| First-time buyers increasingly prefer city living, reversing the pandemic’s ‘race for space’ | Dundee, Edinburgh and Doncaster show the largest rises in FTB city enquiries | London demand has dipped, highlighting the impact of high house prices on affordability |
More FTBs are setting their sights on city living, new data reveals1.
The analysis compared FTB enquiries between January and May 2025 with the same period in 2015. Over that time, the number of FTBs wanting to move to cities increased by 16%. This is yet more proof that the pandemic’s ‘race for space’ is being reversed, as more buyers continue to be attracted to urban areas.
Some cities have seen particularly high increases in demand. Dundee experienced the biggest leap, with enquiries going up by an impressive 176%. Edinburgh followed with an increase of 91%, while demand in Doncaster rose by 74%.
Meanwhile, London appears to have lost some of its appeal. High house prices have likely deterred FTBs, as demand has dropped by 7% in the last ten years.
Looking to get onto the property ladder? City dweller or rural retreat – get in touch for advice.
1Rightmove, 2025
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