1. Work out what you can realistically borrow
Start with the number that shapes everything else: your borrowing capacity. First-time buyers can borrow up to 4 times gross income, with a minimum 10% deposit. The borrowing calculator applies both Central Bank rules and shows the maximum property price they allow for your income and savings. This tells you which price bracket you're actually shopping in before you fall for something above it.
2. Size up your deposit and check Help to Buy
You need at least 10% of the price saved, though the mix can include a family gift and, on a new build, the Help to Buy refund. If you're looking at new builds, run the Help to Buy calculator to see how much of your income tax you could get back toward the deposit, up to €30,000. Our deposit guide goes deeper on what counts.
3. If there's still a gap, look at the First Home Scheme
If your deposit plus mortgage doesn't quite reach the price of a new home, the First Home Scheme can bridge part of it in return for an equity share. It's worth understanding how it stacks with Help to Buy, which the Help to Buy vs First Home Scheme guide walks through.
4. Get approval in principle
With your numbers straight, a lender or broker can give you Approval in Principle (AIP): a conditional confirmation of how much they'll lend, usually valid for six months. Estate agents take you far more seriously with AIP in hand. A broker can arrange this across several lenders at once, which is one of the moments the "talk to a broker" option below is genuinely useful.
5. Find a home and check the running numbers
Once you're viewing places, pressure-test each one. The repayment calculator shows the monthly cost and the total interest over the term, and the rent vs buy calculator is a sanity check if you're weighing buying against staying put. Remember the ceiling from step 1: the schemes help with the deposit and any gap, but your mortgage is still capped by your income.
6. Go sale agreed, then let the professionals take over
When an offer is accepted you go "sale agreed", pay a booking deposit and appoint a solicitor. You'll also budget for stamp duty (1% of the price for most homes), a valuation and, for second-hand homes, a survey. Your solicitor handles the legal side and the transfer of funds.
7. Drawdown and keys
Your lender releases the mortgage to your solicitor, the balance is paid to the seller, and the property is yours. From here, the overpayment calculator becomes the interesting one: even small regular overpayments can knock years and thousands of euro in interest off the mortgage you just took on. And down the line, the switching calculator is how you keep the lender honest.