New interactive map highlights pockets of affordability within commuting distance of the UK's major urban centres
Property search platform reallymoving has launched an interactive Home Affordability Map showing where first-time buyers can access the greatest proportion of two-bedroom properties on the market, within a 60-minute commute of a major town or city.
The map uses the average first-time buyer budget for each region to identify locations where buyers can afford the highest share of available two-bedroom homes — in some cases more than 90% of the local market. Users can search by budget and bedroom count to identify areas of relative affordability within their preferred search zone.
| The UK's 2026 First Time Buyer hotspots | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region | Average Budget (2-bed) | Hotspot 1 (% 2-beds in budget) |
Hotspot 2 (% 2-beds in budget) |
Hotspot 3 (% 2-beds in budget) |
| East Midlands | £168,000 | Mansfield (NG20), 78% | Nottingham (NG6), 63% | Leicester (LE1), 62% |
| East | £262,000 | Great Yarmouth (NR30), 94% | Ipswich (IP2), 92% | Wisbech (PE13), 91% |
| London | £426,000 | Erith (DA8), 92% | Barking (IG11), 90% | Belvedere (DA17), 89% |
| North East | £110,000 | Middlesbrough (TS1), 96% | Shildon (DL4), 95% | Peterlee (SR8), 81% |
| North West | £168,000 | Burnley (BB11), 98% | Anfield (L4), 98% | Stockbridge Village (L28), 96% |
| N Ireland | £152,000 | Craigavon (BT65), 90% | Maghera (BT46), 86% | Belfast (BT12), 84% |
| Scotland | £159,000 | Greenock (PA15), 99% | Stevenston (KA20), 97% | Glasgow (G34), 96% |
| South East | £272,000 | Southampton (SO17), 92% | Portsmouth (PO2), 84% | Milton Keynes (MK6), 82% |
| South West | £224,000 | Gloucester (GL1), 84% | Plymouth (PL4), 81% | Portland (DT5), 70% |
| Wales | £164,000 | Tonypandy (CF40), 94% | Mountain Ash (CF45), 94% | Maesteg (CF34), 87% |
| West Midlands | £171,000 | Stoke-on-Trent (ST1), 95% | Birmingham (B6), 83% | Telford (TF7), 81% |
| Yorks & Humber | £154,000 | Grimsby (DN31), 99% | Bradford (BD3), 97% | Sheffield (S4), 97% |
| Source: reallymoving | ||||
Among the leading locations, Grimsby in Lincolnshire recorded the highest proportion, with 99% of two-bedroom homes falling within the average local first-time buyer budget of £154,000. Burnley in Lancashire (98%) and Tonypandy in South Wales (94%) also ranked highly.
The map also identifies affordable pockets within higher-cost regions. In London, Erith in the borough of Bexley showed 92% of two-bedroom homes within reach, while Barking in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham recorded 90%. In the south-east, Southampton and Portsmouth came in at 92% and 84% respectively.
"With affordability stretched and mortgage rates still high, first-time buyers are under a great deal of pressure, and many will assume they've been priced out of the market altogether," said Rob Houghton (pictured right), founder and chief executive of reallymoving. "But affordability is much more localised than most people realise.
"By expanding their search by just a few miles and prioritising locations where they can access a wider pool of homes, first-time buyers might be surprised at how much of the market they can access."
Houghton added that buyers with hybrid or remote working arrangements may be able to extend their search further from major transport hubs. "It's very much a buyers' market at the moment, and there are deals to be had at every price point — particularly with more landlords selling up as a consequence of the Renters' Rights Act," he said.
"By ensuring they're searching in locations where they have plenty of choice, first-time buyers have much better chance of finding a suitable property and negotiating a good deal."
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