Zoopla research chief says first-time buyers continue to be the dominant buyer group in the housing market in 2026.
24th Dec 20250 462 1 minute read Simon Cairnes
First-time buyers accounted for the largest share of completed sales in 2025, and they are expected to continue to be the dominant buyer group in the housing market in 2026, according to Zoopla’s Executive Director, Richard Donnell.
The portal’s data shows they made up around two in five home sales in 2025. That is equivalent to approximately 470,000 purchases and is a 20% increase on the number of completed purchases compared to the previous year.
Those levels are expected to hold steady in 2026, although total transaction volumes in the wider housing market are forecast to soften slightly to around 1.18 million.
Improved mortgage accessZoopla attributes much of the increase in activity in the sector to recent improvements in access to mortgage finance for first-time buyers, with less restrictive affordability testing allowing more first-time buyers to pass lender criteria.
Its data shows first-time buyer demand is strongest outside southern England, where prices are lower, and Stamp Duty exposure is lower, especially compared to London and the South East.
The appetite to move home remains strong, but affordability remains a constraint for those buying their first home or looking to trade-up to a larger home, which will keep prices in check.”
Speaking to The Telegraph, Zoopla’s Executive Director Richard Donnell said, “In London, 80pc of first-time buyers pay Stamp Duty at an average of £16,000, versus just 5pc in the North and the Midlands.”
He concludes: “The appetite to move home remains strong, but affordability remains a constraint for those buying their first home or looking to trade-up to a larger home, which will keep prices in check.
Tagsfirst-time buyers Zoopla 24th Dec 20250 462 1 minute read Simon Cairnes Share Facebook X LinkedIn Share via Email