First-time buyer price hotspots revealed
- New analysis from the UK’s largest property platform Rightmove, reveals where first-time buyer prices are rising fastest across Great Britain
- Bridlington in East Riding of Yorkshire (£167,321) and St Helens in Merseyside (£133,106) lead the way, with average asking prices up 18% compared to last year
-
- Falkirk (+17% to £118,327) and Hartlepool (+12% to £104,76) also rank among the top hotspots for price rises this year
-
- All the fastest-growing areas for price 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
- St Albans in Hertfordshire is the most expensive area to buy a typical first-time buyer home (0-2 bedroom) (£401,352), while Middlesbrough is the least expensive (£90,929)
New analysis from Rightmove, the UK’s largest property platform, reveals where first-time buyer prices are rising fastest across Great Britain.
Bridlington in East Riding of Yorkshire (£167,321) and St Helens in Merseyside (£133,106) lead the way, with average asking prices up 18% compared to last year.
Falkirk in Stirlingshire (+17% to £118,327) and Hartlepool (+12% to £104,276) follow closely behind.
All of the fastest-growing locations in the analysis remain below the £170,000 asking price mark, underlining sustained demand for homes that are within reach for first-time buyers.
Across Great Britain, the average asking price for a typical first-time buyer property (0-2 bedrooms) is now £228,048, which is 0.7% lower than this time last year.
By contrast, some higher-priced southern markets are seeing more subdued conditions. Locations including Brighton and Southampton have recorded declines in first-time buyer asking prices this year, suggesting that affordability constraints and high levels of stock are prompting buyers to be more selective.
At the top end of the market, St Albans in Hertfordshire is the most expensive area to buy a typical first-time buyer home, with the average asking price at £401,352. At the other end of the scale, Middlesbrough is the most affordable, at £90,929.
Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert, says:
“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.”
Top 10 first-time buyer hotspots (fastest price growth)
| Area | Region | Average Price | Average Price YOY |
| Bridlington, East Riding Of Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | £167,321 | 18% |
| St. Helens, Merseyside | North West | £133,106 | 18% |
| Falkirk, Stirlingshire | Scotland | £118,311 | 17% |
| Hartlepool | North East | £104,276 | 12% |
| Dewsbury, West Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | £130,133 | 12% |
| Greenock, Inverclyde | Scotland | £93,998 | 11% |
| Inverness, Inverness-Shire | Scotland | £167,009 | 11% |
| Great Yarmouth, Norfolk | East of England | £149,315 | 9% |
| Blackburn, Lancashire | North West | £116,735 | 9% |
| Airdrie, Lanarkshire | Scotland | £106,472 | 8% |
Top 10 first-time buyer hotspots (lowest price growth)
| Area | Region | Average Price | Average Price YOY |
| Exeter, Devon | South West | £201,248 | -20.5% |
| Derby, Derbyshire | East Midlands | £143,043 | -10.2% |
| Goring-By-Sea, Worthing, West Sussex | South East | £263,906 | -9.2% |
| Doncaster, South Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | £109,477 | -8.4% |
| Torquay, Devon | South West | £172,835 | -7.6% |
| Motherwell, Lanarkshire | Scotland | £108,458 | -7.3% |
| Southampton, Hampshire | South East | £187,443 | -7.1% |
| Parkstone, Poole, Dorset | South West | £248,963 | -6.7% |
| Hove, East Sussex | South East | £326,783 | -5.4% |
| Poole, Dorset | South West | £244,175 | -5.1% |
Most expensive first-time buyer hotspots (outside London)
| Area | Region | Average Price | Average Price YOY |
| St. Albans, Hertfordshire | East of England | £401,352 | 2% |
| Epsom, Surrey | South East | £374,376 | 0% |
| Oxford, Oxfordshire | South East | £367,503 | 5% |
| Clifton, Bristol | South West | £365,338 | -1% |
| Cambridge, Cambridgeshire | East of England | £351,126 | 1% |
| Brentwood, Essex | East of England | £347,844 | 7% |
| Hertford, Hertfordshire | East of England | £336,690 | 1% |
| Bath, Somerset | South West | £335,552 | -4% |
| Wokingham, Berkshire | South East | £332,806 | -1% |
| Hove, East Sussex | South East | £326,783 | -5% |
Cheapest first-time buyer hotspots (outside London)
| Area | Region | Average Price | Average Price YOY |
| Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire | North East | £90,929 | -1% |
| Grimsby, Lincolnshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | £92,031 | 2% |
| Kilmarnock, Ayrshire | Scotland | £92,380 | 4% |
| Greenock, Inverclyde | Scotland | £93,998 | 11% |
| Paisley, Renfrewshire | Scotland | £95,430 | -2% |
| Irvine, Ayrshire | Scotland | £96,768 | 6% |
| Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire | Scotland | £97,002 | 2% |
| Stockton-On-Tees, Durham | North East | £97,680 | -2% |
| Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside | North West | £100,179 | 2% |
| Burnley, Lancashire | North West | £100,734 | 0% |
You May Also Enjoy
Mortgage Borrowing Dip
Autumn Budget 2026: Property industry reaction
Can you legally BAN Halloween Trick or Treaters?
What the sector need to do differently to give first time buyers a chance
The 50-property tipping point: when landlords need a different approach
