Revealed: best places in UK for FTBs – Mortgage Strategy

New research has revealed the best places in Britain for first-time buyers.

According to the study from house buying specialist HouseBuyers4u, Dartford takes the top spot after recording the highest number of first-time buyer mortgage sales relative to its housing stock.

The study analysed first-time buyer mortgage sales across local authorities in Britain and compared them with each area’s total dwelling stock to reveal where first-time buyers made up the largest share of home purchases in 2024.

Dartford comes out on top after recording 965 first-time buyer mortgage sales in 2024. That is the equivalent of 19.36 sales per 1,000 dwellings, the highest rate anywhere in Britain.

With 1,036 purchases completed by first-time buyers, Nuneaton and Bedworth takes second place. Its rate of 16.86 sales per 1,000 dwellings puts the Warwickshire authority comfortably ahead of most other areas across the country.

Wandsworth ranks third, recording 2,598 first-time buyer transactions during 2024. Despite having a much larger housing stock than many of the other areas in the top 10, it still achieved 16.52 sales per 1,000 dwellings.

In fourth place is Swindon, where 1,653 homes were bought by first-time buyers in 2024. This gives the Wiltshire authority 16.10 sales per 1,000 dwellings, placing it just outside the top three.

Rushmoor rounds out the top five with 669 first-time buyer purchases. While it has one of the smallest housing stocks in the ranking, it still records 15.83 sales per 1,000 dwellings.

Just behind is Rugby, which recorded 825 first-time buyer sales in 2024. The area achieved 15.80 sales per 1,000 dwellings, narrowly missing out on a place in the top five.

Bracknell Forest claims seventh place after recording 848 purchases by first-time buyers across its 54,561 dwellings. Its rate of 15.54 sales per 1,000 dwellings secures its place among Britain’s top-performing areas.

Although the City of Edinburgh recorded the highest total number of first-time buyer sales in the ranking at 4,106, its larger housing stock places it eighth overall with 15.48 sales per 1,000 dwellings.

In ninth is Central Bedfordshire, where 2,041 homes were purchased by first-time buyers during 2024. That works out at 15.45 sales per 1,000 dwellings.

Rounding off the top 10 is Waltham Forest, with 1,689 first-time buyer mortgage sales. The London borough recorded 15.17 sales per 1,000 dwellings, making it one of Britain’s busiest areas for buyers getting onto the property ladder.

Commenting on the research, HouseBuyers4u property expert  Paul Gibbens   said: “Areas with strong levels of first-time buyer activity often offer a combination of affordability, good transport connections and access to employment opportunities, making them attractive places to get onto the property ladder.”

He adds: “What stands out is how strongly certain commuter belt areas like Dartford and Bracknell Forest perform compared to inner London boroughs. It suggests that first-time buyers are increasingly prioritising affordability and transport links over proximity to city centres.”