After the Autumn Budget announcement about zero stamp duty threshold levels reducing to the previous £300,000 cap from April 2025, first-time buyers are being urged to get on the property ladder to avoid the stamp duty tax changes next year.
Searches for ‘stamp duty first-time buyer’ have seen a +450% increase in the past 90 days*, showing that potential homeowners are looking into the new stamp duty tax threshold in more detail.
Getting the keys to your first home may be a smart move, and with Wayfair’s new First-Time Buyer Index, the best cities in the UK for first-time buyers have been revealed, by combining both QoL (Quality of Life) and how long on average it will take one buyer to save. Time taken is based on the average household income, average property price and average monthly savings in each UK city.
The top 10 first-time buyer-friendly cities in the UK
| Rank | Country | City | QoL | How long to save for a deposit | Total Score |
| 1 | England | St Albans | 178 | 24 months and 27 days | 94.7 |
| 2 | Northern Ireland | Lisburn | 188 | 34 months | 75.7 |
| 3 | Scotland | Stirling | 189 | 36 months and 12 days | 72.2 |
| 4 | England | Coventry | 181 | 38 months and 24 days | 68.1 |
| 5 | England | Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 200 | 40 months and 24 days | 67.8 |
| 6 | Northern Ireland | Belfast | 188 | 39 months and 27 days | 67.5 |
| 7 | Scotland | Perth | 200 | 42 months and 18 days | 65.9 |
| 8 | England | Chester | 214 | 44 months and 12 days | 65.7 |
| 9 | England | York | 199 | 42 months and 27 days | 65.5 |
| 10 | England | Lichfield | 166 | 40 | 64.9 |
The ranking was calculated as a total score out of 100 for each city to find the best in the UK for first-time buyers, by combining the average time it takes a single person to save for a house deposit with the quality of life.
The top ten reveals that six out of the ten best UK cities for first-time buyers are English cities. St Albans placed as the best UK city, with Coventry and Newcastle-upon-Tyne taking spots in the top five best cities in the UK for first-time buyers. Chester also ranked in the top ten for cities based on quality of life, with the highest score of all top ten cities.
St. Albans crowned the best city in the UK for first-time buyers
St Albans has been named the best city in the UK for first-time buyers, with an overall score of 94.7.
The city boasts a high quality of life score of 178, thanks to scoring highly (84.72) on the Health Care Index and Climate Index (87.4). The city also scored highly on the Safety Index (76.48), providing reassurance about the city’s low crime rate.
Lisburn takes second place for the best UK cities for first-time buyers
Lisburn has a high quality of life for residents, at 188 and also allows prospective first-time buyers to save for a house deposit in a lower average of 34 months. This means the Northern Irish city has a strong overall score of 75.7, placing the city second in the rankings.
With a car-free centre, it’s no surprise that Lisburn scored low on the Pollution Index, with a score of 26.41. The city also scored very high on the Purchasing Power Index, reflecting the affordability of local transport and groceries.
Stirling claims third place for the best UK city for first-time buyers
Stirling is the first Scottish city to enter the top three with an overall score of 72.2. Stirling is located centrally between Glasgow and Edinburgh and is known for its history and culture, which scored the city a quality of life score of 189.
Stirling received a high score for both the Purchasing Power Index (129.7) and Health Care Index (78.98), indicating affordability and an efficient healthcare system. First-time buyers can expect to be on the property ladder in just over 3 years on average (36 months and 12 days).
Wayfair comments: “Buying a house can be a long yet exciting process that provides freedom to have creative reign over your new space.
Our latest research has been compiled to create an index for first-time buyers to assist them in understanding which cities are the best and most achievable for getting on the property ladder.
Once buyers have the keys to their first home, we look forward to Wayfair helping furnish and decorate their new space to make it their very own unique haven.”
