For many people, buying a home for the first time or selling a home and buying something new can be something of a nerve-wracking experience. According to a survey from the Yorkshire Bank, the top ten most stressful aspects are:

1. finding a house that meets requirements
2. packing up
3. waiting to hear if an offer is accepted
4. waiting for an offer (when selling)
5. saving for a deposit
6. the period before exchange of contracts
7. unpacking in the new home
8. waiting for the surveyor's report
9. finding a good mortgage deal, and
10. finding a good solicitor

Thankfully, at Direct Line, we can help you with number 9, because we have a number of competitive mortgages that could suit you – both tracker mortgages and fixed rate mortgages.

If you are especially nervous about buying a home and have a clearly outlined budget, then maybe a fixed-rate mortgage would be best for you. That way you know exactly what you are going to pay for the first part of the mortgage term. We offer three fixed-rate mortgages, the longest being our five-year fixed rate mortgage.

All our fixed-rate mortgages have competitive rates and allow for overpayments. If you know how much you might want to borrow, you can use our online mortgage calculator to work out exactly what your monthly repayments will be, not only in the fixed term, but after that as well.

You can find out more about our fixed-rate mortgages and apply online. And if you take out a Direct Line mortgage, we’ll give you a discount off our best home insurance price.