Getting a mortgage? Then do your homework first

Would-be borrowers should inform themselves on everything from declaring income to tips on how to apply from your mobile phone

First-time buyers who do their homework before applying for a mortgage are more likely to be successful

Slowing house prices, an extension of the Help To Buy scheme and historically low interest rates might suggest that now is as good a time as any for house hunters to apply for a mortgage.

A sticky point for many is the Central Bank’s conservative mortgage rules that were introduced four years ago. The measures restrict loan-to-income limits to 3.5 times an applicant’s annual income, regardless of how much they earn. First-time buyers ...