Broken down, this average shows that there were two peaks in seller activity over the last eighteen months - with a third (33%) of sales taking place after homeowners have been in their homes for three to seven years, and another peak influenced by those who bought their homes just before the financial crisis in 2007.
Owners of smaller homes move more quickly
Homeowners in smaller homes with one or two bedrooms tend to outgrow them quickly and don’t typically stay as long in their homes (nine years vs 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.
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 five years of purchasing their home.
Whilst 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.
City-dwellers 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 ten years - most likely due to higher house prices and higher moving costs such as stamp duty. This includes homeowners in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the borough of Westminster where recent homeowners spent 13 years and 12 years in their homes respectively.
Comparatively, homeowners in rural areas such as small towns and villages like Mid Devon, Harborough and Swale sell after the shortest amount of time - eight years on average.
This doesn't hold true for homeowners in Scotland however: those living in the main cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as larger towns in southern parts of Scotland move most often, also on average every seven years.
Izabella Lubowiecka, senior property researcher at Zoopla comments:
"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."
Toby Leek, NAEA Propertymark president, comments:
“It’s inevitable and evidenced that financial and economic pressures will push buyers and sellers who have been waiting in the wings to make their next home sooner than originally planned.
“Propertymark agent members have reported the start of an anticipated continuous spike in demand from buyers and sellers which may be largely due to the commencement of rises to Stamp Duty in England and Northern Ireland from April 2025.
“As home movers rush to potentially save themselves thousands of pounds, we are likely to see a slight rise in house prices and a mad flurry of activity in the lead-up to April, providing a highly stimulated and effective market for those wanting to move.”
