The best cities for single home buyers to get on the property ladder

Getting onto the property ladder may be getting more accessible for single buyers thanks to a combination of rising incomes and recent reductions in mortgage rates, a property website has indicated.

Zoopla conducted an analysis focusing on smaller, one or two-bedroom homes, comparing their prices against the average incomes of single earners.

This allowed them to identify cities where individuals might find it easier to purchase their first home alone.

The website noted that while first-time buyer couples often seek larger properties, typically with three bedrooms, single purchasers face unique challenges.

Single buyers currently represent a significant proportion, around two-fifths (39 per cent), of all first-time purchases, often battling affordability constraints that make independent homeownership more difficult.

Zoopla found that in Scotland, Aberdeen was the most affordable city for single buyers, with a typical first-time buyer home there costing around three and-a-half times average earnings.

In Wales, Swansea was identified as the most affordable city, with a home costing around four-and-a-half times the earnings of a single first-time buyer.

In the London area, Havering was identified by Zoopla as the most affordable borough, with a one or two-bedroom home there costing £305,200 on average – around 7.3 times average earnings of £41,600 for a single buyer.

Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, said: “Buying a home can feel out of reach for many singles who have to rely on just one income to cover mortgage and other costs of home ownership.

“Rising incomes and lower mortgage rates mean that owning a home by yourself is increasingly possible.

“For many that means buying a smaller-sized home where property prices have risen more slowly than for larger, family-sized homes in recent years.

“It’s important to do your research digging into mortgage affordability and products aimed at singles while considering alternative locations and selecting the right area for you.”

Kesha Foss-Smith, regional director at John D Wood & Co, said: “Single buyers are becoming far more strategic about where and what they buy.

“Many are prioritising affordability over postcode prestige and choosing areas that still offer good transport links, local amenities and long-term value.

“The combination of stabilising house prices and improved mortgage rates has opened doors again, and we’re seeing renewed confidence in the market, particularly for one and two-bed homes.

“With more choice coming on to the market and sellers being more open to negotiation, this is one of the more favourable windows we’ve seen for single buyers in recent years.”

Here are the most affordable cities to buy a home for a single buyer in Britain’s nations or regions, according to Zoopla. The figures show the average house price of a one or two-bedroom home, followed by the average income of a single earner and the average house price-to-income ratio: