The mortgage market hit a seven-year high on Tuesday 13 May – and it’s first-time buyers who are leading the charge.
That’s according to new data from Twenty7tec, which shows that 30,120 ESIS documents were issued on that day – the highest daily volume since records began.
Despite the market being undeniably tough for first-time buyers, they played a major role in this milestone. In fact, 13 May saw 6,792 ESIS documents issued for first-time buyer cases – making it the busiest day for FTB activity in the past seven years.
And while 13 may be unlucky for some, it marked a record-setting day across the board:
- 1st for overall purchase ESIS documents
- 3rd for remortgages
- 136th for buy-to-let
- 1st for first-time buyer activity
Just one week later, on Tuesday 20 May, momentum remained high. While overall volumes dipped slightly to 28,256 ESIS documents – the third-highest daily total in 2025 so far – FTB demand stayed strong, with 6,410 ESIS documents issued, making it the second-busiest day for first-time buyers this year.
The day also ranked:
- 1st for purchase ESIS documents
- 3rd for remortgages
- 136th for buy-to-let
- 1st for FTB activity overall
A week later, Tuesday 20 May showed continued strength. Although slightly lower overall, volumes remained high with 28,256 ESIS documents issued, ranking third highest for the year. FTB activity remained elevated with 6,410 documents, the second highest daily total in 2025 so far. That day also ranked:
- 4th for purchase
- 7th for remortgage
- 98th for buy-to-let
- 2nd for FTBs
In both weeks, purchase activity edged just ahead of remortgage demand, hovering around a 51:49 split. Buy-to-let stayed more subdued, holding just over 15% of total ESIS documents across both weeks.
Nathan Reilly, director at Twenty7tec, said:
“First-time buyers have had it tough over the past few years, so it’s encouraging to see such strong and sustained intent from them.
“The data suggests many are seizing the moment following the recent Bank of England rate cut on 8 May – and possibly looking to get ahead of any further changes later this year. That kind of intent doesn’t surprise us, especially in a climate where affordability and timing are everything.”
He continued: “With purchase volumes holding steady above remortgage activity, it’s clear the appetite to move is still there – and advisers have an important role to play in supporting that momentum.”
Advisers using Twenty7tec benefit from real-time product data, integrated affordability checks and integrated CRM to centralise advice — all in one platform. The scale of activity seen in May reflects how embedded the platform has become in day-to-day advice journeys. From first-time buyers to remortgages, advisers are relying on Twenty7tec to streamline complex workflows, reduce admin, and deliver faster, more confident recommendations to clients.
For more information about Twenty7tec please visit https://www.twenty7tec.com/
