UK homeowners are staying put in their homes for an average of 9 years before moving out.
In the last 18 months, 33% of homes were re-sold after their owners had lived in them for between 3 to 7 years.
The tripling of mortgage rates, fire safety issues and pandemic lifestyle changes, alongside personal reasons, are the key motivating factors behind people upping sticks to somewhere new.
Over half of sellers move within ten years
When looking at the distribution of time between moves, we find two peaks in activity, involving sellers who bought between 2005-7, and sellers who bought 3-6 years ago.
The first bump in sales activity comes from people who bought their home just before the Global Financial Crisis back in 2007.
This trend is more distinct in northern England, where house prices took longer to recover from the crisis. It took until 2017 for these homes to reach their pre-crisis price levels.
Since then, the equity gains homeowners have made has helped them to unlock their next move.
The more recent peak coincides with purchases following the Brexit referendum, as well as during the Covid pandemic.
Home moving decisions since then have been influenced by pandemic-driven re-assessment of home needs, fire safety issues and affordability challenges triggered by tripling mortgage rates
Those in smaller homes move 4 years earlier on average
Homeowners in smaller homes with one or two bedrooms tend to outgrow them quickly and don’t typically stay as long in their homes (just 9 years versus 13 years for those in larger homes).
These property types are popular among singles and young families with fast-evolving home needs who are more likely to upsize earlier than more established families.
Average number of years between sales by property size and region
Region | One & two bed | Three Bed | Four plus bed |
Scotland | 7 | 7 | 8 |
Wales | 8 | 8 | 9 |
East Midlands | 8 | 8 | 9 |
East of England | 8 | 9 | 10 |
London | 9 | 11 | 12 |
North East | 8 | 8 | 9 |
North West | 9 | 9 | 9 |
South East | 8 | 9 | 11 |
South West | 8 | 9 | 9 |
West Midlands | 8 | 8 | 10 |
Yorkshire and The Humber | 9 | 8 | 9 |
Those in more affordable regions are also more likely to move sooner.
This is evident in Scotland and the North East, two of the most affordable regions of the UK where homes cost on average £166,500 and £146,000.
Over a quarter (28 per cent) of homeowners in these regions are more likely to sell within just five years of purchasing their home.
While mortgage rate increases have had a less pronounced effect in more affordable regions, the overall cost of moving tends to be lower in these areas making the prospect of selling more attractive for would-be movers.
Sellers in more affordable areas sell earlier
Urbanites stay put for longer
Londoners who sold in the last 18 months stayed in their home for the longest compared to other UK regions, an average of 10 years.
This is most likely due to higher house prices and higher moving costs.
Stamp duty rates in the capital are higher than anywhere else in the country, costing the average Londoner £14,230. This goes up to 15 years in Barking and Dagenham - the largest average in the country.
Elsewhere in England, we find that homeowners in areas with small towns and villages like Mid Devon, Harborough and Swale sell after the shortest amount of time, just eight years on average.
In Scotland, those living in the main cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as larger towns in southern parts of Scotland move most often, on average every seven years.
Two cohorts of sellers have dominated the market over the last 18 months - those who bought just before the Global Financial Crisis and those who bought just before or during the pandemic.
Their decisions to move have been influenced not just by personal needs, but also equity gains, affordability and buying costs.
As the market continues to settle in 2025, those considering selling should get in touch with local agents to understand the value of their current home, what demand for a home like theirs looks like and what they can afford to buy.
Ready to think about moving? What are the first steps?
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