Buying with Fanlight
Buy with the facts first.
On a Fanlight home, the searches, the property forms and, on most homes, the survey are ready at your first viewing. You'll know what you're offering on before you offer, and you'll know who your neighbours are.
On every Fanlight home
What you get before you make an offer
The Open Book
Title, searches, property forms and EPC, and on most homes a RICS survey, shared at your first viewing.
A Street Host
Book a 20-minute call with a neighbour about parking, noise, schools and broadband.
The chain, visible
See the status of every link in the chain, updated weekly, so you're never guessing.
Protection from gazumping
An optional two-way reservation agreement commits both sides once your offer is accepted.
First-time buyers
Your first home, without the jargon.
The average first-time buyer in Great Britain paid £229,302 in July 2026, according to HM Land Registry. Here's what that means in practice.
- Stamp duty: in England and Northern Ireland you pay nothing up to £300,000 and 5% on the part up to £500,000. Above £500,000 the relief is lost.
- Lifetime ISA: still open, with a 25% government bonus on up to £4,000 a year for homes up to £450,000. The government consulted in June 2026 on replacing it with a new First-Time Buyer ISA.
- Deposit: most lenders want at least 5%, and the better rates usually start at 10% to 15%.
- Be buyer-ready: a mortgage in principle, proof of deposit, a solicitor lined up and ID to hand make sellers take you seriously.
Open Book home alerts
Hear first when a sell-ready home that fits you is listed. One email per match, nothing else.
Buying questions
Before you offer
Do I still need my own solicitor and survey?
You'll need your own solicitor or conveyancer, and your lender will order its own valuation. Many buyers are happy to rely on the RICS survey in the Open Book, but you're always free to commission your own, and we'll make access easy.
What is gazumping and can it happen to me?
Gazumping is when a seller accepts your offer, then takes a higher one before contracts are exchanged. It's legal in England and Wales. A two-way reservation agreement makes it far less likely, because the seller loses their fee if they walk away without a valid reason.
How long will buying take?
The government puts the average purchase at about 120 days. Starting with a full pack removes much of the waiting for searches and answers, but lenders and the rest of the chain still set the pace. Your progressor will show you where things stand every week.
Can I talk to a neighbour before I offer?
Yes. Where we have a Street Host, you can book a free 20-minute call through your viewing. Hosts are local residents, not Fanlight staff, and they'll tell you what it's honestly like to live there.
Buying and selling at once?
Selling sell-ready makes you a stronger buyer, because your own sale is far less likely to fall through.