First-Time Buyers Age Rises to 34 in South East, New Map Reveals
In the dynamic English property market, a clear trend is emerging: first-time buyers are getting older. This shift is most pronounced in the South East, where the average age of first-time homeowners has climbed to 34, marking the most significant increase nationwide in recent years. Research by My Home Move Conveyancing, analyzing over 39,000 property transactions from 2021 to 2025, provides a detailed look at how affordability pressures, regional differences, and evolving buyer strategies are reshaping the landscape.
Regional Variations in Buyer Age
The study highlights sharp contrasts across England's regions. The South East has seen a near three-year jump in average buyer age since 2021, now standing at 34, the highest in the country. In contrast, the East Midlands has bucked the trend slightly, with a small decline to around 31 years. Northern regions like the North West experienced an increase from roughly 30 to 32 years, while the North East also stands out for having younger buyers on average.
Areas with soaring property prices, such as the South East and London, inherently delay homeownership as higher deposits and costs require longer saving periods. This contrasts with more affordable pockets like County Durham, where lower house prices enable younger buyers to make their first purchase earlier.
Challenges and Strategies for First-Time Buyers
As of March 2026, the average asking price for a typical first-time buyer home in Great Britain is £226,955, according to Rightmove's House Price Index. The UK average asking price has risen steeply to £371,042, up from £321,064 in March 2021. Rightmove's data also indicates an affordability gulf for solo buyers, based on average prices compared to salaries.
Alistair Singer, director at My Home Move Conveyancing, explained the reasons behind these trends. 'The gradual increase in first-time buyer age over the past decade reflects the changing property market and how the cost-of-living crisis continues to affect this landscape,' he said. He added that buyers are increasingly adopting strategic approaches, such as saving for longer and carefully timing their market entry, rather than abandoning their homeownership aspirations altogether.
Shifting Deposit Sources and Demographic Trends
The source of deposits is also changing. TSB Bank reports a decline in first-time buyers relying on family gifts, from 34% in early 2024 to 30% in 2025. This trend suggests that new buyers may be increasingly self-funding their deposits, naturally leading to longer waiting periods. Correspondingly, the average borrower's age has edged up from 31 to 32 in the same timeframe.
Government data further reveals disparities based on ethnicity. While the overall average age of first-time buyers in England stands at 32, white British buyers tend to enter the market younger, around 31 years old. Buyers from Asian and White Other ethnic backgrounds average closer to 35. Additionally, Santander UK's research shows that the share of first-time buyers with dependent children has doubled in 15 years, now comprising one in five buyers.
Harlow: A Hotspot Bucking the Trend
Despite being in the pricey south of England, Harlow in Essex has been identified as the UK's fastest-growing hotspot for first-time buyers over the past 10 years. Since 2015, first-time buyer mortgage applications here have risen by 87%, the steepest increase of any local authority in England, Scotland, and Wales. Given its easy reach to the capital and average home prices almost half those in London, Harlow is a natural choice for budget-conscious commuters.
According to Rightmove, homes in Harlow sold for an average of £351,911 over the last year, significantly less than London's figure of £656,665. Prices in the area have remained stable, increasing by about 2% compared to the previous year, but were slightly lower than the 2022 peak of £349,579.
This comprehensive analysis underscores the complex factors influencing first-time buyer age, from economic pressures to regional affordability, highlighting a market in flux as aspiring homeowners navigate new challenges.
