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REVEALED: Top 10 First-Time Buyer Hotspots

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REVEALED: Top 10 First-Time Buyer Hotspots

First-time buyers could unlock greater housing affordability in cheaper property hotspots across the UK, according to new data from Lloyds Banking Group.

The UK banking giant analysed average sale prices by people purchasing their first home, revealing the top 10 areas with property prices of less than £160,000.

10 Most Affordable Areas for First-Time Buyers
East Ayrshire in Scotland was crowned the most affordable location for first-time buyers with an average sale price of £147,353.

It’s closely followed by Inverclyde, Scotland where the average first-time buyers price of £149,929 and Blackpool in North West England where property prices stand at £150,780 on average.

The table below shows a full breakdown of the 10 most affordable areas in the UK:

Local area Region Average FTB price
East Ayrshire Scotland £147,353
Inverclyde Scotland £149,929
Blackpool North West £150,780
Kingston upon Hull Yorkshire and The Humber £151,171
Na h-Eileanan Siar Scotland £155,300
Hyndburn North West £155,911
Clackmannanshire Scotland £156,041
Merthyr Tydfil Wales £156,498
South Tyneside North East £157,551
West Dunbartonshire Scotland £159,437

 

Most affordable areas in each region
The table below shows the cheapest average property prices in each region:

Region Local area Average FTB price
East Midlands Bolsover £191,564
East of England Great Yarmouth £236,447
London Barking and Dagenham £363,748
North East South Tyneside £157,551
North West Blackpool £150,780
Northern Ireland Mid and East Antrim £175,308
Scotland East Ayrshire £147,353
South East Gosport £228,617
South West Plymouth £216,166
Wales Merthyr Tydfil £156,498
West Midlands Stoke-on-Trent £171,569
Yorkshire and The Humber Kingston upon Hull £151,171

First-time buyer home buying tips

Navigating rising house prices and mortgage affordability can be challenging for first-time buyers.

However, these steps can help you on your journey:

1) Review your finances: think about your house deposit and check your credit score if you’re applying for a mortgage. This can help improve your chances of getting a good deal.

2) Make a budget: note down all the costs you’ll need to cover. Make sure there’s enough money set aside for additional expenses such as a house survey, legal fees and moving costs.

3) Boost your savings: one way to maximise your savings is by using a top-rate savings account or Cash ISA. If you a bit more time to play with (at least 5 years) using a Stocks and Shares ISA could help you build up a pot to help with homebuying costs.

For more tips, check out our podcast episode: The Truth About Buying a Home with Gabriel Nussbaum.

Clare West
Clare West Finance Editor

As a finance writer and editor, I can’t make decisions for you because only you know what’s right for you, and your personal priorities and goals. My role is to understand the things that are going to be important to you, remove anything that could work as a barrier to understanding, and then ensure you don’t miss a thing.

It’s an approach that has won me awards from professional bodies (‘Website of the Year’ at the Professional Adviser Awards 2021; Finalist – ‘Start Up of the Year’ at the UK FinTech Awards 2025) and seen me featured in the press as a commentator and expert.

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