First-timers are thinking bigger

Is it the end of the road for “starter homes”?

- Edited by DEBORAH STONE

It’s a question that many within the property industry are currently puzzling over, thanks to a growing trend to skip the one-bedroom flat or two-bedroom house stage in favour of a family-sized home.In 2011 half of young people in England and Wales had left their parents’ home by the age of 21, according to UK Census data, while in 2021 the age had risen to 24.

Now a third of Gen Z buyers - aged 18 to 27 - are opting to wait until they can afford bigger homes, according to Barclays Bank, and 27% of all ages intend to stay in their new homes for at least 10 years.

Research by home improvement specialists Eurocell (eurocell.co.uk), which specialises in windows, doors and garden rooms, reveals this is one of the reasons why some homeowners are building extensions.