Apart from saving for a deposit is there any reason why you are waiting to the new year? At the very least I would suggest applying for a mortgage now. It can be a very smooth process if you have all the paperwork but it can also be a bit of a nightmare. Only way to know if to go through the process. Think of it as a trial run. AIP will last 6 months so if something came up between now and then that fit the bill you would be ready to move on it. At the very least it would take some of the uncertainty out of the process and you could always reapply in the new year.
That's basically what I did. First time round was a bit of a pain getting all the documentation but I was much clued in second and subsequent times.