It can often feel like you need to be bringing home a huge pay cheque to be able to afford a house.
While that may be the case if you’re looking to buy in London, or its surrounding counties, there are actually places in the UK where the average salary can get you a mortgage.
According to the ONS, Brits earn an average of £35,830 per year, which is enough to get you a mortgage in some of the UK’s most vibrant cities.
Marc von Grundherr, director of Benham and Reeves estate agents tells Metro: ‘There are currently 116 local authorities where the average first-time buyer can qualify for a mortgage at 4.5 times the average income, having placed a 15% deposit.’
As Marc points out, you will of course need a deposit, which according to Zoopla, averaged at around 15% for a three-bed home in 2023. This means you’d need to put down £34,500 for a £240,000 property, but if you consider some of the more affordable options, you won’t need to save quite so much. For example, an average first-time buyer house price in Liverpool is £158,333, making a 15% deposit £23,750.
While 116 options may seem overwhelming, fear not, because Marc had narrowed down his top five picks for first time buyers.
(Picture: Metro.co.uk)
Liverpool
Marc says: ‘Liverpool currently boasts an average first-time buyer house price of just £158,333, meaning that first-time buyers can benefit from all the city has to offer, from rich history and culture, to a thriving arts and a music scene, without having to look to the commuter belt in order to do so.’
You could live in this ‘New York’ style apartment in the popular Baltic Triangle for £160,000, or how about another £160,000 apartment in a prestigious grade II listed building?
Since being named the European Capital of Culture in 2008, Liverpool is bursting with things to see and do. Its greatest hits include the Open Eye Gallery – an ‘open source’ photography gallery that boasts around 85,000 visitors a year – as well as the Tate, Royal Albert Docks, and the Beatles Story.
The city is less than three hours from London on the train and tickets start at a reasonable £14.
Glasgow
‘Many areas of Scotland continue to remain affordable, but with the average first-time buyer priced out of the capital Edinburgh, those in search of the major city lifestyle should look to Glasgow, where the average price of a first home is currently just £165,769,’ Marc explains.
It was also named as the UK city where homes sell the fastest, with an average of just 41 days on the market.
You could live in this £170,000 one-bed in the popular West End, a district packed full of arts, culture and great eats. Or perhaps you’d prefer this charming first floor flat one of the city’s popular residential streets, for £135,000.
There’s some great food to be had in Glasgow too . Dine at The Ubiquitous Chip, a brasserie offering revamped Scottish fare, with a courtyard covered in trees, plants, vines and fairy lights. Mowgli, an Indian restaurant, or Waxy O’Connor’s, are also great options.
Newcastle
Marc says: ‘Newcastle is perhaps one of the friendliest cities in the nation and also boasts a rich history, culture and a vibrant social scene.
‘With an average house price of just £172,973, it’s also affordable for the average first-time buyer.’
You could snap up this spacious flat with two double bedrooms in the city centre for £175,000, or this three-bed terraced townhouse for £160,000.
The city also has the highest ratio of Grade I and II* buildings as a proportion of all its listed buildings, and if it’s stunning architecture you’re after, the Tyne Bridge inspired Australia’s Sydney Harbour Bridge, which opened five years later.
The Metro Centre offers great shopping with all the usual entertainment and activities on offer. A particularly nice spot is The Botanist in the city centre, with cocktails served in plant pots, while fauna covers the entire restaurant.
Nottingham
Marc says that the average home for a first time buyer is priced at £183,614 and you can live right in the centre. For example, there’s this one-bed flat, in a popular waterfront development for just £110,000.
Home to two universities, there’s no shortage of bars, restaurants and wildlife in Nottingham, with Penny Lane and Pepper Rocks making great date night spots.
For a slice of fine dining, we’d recommend Alchemilla, a Michelin star restaurant offering stunning tasting menus.
If you’re one for the outdoors, you can enjoy a peaceful walk around Wollaton Hall, Gardens and Deer Park.
Swansea
‘In Swansea the average first home is priced at £183,120, making it a realistic option for the average first-time buyer who wants to live within a major city, not just within reach of one,’ Marc says.
This stunning character four-bed in the popular area of Heol Las for £190,000 would be perfect for a family, or this three-bed in the suburbs of Swansea is listed as an ‘ideal’ first-time home for just £180,000.
Back in March, the city was named the best place in the UK to buy a house for newbie buyers. It was ranked based on average house price, crime safety score, traffic index score and life satisfaction score, getting an over all score of 82/100.
The city’s residents have good levels of personal wellbeing, according to ONS, and it had lower crime levels and less traffic, meaning no nightmare commute.
Dubbed Wales’ ‘waterfront city’, Swansea sits right on the sea. Just a few minutes walk from the city centre is a five-mile stretch of sandy beach sweeping from the industrial docklands right up to the bustling seaside village of Mumbles.
Cycle paths line the bay to offer bikers a magnificent Sunday afternoon ride, where fish and chips on the Victorian Pier await those energetic enough.
Areas where you can buy a home with a £35k salary
- – SCOTLAND – £197,307
- – WEST MIDLANDS – £197,245
- – EAST MIDLANDS – £196,454
- – WEST MIDLANDS – £196,004
- – SCOTLAND – £195,904
- – EAST OF ENGLAND – £195,856
- – WEST MIDLANDS – £195,354
- – WEST MIDLANDS – £195,198
- – WALES – £193,276
- – WALES – £193,039
- – EAST MIDLANDS – £192,107
- – SCOTLAND – £191,030
- – NORTH WEST – £189,988
- – YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER – £189,699
- – YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER – £189,345
- – NORTH WEST – £189,291
- – WEST MIDLANDS – £189,001
- – EAST MIDLANDS – £188,425
- – WALES – £188,234
- – WEST MIDLANDS – £187,912
- – WALES – £187,194
- – WEST MIDLANDS – £185,867
- – NORTH WEST – £185,458
- – NORTH WEST – £184,528
- – EAST MIDLANDS – £183,947
- – YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER – £183,874
- – NORTH WEST – £183,818
- – EAST MIDLANDS – £183,812
- – EAST MIDLANDS – £183,614
- – NORTH WEST – £183,375
- – WALES – £183,120
- – SCOTLAND – £182,704
- – NORTH WEST – £181,897
- – SCOTLAND – £181,537
- – WALES – £181,176
- – EAST OF ENGLAND – £181,006
- – WEST MIDLANDS – £180,716
- – NORTH EAST – £179,505
- – NORTH WEST – £179,159
- – EAST MIDLANDS – £178,953
- – SCOTLAND – £178,090
- – NORTH WEST – £177,646
- – NORTH WEST – £176,773
- – NORTH WEST – £176,684
- – SCOTLAND – £175,984
- – WALES – £175,598
- – EAST MIDLANDS – £175,168
- – WALES – £174,308
- – YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER – £173,786
- – NORTH EAST – £172,973
- – SCOTLAND – £172,963
- – WALES – £172,549
- – NORTH EAST – £172,197
- – EAST MIDLANDS – £172,119
- – NORTH WEST – £171,762
- – WALES – £171,736
- – SCOTLAND – £171,705
- – NORTH WEST – £170,141
- – YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER – £170,074
- – EAST MIDLANDS – £167,531
- – EAST MIDLANDS – £166,895
- – EAST MIDLANDS – £166,761
- – SCOTLAND – £165,769
- – NORTH WEST – £165,736
- – NORTH WEST – £165,503
- – NORTH WEST – £165,404
- – YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER – £164,717
- – NORTH WEST – £164,663
- – WALES – £162,889
- – EAST MIDLANDS – £162,120
- – YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER – £162,003
- – WALES – £161,555
- – NORTH WEST – £161,362
- – SCOTLAND – £160,772
- – EAST MIDLANDS – £159,623
- – SCOTLAND – £158,617
- – NORTH WEST – £158,333
- – YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER – £154,675
- – YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER – £154,503
- – NORTH WEST – £150,200
- – NORTH EAST – £148,406
- – YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER – £147,647
- – SCOTLAND – £147,412
- – NORTH EAST – £146,457
- – SCOTLAND – £145,575
- – YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER – £145,491
- – NORTH EAST – £145,221
- – WALES – £144,925
- – SCOTLAND – £141,824
- – SCOTLAND – £141,490
- – NORTH EAST – £140,649
- – NORTH EAST – £140,585
- – NORTH WEST – £139,146
- – SCOTLAND – £139,048
- – SCOTLAND – £138,603
- – WALES – £134,820
- – SCOTLAND – £133,876
- – SCOTLAND – £132,828
- – WEST MIDLANDS – £132,638
- – SCOTLAND – £132,007
- – NORTH WEST – £131,374
- – YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER – £129,525
- – SCOTLAND – £127,308
- – WALES – £124,737
- – NORTH WEST – £123,439
- – SCOTLAND – £122,396
- – NORTH EAST – £121,153
- – NORTH EAST – £119,872
- – SCOTLAND – £118,600
- – NORTH EAST – £116,225
- – NORTH WEST – £114,940
- – SCOTLAND – £114,103
- – NORTH EAST – £113,962
- – SCOTLAND – £112,336
- – SCOTLAND – £112,038
- – SCOTLAND – £111,139
- – NORTH WEST – £109,930
- – SCOTLAND – £105,012
- – NORTH WEST – £100,649
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