The home owner loans and mortgage market has always been a difficult and confusing place to be for someone looking for a new loan by themselves, but for first time buyers who have never been through the house buying process before, or applied for a home owner loan, the prospect of going it alone can be even more daunting.

It is hardly surprising then, that first time buyers made up the highest proportion of individuals who sought professional advice during last year, when looking for a new home owner loan or mortgage.

According to the latest figures from Unbiased.co.uk, which helps people get in touch with an independent financial adviser, over the course of the whole of last year in excess of 70,000 potential borrowers took advice before choosing their home owner loan.

Of these enquiries, somewhere in the region of 40 per cent of all those seeking advice on a home owner loan, related to enquiries from first time buyers.

Remortgage loans were the second most popular request, at 32 per cent, followed by residential loans at 21 per cent, buy to let loans at 12 per cent and bad credit loans at 7 per cent.

Unbiased.co.uk say that they saw a particularly sharp increase in enquiries for loan advice in the first nine months of last year, due to the lack of available mortgage and home owner loan deals in the market place.

Karen Barrett of Unbiased.co.uk said “It is encouraging to see that when there is turbulence in the housing market, consumers are seeking advice from the experts. However, it is essential consumers continue to seek advice regardless of the state of the property market, to ensure they are making the best decisions for their individual circumstances.”