Best buying options for 40 yr old with modest savings?

EasyToAssemble01

se2020 said:

Basically you will need a 10% deposit plus a few grand for legal fees and moving costs
Have a look at rightmove to see what sort of prices the type of housing you would like would be and then put up some numbers on here (house price, your income etc) and then you can get some advice on how achievable it is.

Having looked at local prices (in a fairly cheap city), I'd say I'd be looking at a max of £140K based on what I can realistically afford. Current salary is £26k a year, with no dependants or large financial commitments. I'd ideally like to aim for a house rather than flat to avoid leasehold (plus potentially less noise from neighbouring properties). I know the leasehold isn't really a barrier, but it may be an issue if I come to sell.
I previously dismissed the idea of shared mortgages, but having looked a bit more into it, it may be a good idea, provided I look for staircased-agreements and get some independent advice on which will be the best deal in the long run.

EasyToAssemble01

Mickygg said:

OP you don’t necessarily need a mortgage advisor as you can use the internet yourself, but it may not hurt to see one to kick it all off. 

Well, the internet is either a goldmine or swamp of conflicting opinions depending on what you're looking for. I'm wary of getting myself a bad deal, especially in the arena of shared mortgages which is something I'm now considering, so independent advice will help, I think. (I don't mind paying if it going to help me make the right choices).