East of England struggling to meet demand for large family homes
The East of England is facing a growing shortage of large family homes, according to new analysis from UK Property Development (UKPD), creating increasing challenges for buyers leaving London in search of more space, better quality of life, and access to one of the capital’s most desirable commuter regions.
UKPD analysed live property listings data* and found that, of the estimated 460,071 homes currently listed for sale across England, just 27,331 offer floor space of 2,500 sq ft or more, equivalent to only 5.9% of total available stock.
As one of London’s primary commuter belt regions, the South East has the highest proportion of large homes, with properties measuring 2,500 sq ft or more accounting for more than 7% of all current listings, nearly 6,000 homes in total.
The South West ranks second, where larger homes make up 6.7% of available stock.
However, despite being one of the UK’s most strategically connected regions, offering excellent access to London, the Midlands and beyond, the East of England lags behind significantly when it comes to the availability of larger family homes.
In fact, just 5.6% of homes currently listed across the region measure 2,500 sq ft or more, making it the weakest-performing commuter belt region and the third-lowest proportion in England overall, ahead of only the North East (3.2%) and London itself (4.5%).
The findings highlight growing pressure on housing stock across key lifestyle and commuter hotspots including Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, where demand for larger homes continues to rise. Buyers are increasingly prioritising features such as home offices, generous gardens and flexible multi-generational living space, while still maintaining strong transport links to the capital.
Andy Morrison, Director of UK Property Development, commented:
“The East of England continues to attract buyers leaving London in search of more space, stronger communities and a better lifestyle balance. Arguably the country’s best-positioned commuter region, it combines excellent connectivity with outstanding countryside, high-performing schools and thriving towns and villages.
It is especially attractive to young families looking to put down long-term roots in a spacious family home. The challenge is that supply simply hasn’t kept pace with demand. For all the region’s appeal, there remains a serious shortage of large, aspirational family properties. The available data shows us how few properties there are above 2,500 sq ft, no such data is available for homes of more than 3,000 sq ft, but we can safely assume the proportion will be miniscule, further demonstrating a severely underserved market.
That imbalance is exactly why we chose Hertfordshire for the launch of our latest bespoke luxury development. St James View in Goff’s Oak is a collection of 14 five-bedroom homes that give buyers the rare opportunity to personalise, or completely design their interiors, creating truly bespoke living spaces tailored to modern family life. With an average floorspace of 3,100 sq ft, these homes are designed to offer exceptional family living in one of England’s most desirable counties, combining the convenience of London with the space and beauty of the countryside.”
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