If we are serious about improving access to homeownership, the deposit gap has to be addressed.

Higher loan-to-value (LTV) lending, including potential moves towards 100% LTVs where appropriate and responsibly underwritten, has an important role to play. There is a growing cohort of creditworthy buyers with stable incomes and strong affordability profiles who are held back by savings rather than risk. For them, access to higher LTV solutions could be the difference between renting indefinitely and buying their first home.

Recent signals from the Financial Conduct Authority around potential changes to mortgage rules are encouraging. A framework that supports sensible flexibility, without diluting robust affordability checks, would be a meaningful step forward. This is particularly relevant for self-employed borrowers and those with more complex income profiles, who are often well placed to sustain a mortgage but struggle within rigid criteria.

Many of the solutions that can genuinely move the dial for first-time buyers sit within specialist lending, and they are rarely obvious or straightforward. Brokers understand where flexibility exists, which lenders will take a more rounded view of a borrower’s circumstances, and how to structure cases to unlock options that would otherwise be missed.

Without that guidance, many buyers simply won’t access the products designed to help them.

Brokers also play a crucial role in confidence and momentum. For buyers navigating uncertainty, regulation changes and affordability pressure, expert advice brings clarity and direction. It turns complexity into progress. For intermediaries, insights like our First Time Buyer Appeal Index help identify where opportunity is emerging and how buyer needs are evolving, allowing them to support clients more effectively.

The first-time buyer market remains resilient. But resilience alone won’t keep it moving. Progress will depend on continued innovation in lending, a pragmatic approach to regulation, and ensuring buyers are supported by brokers who can open the door to specialist solutions. Access, advice and flexibility will define the next phase of the market.

Aldermore’s First Time Buyer Appeal Index was designed by Opinium and comprises 10 key indicators across two pillars. The index uses a series of secondary data sources including ONS, Census, NOMIS and other official housing statistics.

The regulator has made its intention clear by putting first-time buyers first in its plan to reform the mortgage market.

The lending landscape could look markedly different by the end of this year, and brokers must be available to navigate buyers and inform them of the expanded routes to homeownership that could become available.