First-time buyers are focusing on affordable northern towns, driving up asking prices by as much as 18% in a year, new figures have suggested.

The data by Rightmove claims that Bridlington in East Yorkshire and St Helens in Merseyside top the rankings with 18% year-on-year growth.

Average asking prices in the two towns stand at £167,321 and £133,106 respectively.

They are followed by Falkirk in Stirlingshire, which is close behind at 17% growth to £118,327, while Hartlepool is up 12% to £104,276.

Every location in the top ten remains below £170,000.

Southern falls

By contrast, Rightmove says the south of England is seeing asking prices fall, with Devon’s Exeter and Dorset’s Poole down 20.5% and 6.7% respectively.

Rightmove blamed stretched affordability and high levels of stock for the falls, saying buyers are being “more selective`”.

Across the country, the average asking price for a first-time buyer home currently stands at £228,048, down 0.7% year-on-year.

First-time buyer affordability

St Albans in Hertfordshire remains the most expensive place for first-time buyers, at £401,352. And Middlesbrough is the most affordable at just £90,929, less than a quarter of the St Albans figure.

Rightmove’s Colleen Babcock (main picture) says: “Affordability continues to shape where first-time buyers are looking.”

She adds: “In more expensive markets, buyers are taking more time and thinking carefully about what they can afford.”

Affordable areas continuing to attract strong demand.”

Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymarks says: These figures show that affordability continues to drive first-time buyer activity, with the strongest price growth concentrated in areas where homeownership remains within reach.

“While demand remains strong in many northern English and Scottish markets, buyers still face challenges from higher mortgage costs, ongoing living expenses and saving for a deposit.

“The differences in price growth across the country highlight the influence of local market conditions, with affordable areas continuing to attract strong demand.

“To help more people onto the property ladder, governments across the UK must prioritise increasing housing supply and improving affordability.”