| According to a recent survey first-time buyers are less sentimental about their first homes | 25% of first-time buyers plan to leave their home after just 4.5 years | Smaller homes and unfamiliar locations are the new norm |
Whether it’s a pet or a car, the big firsts in life can prompt big emotions. Today’s FTBs, however, are less sentimental about their first homes than previous generations.
According to a recent survey1, 25% of FTBs are ready to say goodbye to their first home within an average of four and a half years. This lack of sentimentality is driven primarily by a lack of space.
In a bid to get on the property ladder, 51% of FTBs purchase a studio flat or a property with one or two bedrooms – even when they have dependents.
Two-thirds of FTBs also purchase homes in unfamiliar locations due to affordability. As a result, the transition to becoming a next-time buyer is now happening quicker than before: 20% of Brits aged over 80 still live in their first property.
1Santander, 2025
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