First-time buyers now driving housing activity according to Lloyds Bank Homemover review

The number of people moving home has dipped in the first half of the year and now account for only around half (49%) of the housing market – the first time homemover numbers have fallen behind first-time buyers since 1995, according to the latest Lloyds Bank Homemover Review.

The Homemover review reveals that there were 170,000 UK homemovers in the first six months of 2018 – a slight fall compared to the first half of 2017.

Andrew Mason, Lloyds Bank mortgage products director, said:

“Despite continuing low mortgage rates, the homemover market has stabilised with little movement in the first half of this year to leave first-time buyers now driving housing activity. This may be in part due to the Help to Buy scheme enabling first-time buyers to purchase a new property, combined with the low availability of the ‘right type’ of homes for those looking to move up the housing ladder. The costs of moving house and potential further interest rate rises may also be weighing on potential homebuyers’ minds.

“However, it is good to see the number of first-time buyers increasing, helping to keep some movement along the property ladder.”

Read the Lloyds Bank Homemover Review published 20th July 2018 in full click here.

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Breaking Property News 6/7/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Property portals are sales tools, what buyers need are truth tools   Thought leadership by Oliver Januiax Founder of NestLink   ‘The UK property market has an access not a search problem. For two decades, property portals solved the obvious question of where are the homes? They did it well enough…
Read More
New Builds 2020
Breaking News

New-build stock continues to fall as demand subdued

The latest analysis from Property Inspect has found that demand for new-build homes remained subdued during the second quarter of 2026, with just 16.3% of available new-build properties securing a buyer. At the same time, new-build stock levels continued to decline, accounting for 5.8% of all homes listed on the market across Great Britain. Property Inspect…
Read More
AI in estate agency letting agency property
Estate Agent Talk

5 Practical Examples: This is How AI is Changing Real Estate

There does not appear to be a single industry that is likely to be immune from the impact of AI. Therefore, it is no surprise to learn that seismic changes are happening in the world of real estate, thanks to the increasing influence of artificial intelligence. From using the technology to identify ways to save…
Read More
Crowded beaches - Clacton-on-Sea in Essex
Breaking News

Overheating moves up the housing agenda

441,000 rental homes fail thermal comfort standards The latest analysis from Inventory Base has found that an estimated 441,000 private rented homes in England failed thermal comfort standards in 2024, accounting for 40.3% of all non-decent private rental properties, as major reforms to the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) came into force on…
Read More
Breaking News

Annual house price growth slows in June

The latest Nationwide House Price Index for June 2026 shows that: House prices fell by -0.0% between May 2026 and June 2026. Annual house price growth increased to 2.2% in June 2026, up from 1.7% in May 2026. The average UK house price for June 2026 now stands at £277,484, down slightly from £278,024 in…
Read More
Breaking News

Nationwide House Price Index May 2026

UK annual house price growth picked up to 3.0% in April, from 2.2% in March House prices were up 0.4% month on month Headlines Apr-26 Mar-26 Monthly Index* 554.8 552.7 Monthly Change* 0.4% 0.9% Annual Change 3.0% 2.2% Average Price (not seasonally adjusted) £278,880 £277,186 * Seasonally adjusted figure (note that monthly % changes are…
Read More