You usually need a minimum deposit of around 5% of the property price to buy a house, but aiming for 10–20% is far more common and often financially smarter.

Quick Scoop

For most first‑time buyers in 2026, the key ranges look like this.

  • Minimum often accepted by lenders: about 5% of the purchase price (e.g. £250,000 home → £12,500 deposit).
  • Common “good” target: 10–20% deposit, which usually gets better interest rates and smaller monthly payments.
  • Typical real‑world first‑time buyer deposits in recent UK data: around 20% on average, often £50,000+ depending on area, with London much higher.
  • Buy‑to‑let or second homes: lenders often want larger deposits, around 20–25% or more.
  • 0% or ultra‑low deposits: possible only in niche cases (e.g. guarantor or special 100% mortgage products) and come with stricter criteria and higher risk.

What that looks like in real numbers

Below are rough examples for a residential home purchase.

[3] [3] [7][3] [1] [5] [5][7] [7] [7] [7]
Estimated house price 5% deposit (min level) 10% deposit 20% deposit (strong)
£200,000 £10,000£20,000£40,000
£250,000 £12,500£25,000£50,000
£400,000 £20,000£40,000£80,000
In recent UK examples, guidance for a £400,000 property shows you’d often be looking at a 5–20% deposit plus thousands more for legal fees, stamp duty (where applicable), moving costs, and basic furniture.

Why many people still aim for 20%

Even though 5% is technically enough for many lenders, the market in 2024–2026 has nudged a lot of buyers toward bigger deposits.

  • A 20% deposit usually means:
    • Better mortgage interest rates and a wider choice of deals.
* Lower monthly payments and less total interest across the term.

* Less risk of negative equity if prices fall.
  • A small 5–10% deposit means:
    • You can buy sooner, with less saved upfront.
* But you’ll often pay a higher rate and have fewer options, and you may be more exposed if prices dip.

Some countries and lenders also add extra costs (like mortgage insurance) when your deposit is below about 20%, which effectively makes “cheap” low‑deposit mortgages more expensive in the long run.

How forums and buyers are talking about it now

Recent public guides, bank explainers, and video Q&As in early 2026 all repeat the same headline: first‑time buyers can technically get on the ladder with ~5%–10%, but most people either end up closer to 20% or feel pressure to aim for it.

On forums and advice sites, common themes are:

  1. “Is 5% enough in 2026?”
    • Many posters say 5% works mainly if your income is strong, your credit file is clean, and the property is not new‑build or buy‑to‑let.
  1. “Am I better off waiting to save more?”
    • People worry that if they wait for a 15–20% deposit, prices or rents will move against them, but they also know a bigger deposit can relieve monthly stress.
  1. “Regional reality check”
    • In some cheaper areas, deposits of £5,000–£10,000 are still possible.
 * In high‑priced cities, many posters talk about £40,000–£100,000+ deposits before they feel competitive.

A typical 2026 first‑time buyer story looks like: saving hard through rising rents, finally hitting a 10–15% deposit, and then juggling lender criteria, interest rates, and extra fees at the last minute.

What you can do next

If you want this tailored to you, the quickest way is:

  1. Pick a target price range (for example, local average where you want to buy).
  2. Multiply by:
    • 0.05 → absolute minimum ballpark.
    • 0.10 → more comfortable entry level.
    • 0.20 → strong, “best‑rate” position.
  3. Add a safety buffer for:
    • Legal fees, taxes/stamp duty, survey, moving, and initial furniture or repairs.

If you tell me your country/region and rough price range, I can sketch realistic deposit numbers and a simple saving plan around your situation.