Forget about buying a house other than your home to live in.
From time to time, first time buyers get advantages - lower stamp duty, grants, higher mortgage amounts. So if you already own a property, you will not qualify for any such advantage which might be there.
So buy a home where you want to live. It will probably be a lot cheaper than renting. If you have a fair amount of cash, then the mortgage rate will be lower. If you have spent all your cash on a holiday home, you might not be able to get a mortgage or if you do, you will pay a much higher interest rate.
Owning your home has huge tax advantages - no CGT on the increase in value and it is ignored for means tested social welfare benefits. Make that your priority.
Brendan