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First-Time Buyers Secure Record Mortgages
15 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Average first-time buyer mortgage reached a record £210,800 by September.
- First-time buyers represented 20% of UK housing market spending.
- Lenders relaxed affordability tests, allowing larger borrowing amounts.
First-time buyers in the UK are achieving unprecedented levels of homeownership, securing larger mortgages than ever before. This trend is largely attributed to a combination of rising wages and a more relaxed approach by mortgage lenders regarding affordability tests.
The average amount borrowed by first-time buyers reached a record £210,800 in the year leading up to September. This has contributed to first-time buyers making up 20% of total UK housing market spending, the highest proportion since at least 2007.
Lenders have eased their 'stress tests', allowing buyers to increase their borrowing capacity by an estimated £20,000 to £40,000. This, coupled with easing mortgage rates and falling property prices in some areas, has made homeownership more accessible.
