What are people looking for when buying a house? Everyone’s after something different, but it’s safe to conclude that most first-time buyers will likely prioritise location and affordability over, say, having a huge mansion in the country. But striking a balance between exciting neighbourhoods and being under budget isn’t always so simple.
Analysing the 50 highest-populated cities in Great Britain, Right Move has looked at where first-time buyers are looking the most in 2025—with Glasgow crowned the country’s most in-demand city for first-time buyers. The average asking price for a typical first-time buyer property (two bedrooms or fewer) in this famously “cool” city is only £148,979.
That’s well below the national average first-time buyer asking price of £228,551. Even second-placed Manchester falls below this national average, with an average first-time buyer asking price of £210,685. Only two cities in the top 10 go higher than this average, and shows that first-time buyers are prioritising affordability.
The only places where the average asking price exceeds this are, unfortunately for us, Edinburgh (3rd) and Bristol (8th). Bristol actually has the highest average in the top 10, which may suggest people are willing to spend on a nice location. Or maybe it’s that, compared to London, where the asking price for a typical first-time buyer property in (for example) Hackney is £549,888, it feels like a steal.
It’s also one of only two Southern cities to feature on the list. Suggesting there aren’t many enticing options in the South of England where you can get the best of both worlds. If you’re looking for somewhere cheaper than Bristol, the closest is Southampton’s (10th) at £191,554, or the West Midlands’ Birmingham (7th) at £191,945.
10 most in-demand locations for first-time buyers
- Glasgow (£148,979)
- Manchester (£210,685)
- Edinburgh (£251,088)
- Leeds (£182,420)
- Sheffield (£151,066)
- Liverpool (£145,457)
- Birmingham (£191,945)
- Bristol (£283,342)
- Nottingham (£161,359)
- Southampton (£191,554)
To read more about the most in-demand locations for first-time buyers head here.