Where can i buy a house?
Everyone knows London property prices are eye-watering and that you might be able to pick up a decaying terraced house in some small towns in Wales for the change in your pockets (comparatively), but what about the places in the middle? There’s a vast difference between Newcastle and Brighton when it comes to property prices.
If you’re looking to get on the property ladder as a first-time buyer and location is no object, where should you move? HM Land Registry publishes a regular index of house prices, telling you how much the average home sold for in regions across Britain.
The latest figures date from November 2018. For people dreaming of home ownership—and with the ability to work anywhere and no family to keep them rooted—it can serve as an atlas for they they might be able to buy a semi-detached home, and where they should avoid unless they want to be squirrelling away money for a deposit until they’re 45.
UK House Prices by Region
The average price of a property in the UK in November 2018 was £230,630, up 2.8% from the year before. The average house price in England was £247,430, up 2.6% annually.
Regional house prices varied widely, from an average of £132,257 in the North East to more than three and a half times that—£472,901—in London (predictably).
In order from least expensive to most expensive, these are the average house prices for the regions of the UK:
| Region | Average House Prize |
| North East | £132,257 |
| Northern Ireland | £135,060 |
| Scotland | £150,638 |
| Yorkshire & the Humber | £160,155 |
| North West | £162,717 |
| East Midlands | £192,061 |
| West Midlands Region | £197,387 |
| South West | £260,177 |
| East of England | £294,530 |
| South East | £323,876 |
| London | £472,901 |
Cheapest Cities for First Time Buyers
But there’s still plenty of variation within the regions: in cheap Yorkshire, you’ll have to shell out £279,313 for a home in York, according to figures from Zoopla, but could snag one for just £110,000 in Hull. And even within cities, you might find yourself priced out of the best neighbourhoods.
And house prices are only one factor in the affordability equation. You also have to consider average wages, because it’s useless to move to a tiny village with £40,000 homes if you can’t find a job paying a decent wage within a feasible community.
The Post Office (yes, really) recently looked the affordability of property for first-time buyers and came up with a list of the cities where house prices fell most in line with wages, where wages fell comfortable within the multiples of most mortgage deals. Some pricier cities, like Southampton, are affordable when you factor in strong wages in the region.
Where can I buy a house?
Helpfully, the Post Office has also considered what percentage of the city is affordable for first-time buyers. So pack your bags and head up north, and sort out your forwarding address later.
- Blackpool, Lancashire
Average house price: £112,000
First-time buyer income: £39,611
Percentage of the city that’s affordable: 100%
- Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Average house price: £143,950
First-time buyer income: £39,834
Percentage of the city that’s affordable: 100%
- Hull, East Yorkshire
Average house price: £110,000
First-time buyer income: £37,840
Percentage of the city that’s affordable: 100%
- Rotherham, South Yorkshire
Average house price: £133,000
First-time buyer income: £37,840
Percentage of the city that’s affordable: 97%
- Sandwell, West Midlands
Average house price: £137,950
First-time buyer income: £41,024
Percentage of the city that’s affordable: 95%
- Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
Average house price: £110,000
First-time buyer income: £41,024
Percentage of the city that’s affordable: 94%
- Southampton, Hampshire
Average house price: £210,000
First-time buyer income: £56,429
Percentage of the city that’s affordable: 94%
- Tameside, Greater Manchester
Average house price: £137,500
First-time buyer income: £39,611
Percentage of the city that’s affordable: 93%
- Barnsley, South Yorkshire
Average house price: £124,995
First-time buyer income: £37,840
Percentage of the city that’s affordable: 93%
- Wigan, Greater Manchester
Average house price: £130,250
First-time buyer income: £39,611
Percentage of the city that’s affordable: 93%
Where can I buy a house? So many places – cast your net wide
Finding and buying a house is one of the most life changing experiences.
Eva | Urbanwheelz.co.uk
It’s a good experience to check out and buy a property. It’s pretty challenging but definitely fun and fulfilling.
My sister and her family is migrating to UK, i’ll let her read this for additional reference. Thanks!