First time buyers are losing interest in city living

  • Only 29% of FTBs are planning on buying in a city¹

  • In comparison, 53% are buying in a town or suburb²

  • Trussle has created a useful deposit tool to help first time buyers quantify the amount required to buy in each region of the UK

12th January 2021 - The city has long been a destination for first time buyers looking to balance the dream of home ownership alongside busy careers and social lives. But, new research by online mortgage broker Trussle has found that city living is losing its appeal among first time buyers, with the vast majority now preferring more subdued locations.

Despite the allure of wider career prospects and higher salaries in major cities, an overwhelming 71% of first time buyers are now planning to buy in towns, suburbs and rural locations.³ In contrast, the survey of 2,000 first time buyers carried out by Trussle, found that just 29% aspire to purchase their first home in a city.⁴ This level of interest in city living from first time buyers is remarkably low, as the UK has previously had a high rate of urbanisation and the country’s urban population sits far above the worldwide average.⁵

Higher house prices in urban locations is likely to play a huge factor in this trend and 65% of respondents felt it was already ‘impossible’ to get on the housing ladder.⁶ In addition, the research found that the average budget for a first home was £174,266⁷ and means popular destinations for young buyers, like London, which has an average first time buyer property price of £463,536, are out of reach.⁸

Research prior to the pandemic signalled that city living was still popular, with London boroughs  dominating the list of most popular destinations for first time buyers.⁹ But, respondents to this new research felt that coronavirus was exacerbating problems of affordability and 35% stated that the financial impact of the pandemic had left them priced out of the market.¹⁰ 

2020 saw lenders withdraw a large proportion of high loan-to-value (LTV) mortgage products, which may also impact where first time buyers can afford to buy. Despite a number of well-known lenders relaunching new high LTV mortgage deals recently, data from Trussle shows that there were just 163 90% LTV mortgage products available in December 2020 compared with 3,053 the year before.¹¹ As a result, buyers now need to save larger deposits, often 15% of the property price or higher, as many 90% LTV mortgages have disappeared.¹² As a result, 40% of those who have moved back in with mum and dad think it will take up to 5 years longer to save for a deposit.¹³ A lack of high LTV products would have a disproportionate impact on affordability in city centres where property is more expensive and would require more upfront savings. 

Miles Robinson, Head of Mortgages at online mortgage broker Trussle comments: 

“The pandemic has increased the financial pressure many first time buyers were already feeling, as well as creating a seismic shift in what people expect from their home. As a result, financial pressures and rising house prices, alongside a desire for more outdoor space, means demand in more affordable rural locations is currently outpacing that for urban destinations. 

But, lenders are starting to return to the market with higher LTV products, which could make more expensive homes in the city more accessible again. And, we may see renewed interest in city living once the vaccine has been rolled out and things begin to return to normality. As such, only time will tell if the current lust for country properties is a long term trend or more of a spontaneous response.” 

~Ends~

Contact

For further information, please contact:

Emily Coyle at [email protected] or Leilah Mackie at [email protected] 

We’ve taken extra care to ensure the information provided within this release is presented in a way that’s compliant with regulatory requirements. If you have any questions about how to repurpose this information or require any further assistance, please contact Leilah Mackie at Trussle.

Methodology

Research

Trussle conducted research online with 2,005 UK adults aged 18+ weighted to be nationally representative in October 2020, using insight agency, Sapio.

1. Trussle research October 2020

2. Ibid

3. Ibid

4. Ibid

5. https://www.statista.com/statistics/270369/urbanization-in-the-united-kingdom/

6. Trussle research October 2020

7. Ibid

8. Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/557882/first-time-buyer-average-house-price-by-region-uk/#:~:text=It%20can%20be%20seen%20that,price%20in%20the%20United%20Kingdom.

9. Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/property/article-7964853/Most-popular-places-time-buyers-reveals-Zoopla.html

10. Trussle research October 2020

11. Source: https://trussle.com/mortgages/90-mortgages

12. Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54000714

13. Trussle research October 2020

About Trussle

Trussle is your free online mortgage broker, helping you wherever you are on the ladder.

Our technology and expert mortgage advisers enable us to make better mortgage decisions in minutes, providing greater certainty and speed about your home financing options.

See how much you could borrow or save in minutes. Whether, you’re looking at homes for the first time, or you’re looking to remortgage for the fourth time. Our quick online calculators will help you take the next step on your home ownership journey.

Trussle is a trading name of Trussle Lab Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (firm reference 924229).

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

More information can be found at https://trussle.com/ and Trussle’s press pack is available here.

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