Home School, in association with Ulster Bank, is a six-part series that guides you through the process of buying a house for the first time. Let's be honest; getting on the property ladder can be daunting. Home School, presented by first-time buyer and entertainment.ie's Brian Lloyd, will demystify the home buying process and help first-time buyers not feel so overwhelmed with the process. 

For first-time buyers like myself, the mortgage application process is always something that can weigh on your mind. After all, it's as pivotal as anything in buying a home and determines what kind of house you can buy.

This whole series is about busting the myths of what's actually involved in buying a house, and one of the areas I'm keen to bust is the mortgage process, and what it's involved with it from start to finish.

That's why I spoke to Maura, one of Ulster Bank's Mobile Mortgage Managers. What do they do, you might be asking? Well, in a nutshell, a Mobile Mortgage Manager is able to meet you in a place that suits you if you don't live near a branch.

Like I said, I had a lot of questions for Maura - and she answered every single one of them. Whether it was working how much one can borrow, to finding out whether shopping splurges or holidays affect mortgage applications, Maura gave me all the answers in a clear, easy-to-understand way that put my mind at ease.

When it comes to applying for a mortgage, the maximum is usually three and a half times your gross annual income. Say, for example, you and your partner are earning €50,000 per year. In that case, you would be able to get a mortgage of €175,000. You also don't need to be an Ulster Bank customer in order to apply for a mortgage, and the approval in principle lasts for six months - giving you the time you need to find the right house.

Another key point is that you don't need to worry about going on holidays or shopping splurges. Once you're able to demonstrate that you can repay the mortgage, be it through regularly paying rent or saving a monthly or weekly basis, you're good to go.

Maura also talked me through what documents and paperwork you need to bring when meeting with a Mortgage Manager, and once you have all that, the process can take as little as six days.

When you're ready to join the market, you'll need to talk to someone about a mortgage - call your local Ulster Bank Mobile Mortgage Manager today to discuss the right mortgage for you.  

Ulster Bank Ireland DAC is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.