Youngest buyers come back to the market quickest – Zoopla

Research shows younger buyers from more affordable areas and smaller properties are the most likely to move home although Stamp Duty costs are a major factor.

Moving home with timeline of dates

Zoopla has taken a look at how often we put our homes on the market and found that over the last 18 months the average seller had spent around nine years in their home before deciding to move on.

It’s homeowners in smaller homes that move the fastest, staying an average of nine years in a two-bed flat vs 13 years in a larger home. These smaller property types tend to be popular with singles and young families who have fast-evolving home needs.

Just five years

However, in the more settled age groups, it’s Stamp Duty levels that have the biggest impact on move times. In areas such as Scotland and the North East, where homes and Stamp Duty are cheaper, homeowners are likely to sell within just five years of purchasing their home.

In contrast, in London, which has some of the highest Stamp Duty rates, sellers had been in their homes the longest of all the UK’s regions, at an average of ten years. And the more expensive the borough the longer it took to move on –  13 years for Kensington and Chelsea and 12 for Westminster.

Owners in in rural areas, though, such as Mid-Devon, Harborough and Swale sell after some of the shortest time at eight years on average.

Decisions to move have been influenced not just by personal needs, but also equity gains, affordability and buying costs.”

Izabella Lubowiecka, Senior Property Researcher at Zoopla
Izabella Lubowiecka, Senior Property Researcher, Zoopla

Izabella Lubowiecka, Senior Property Researcher at Zoopla comments: “Decisions to move have been influenced not just by personal needs, but also equity gains, affordability and buying costs.”

NAEA Propertymark President
Toby Leek, NAEA Propertymark President

Commenting on the ongoing impact of Stamp Duty, Toby Leek, NAEA Propertymark President comments: “Agent members have reported the start of an anticipated continuous spike in demand from buyers and sellers which may be largely due to the commencement of rises to Stamp Duty in England and Northern Ireland from April 2025.

“As home movers rush to potentially save themselves thousands of pounds, we are likely to see a slight rise in house prices and a mad flurry of activity in the lead-up to April, providing a highly stimulated and effective market for those wanting to move.”


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