Properties for sale in Islington, north London, in December 2022. PA
Properties for sale in Islington, north London, in December 2022. PA
Properties for sale in Islington, north London, in December 2022. PA
Properties for sale in Islington, north London, in December 2022. PA

UK's most expensive and cheapest cities for first-time home buyers


Soraya Ebrahimi
  • English
  • Arabic

Bradford in Yorkshire has been named the cheapest city in the UK for those looking to buy their first property, with London being the most expensive.

Average asking prices for typical first-time buyer homes with a maximum of two bedrooms in 60 major cities across Britain were compiled by property website Rightmove.

The research made several assumptions, including that first-time buyers had a 10 per cent deposit and would be paying back their mortgage over 25 years.

The average asking price for a typical first-time-buyer property in Bradford is £104,643 (about $130,000), which could lead to monthly mortgage payments of about £521, Rightmove said.

Carlisle in Cumbria was identified as the second cheapest city for first-time buyers, with an average monthly mortgage payment of £522.

Excluding London, St Albans in Hertfordshire was named as the priciest city in which to get on the property ladder, with average monthly mortgage payments calculated at £1,958.

The leafy cathedral city is popular with families and commuters, with train links into London.

In London, the average monthly mortgage payment for a first-time buyer was put at £2,533.

Rightmove said its findings suggested paying a monthly first-time buyer mortgage with a 10 per cent deposit is cheaper than renting in about half of the cities it looked at.

This rises to two thirds of cities if buyers are able to raise a deposit of 15 per cent of the purchase price.

Rightmove’s findings also indicated that first-time buyers in Glasgow could make the biggest monthly savings by getting on the ladder, with the average mortgage payment for a first home being £215 a month cheaper than the average rent.

At the other end, first-time buyers in St Albans could end up paying £525 more a month on first homes than when they were renting, the research indicated.

Across Britain, a typical first-time home has a record price tag of £226,399, Rightmove said.

“For those who are able to save up the deposit, it’s still cheaper to pay off a mortgage as a first-time buyer in many areas than pay the equivalent in monthly rent, despite prices reaching a new record at a national level and mortgage rates rising," Rightmove property expert Tim Bannister said.

“It highlights how frenetic the rental market has been for a long time now, with many areas continuing to see record rents and fierce competition between tenants for the properties available.

“It helps to explain why we’re seeing such determination from first-time buyers to continue to get on to the ladder despite the economic headwinds that they face, and why we’re seeing buyers increasingly return to cities while a bigger proportion of renters are looking to move away.”

The specs

Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo and dual electric motors

Power: 300hp at 6,000rpm

Torque: 520Nm at 1,500-3,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.0L/100km

Price: from Dh199,900

On sale: now

The biog

Name: Salem Alkarbi

Age: 32

Favourite Al Wasl player: Alexandre Oliveira

First started supporting Al Wasl: 7

Biggest rival: Al Nasr

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Qosty Byogaani

Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny

Four stars

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)

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Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Key facilities
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  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

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Starring: Joe Cole, Somluck Kamsing, Panya Yimmumphai

Three stars

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Price, base / as tested: Dh259,000

Engine: 6.4-litre V8

Power: 475hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque: 640Nm @ 4,300rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
SPECS
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
  1. Join parent networks
  2. Look beyond school fees
  3. Keep an open mind
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How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Updated: June 01, 2023, 12:23 PM`