Second rung of property ladder beyond reach of many St Albans homeowners

St Albans has been named as one of the worst places in the UK for homeowners wishing to reach the second rung of the property ladder.

According to Land Registry data research by Housesimple.com, buyers wishing to make such a move would require an extra £218,538 - placing St Albans second on the ‘unaffordable’ list, behind London.

The average UK-wide cost for ‘second steppers’ wishing to move from a flat to a terraced or semi-detached house has doubled to £75,388 in 10 years, the online estate agent said - up from £37,225 in 2008.

Housesimple predicts that, by 2028, second steppers may have to find an average of £150,000 to upsize to a house.

Durham was named as the best place for second steppers to live, with a jump of just £23,318 since 2008, while London was the worst with an average of £343,134 being required to make the step up.

The stats, which are based on the largest average price differential between a flat and terraced or semi-detached house, cover 100 major UK towns and cities.

Sam Mitchell, CEO of Housesimple, said: “While we’re seeing a positive trend with more first-time buyers getting onto the property ladder, second steppers still face a major jump to transition from a starter home to their family home.

“Despite Government commitments to building more stock, family homes remain at a premium. The problem is particularly acute in London and the south of England, where the gap for second steppers can feel more like a chasm.

“As a result, second steppers’ migration from London has always been a major driver of house price inflation in commuter towns in the home counties and increasingly as far afield as areas of the south-west.”