Connells Group has reported a 39% increase in first-time buyer registrations in Q3 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.
The Group said the rise highlights a strong desire for homeownership at a time when affordability challenges continue to limit buyers’ options.
According to Connells’s latest Shared Ownership Factsheets for Q3 2025, the national average monthly payment for a 25% Shared Ownership share is £691, which is 36% lower than the average traditional mortgage payment of £1,080.
Roy Hind, Connells Group’s affordable housing director, said: “Our data shows the demand to step onto the property ladder is clearly there, but as we well know, affordability has become a major blocker for first-time buyers wanting to purchase their first home.
“That’s why Shared Ownership is a vital solution for aspiring homeowners in today’s market, and one which needs to be prioritised across the housing sector if we really want to help buyers overcome cost barriers and access homeownership.”
Regional analysis revealed that the North East offers the strongest affordability, with all five of the most affordable local authorities located in the region.
In Hartlepool, Shared Ownership buyers spend an average of 16% of their salary on monthly payments, compared with 74% in Kensington & Chelsea, the least affordable area.
Darlington, County Durham, Redcar and Cleveland, and Northumberland also sit at the more affordable end of the spectrum.
Conversely, Westminster, Wandsworth, Camden, and Hammersmith & Fulham join Kensington & Chelsea as the least affordable locations for Shared Ownership.
Hind continued: “While this data is really encouraging, the supply of new homes remains a significant challenge, with recent NHBC data showing new home starts are 17% below the ten- year average.
“Shared Ownership is a vital solution to the affordability gap, and therefore, to truly unlock homeownership for more people, we need to explore innovative ways to boost housing supply and ensure these much needed options remain available.”
