First-time buyer asking prices jump 18% in most affordable towns

Bridlington in East Riding of Yorkshire and St Helens in Merseyside lead the way, with average asking prices up 18% compared to last year – to £167,321 and £133,106 respectively.

Falkirk in Stirlingshire, meanwhile, saw increases of 17%, pushing prices up to £118,327, while Hartlepool’s first-time buyer homes are being advertised for just over £104,000 on average, a 12% increase year-on-year.

All the fastest growing areas for prices remain below £170,000, highlighting continued demand for more affordable homes, particularly in the North and Scotland.

In contrast, several higher-priced Southern markets, including Brighton and Southampton, are seeing first-time buyer prices ease compared to last year.

The average asking price for a typical first-time buyer home in Great Britain is £228,048, down 0.7% year-on-year.

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St Albans in Hertfordshire is the most expensive area to buy a typical first-time buyer home (0-2 bedroom), at £401,352, while Middlesbrough is the least expensive, at £90,929.

Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert, said: “Affordability continues to shape where first-time buyers are looking, and we’re seeing the strongest price growth in areas where homes remain within reach for more people. Lower-cost locations are still seeing strong interest, with competition for homes helping to hold prices up. In more expensive markets, tenants are taking a bit more time and thinking more carefully about what they can afford, which is keeping growth relatively flat.”