common has real consequences if circumstances change.