Property Talk: The cost of moving more than doubles in a decade (and it’s set to climb further next year)

Have you ever found yourself wringing your hands at the sheer cost of moving home? The estate agent’s fees, solicitor’s costs, property survey, removals team, the EPC…oh, and stamp duty. Moving home can drain that piggy bank pretty quickly.

Well, the cost of moving home has more than doubled in the last decade, according to Reallymoving.

The process of selling a home and buying another one costs an average £13,978 in upfront expenses - up from £6,533 in 2014. At £2,186, the cost is less eye-watering for first-time buyers, who don’t have to factor in selling a home.

Spare a thought for Londoners who fork out more than twice the national average to move home: a whopping £30,048. The cost is driven up by higher house prices, which feed into stamp duty and estate agent’s fees.

Meanwhile those in the north east pay the least, with a home move costing £5,492. That’s less than one fifth of the cost of moving home in the capital.

But make the most of it: stamp duty thresholds are set to change in April 2025. And that means the average cost of moving home is set to climb to £16,478.

Reallymoving founder and CEO, Rob Houghton, says the firm has spotted an increase in the proportion of first-time buyer activity recently ‘as people accelerate plans to move to take advantage of lower stamp duty bills before they rise next spring, but the window will be too tight for many, so it’s wise to budget for higher stamp duty costs just in case.’

Top 10 most-wanted

I'll tell you what buyers want, what they really, really want…and that’s space. Nearly half (46%) of Brits consider the size of rooms the most important factor when house hunting, according to research by Compare the Market. In hot pursuit is outdoor space (40%), a driveway (31%) and double glazing (29%).

And what are buyers most willing to splash out on? A high quality kitchen comes top, with buyers prepared to pay an extra £1,372 for a home with one. It’s followed by a south-facing garden (£1,339), outdoor space (£1,278) and size of rooms (£1,261).

Private outdoor space and sizeable rooms feature high in both top 10 rankings. Perhaps it's time to turn to Country Life's glossy property pages, where you may find some homes that fit the bill…

Alpine property prices climb 3%

To the Alps, where property prices have risen by an average 3% in the 12 months to June, according to Knight Frank. Great news for existing homeowners, not such good news perhaps for buyers looking to break into the Alpine housing market.

Courchevel 1850 has been crowned the top performer, with 9% house price growth. Over the border, Crans-Montana comes top among the Swiss resorts, with a 7% rise. Overall, Swiss resorts averaged 3.5% price growth, beating France’s more modest 1.5%.

What about the priciest footprint? That title goes to Gstaad, which commands a cool €41,500 per sq m (roughly £34,500 per sq m). It’s followed by St Moritz, Courchevel 1850, Verbier and Zermatt.

The firm’s Head of European Residential Research, Kate Everett-Allen, says: ‘Demand remains high while supply is limited, supported by trends in flexible working, an increase in affluent early retirees, and a growing focus on health and wellness.

‘Indeed, the Alps are increasingly viewed as a year-round destination, with health and wellness now overtaking skiing as the primary lifestyle driver for buyers.’

Annabel Dixon is an award-winning property journalist with a decade of experience whose writing has appeared in The Times, Sunday Times and the Daily Telegraph.

Credit: Getty

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