First-time buyer asking prices fall 0.7% nationally as affordable towns post 18% growth

Rightmove data shows the average asking price for a typical first-time buyer home fell 0.7% over the past year to £228,048, while affordable markets such as Bridlington and St Helens recorded 18% annual growth. Demand is concentrating where homes remain within reach, holding prices up in cheaper areas while pricier southern markets soften. For buyers in the south, choice and negotiating room are improving; for sellers of entry-level homes in affordable towns, competition is still supporting prices. Asking prices are not sold prices, so the divide may narrow at completion.