If you have around 5% saved and want to know whether buying now is realistic, book a 15 minute call and I will run the numbers against current criteria. Call 01425 203055 or WhatsApp 07731 675537.
HTG Mortgages
Can I Get a Mortgage With a 5% Deposit?
Last Updated: September 2026
Featured in The Telegraph • Daily Mail • The Times • Sky News
Yes. A 5% deposit mortgage, usually called a 95% loan to value mortgage, is available from a number of lenders for people buying a home to live in. The trade-off is that you borrow more, pay a higher rate than someone with a 10% or 15% deposit, and have less room if the property is down valued or prices dip after you buy.
On a £250,000 house, 5% is a £12,500 deposit and a £237,500 mortgage
95% is the lender’s riskiest residential band, so it is priced above 90%, which is priced above 85%
Most 95% lenders want a clean credit file and many exclude new build flats
As featured in…
Meet your Advisor
Harry Goodliffe
- FCA Authorised
- Director & Mortgage Advisor
“I‘m not about confusing jargon or passing you from person to person. From our first chat to the day you get the keys, you’ll deal directly with me. I‘ll keep you updated, answer any burning questions, and do everything I can to make the whole process as stress-free as possible.”
Let’s Talk About Your Mortgage
How I check whether 5% works for you
1
Step 1
Affordability first
Borrowing 95% of £250,000 still has to be affordable on your income, and the bigger loan means a higher monthly payment, so the income needed is higher too. I run this before anything else.
2
Step 2
Property check
Many lenders exclude new build flats at 95%. Some cap the loan size or will not lend at 95% below a certain property value. The property you have in mind decides which lenders are left.
3
Step 3
Rate tier
I show you what the same house costs each month at 95% and at 90%, so you can see what an extra 5% of deposit would buy you before deciding whether to wait.
4
Step 4
Cushion
With 5% in, a valuation £10,000 short leaves you finding nearly all of it. I check whether you have anything in reserve for that and for the costs of buying.
About
Our approach.
The main risk with a 5% deposit is negative equity
Buy at £250,000 with £12,500 in and a 6% fall in prices puts the house at £235,000 while you owe £237,500. You cannot move to a better product until that reverses, and selling would leave you owing money. Whether to buy now at 95% or wait and save to 10% has no general answer: waiting means a cheaper mortgage and more cushion, and also more rent and whatever prices are then. Working through those numbers for your own situation is what an appointment is for. The smallest deposit I have placed this year was 5% on a £250,000 first time buyer purchase, so £12,500 in. It went through, and the work was in getting the affordability and the credit file right before the application, not in finding a lender willing to lend at 95%.
Whole-of-Market Access
Whole-of-market comparison across 120+ lenders
One Flat Fee
A flat £350 fee, payable only once your mortgage offer is issued
Honest Advice
If the right answer is to do nothing, I will say so
Outside My Scope
I do not offer equity release
How I help
I check affordability, the property type, and which lenders will consider 95% for your circumstances, then show you the monthly difference between 5% and 10% so the decision is yours with real figures. Related: how much deposit do I need, no deposit mortgages and the first time buyer hub.
Who this is for
First time buyers and home movers with around 5% of the purchase price saved, a clean credit file, and employed or established self-employed income, who want to know whether buying now is realistic.
Why use HTG’s mortgage services?
Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8am to 1pm
We are an independently owned, whole-of-market mortgage broker offering first-charge mortgages
You deal with Harry directly, from the first conversation to completion
Let’s get your mortgage sorted
Written by Harry Goodliffe
Director & Mortgage Adviser, HTG Mortgages · FCA Authorised (1017945)
CeMAP Qualified · Featured in National Press · South England Prestige Awards 2026/27 winner