Planning on making a mortgage application in 2026, here are our tips on what to focus on and what to avoid in order to make a successful application -
✅ DO’s
• Save consistently – work out what is affordable for you to save, setup a standing order and mandate savings the day of pay day. Once you save do not redraw funds. The banks look at the six months immediately preceding your application so don’t skip a month, keep savings consistent.
• Show rent clearly – your rent should appear as regular transfers on your bank statements, avoid paying in cash. If renting at home clearly mark it as ‘rent’ on the transfer not ‘Mam’ etc.
• Know your supports – schemes like Help to Buy & First Home schemes can boost your budget (for new builds) and can accelerate your ability to buy by increasing your budget (help to buy is up to €30,000) or bridging the difference between the mortgage level you can achieve plus your deposit and the purchase price of a home.
• Understand your options – rates, cashback, flexibility… not all lenders are the same when it comes to rates, mortgage level or options. At doddl we work with all major lenders so can work with you to find the best mortgage for your circumstances – all part of our free service.
❌ DON’Ts
• Where possible, don’t change jobs mid-application – most lenders want your probation period completed (often 6 months) to change jobs could result in your mortgage being delayed.
• Don’t limit yourself to one lender – there are 10 mortgage lenders in Ireland, go to one lender you miss out on what 90% of the market has to offer. This is where we can help at doddl, all major lenders, lowers market rates, working for you.
• Avoid overcomplicate savings or accounts – keep bank accounts simple and easy to track.
• Don’t overstretch – save what’s realistic and sustainable (consistency > extremes) don’t overextend your current account so that you go into overdraft or miss commitments.
Unsure where to start or need support, contact our specialist team at doddl, mortgages are what we do and we are there to help from enquiry to keys! Click - Lets get Started
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