- Prices for typical first-time buyer homes are rising fastest in Bridlington in East Riding of Yorkshire (£167,321) and St Helens in Merseyside (£133,106), with average asking prices up 18% compared to last year
- All the fastest-growing areas for price remain below £170,000, as demand continues to be high for more affordable homes
- The average asking price for a typical first-time buyer home in Great Britain is £228,048, down 0.7% year-on-year
New analysis from Rightmove, the UK’s largest property platform, reveals where first-time buyer house 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. This reflects that demand remains high 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. This is 0.7% lower than this time last year.
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% |
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.
The table below shows where prices have dropped the most over the past year.
Top 10 first-time buyer hotspots (lowest price growth)
| Area | Region | Average Price | Average Price YOY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exeter, Devon | South West | £201,248 | -20% |
| Derby, Derbyshire | East Midlands | £143,043 | -10% |
| Goring-By-Sea, Worthing, West Sussex | South East | £263,906 | -9% |
| Doncaster, South Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | £109,477 | -8% |
| Torquay, Devon | South West | £172,835 | -8% |
| Motherwell, Lanarkshire | Scotland | £108,458 | -7% |
| Southampton, Hampshire | South East | £187,443 | -7% |
| Parkstone, Poole, Dorset | South West | £248,963 | -7% |
| Hove, East Sussex | South East | £326,783 | -5% |
| Poole, Dorset | South West | £244,175 | -5% |
*HPI data.
Rightmove analysed first-time buyer properties coming to market in May 2026 with at least 20 new listings and at least 20 sales agreed transactions. This analysis excludes London due to its significantly higher asking price levels, which can distort comparisons with the rest of Great Britain.
