Julia Price, key account director – new house build at property data insight provider, TwentyCi, takes a closer look at the new build housing market at a challenging time for developers, and what buyers are looking for.
To describe the new build homes market as challenging is an understatement. Since we came down from the dizzying heights of the Stamp Duty holiday and the race for rural space, the combination of unhelpful planning policy, economic stagnation and global political shocks is making the delivery (and sales) of new homes arguably more difficult than it has ever been before.
Developers need every tool possible at their disposal. Insights into customer behaviour have always been a vital part of the sales puzzle, and when times are tough, great data becomes all the more valuable, highlighting who is purchasing where, why they are choosing to do so and crucially, where opportunities can be found.
Exclusively for Show House, TwentyCi’s analysts have looked at all new home purchases between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, and compared this data with the same period for all UK residential properties.
So, who is buying new build homes?
Putting it simply, buyers of new homes are, overwhelmingly, higher-earning families aged between 25 and 45. When compared with the whole buyer pool for all UK residential properties, we found that those buying new build are 167% more likely to have a household income of £70k-£100k, 134% more likely to be aged between 26 and 35, and 132% more likely to be in a family-like set-up. They are also 97% more likely to have children.
The data shows that new build purchasers now are not the stereotypical version of a first-time buyer, entering the market at the earliest opportunity, but people with dependents who are making more considered decisions about where they want to live, and for the medium to long term.
In London specifically, it’s a different picture. Income bands are even higher (those buying a new build property are 167% more likely to have a household income of £150k or more) than the average buyer across all UK residential properties. In contrast to the wider country however, they are also 86% more likely to be single people.
What are they buying?
Unsurprisingly, people buying new build properties are substantially more likely to be purchasing EPC A and B-rated homes. This won’t just be about choice, given the built-in energy efficiency of most new homes. More interesting perhaps is the fact that new build buyers are 116% more likely to purchase a detached property, 116% more likely to purchase a home with five or more bedrooms, and 102% more likely to buy in Council Tax Band G. This isn’t just reflective of financial ability, but suggests that new build buyers are selecting homes that offer longevity, with layouts and scale reflecting a move towards living rather than simply owning.
In London, perhaps surprisingly, those buying new properties are 231% more likely to buy a bungalow than the wider UK purchaser. They are 62% more likely to buy a detached home, and 85% more likely to buy a home with four bedrooms.
Where are they buying?
New build buyers are 74% more likely to buy a rural home than the average UK buyer. They are more likely to buy in the East Midlands, East of England and Scotland, at 62%, 44% and 40% respectively.
Meanwhile, in the capital, new build buyers are 227% more likely to buy in Hackney, while they are 16% more likely to buy in Harrow.
How has this changed since before COVID?
Compared to April 2019 to March 2020, people buying new build property today are 72% more likely to be buying in a remote location, an accessible rural location or a small town. They are 43% more likely to buy a home with five or more bedrooms. They are 57% more likely to buy a bungalow.
When we look at London specifically, people buying new build property (versus 2019) are 230% more likely to be in very high income households, and 226% more likely to buy a flat. They are 213% more likely to buy a property with one bedroom than they were seven years ago.
In terms of tenure, new build buyers across the UK are 866% more likely to buy a Shared Ownership property now than they were before the pandemic. In London, they are 2,685% more likely! It’s no surprise that affordability is the priority in shaping buyer behaviour, even as average incomes increase.
What does this mean for housebuilders?
Affordability continues to be a sticking point, especially in London. Single professionals are an important target market, yet even with large incomes, the rising popularity of smaller flats compared with before the pandemic supports the need for smaller homes at lower price points and in non-traditional tenures to support access to ownership. Conversely, new build buying families across the UK, including London, are seeking larger houses, somewhere to call home for the longer term. New build demand in England is highest in areas beyond the popular South East.
Data profiling can do so much more than provide a historical analysis of the market. A deep dive – into demographics, product and location preferences, purchasing trends and shifts in behaviour over time – can provide remarkable insights, supporting strategic decision-making and ultimately, ensuring that developers are meeting the needs of their buyers, responding to the shape of the market and reflecting in their product delivery how people are choosing to live today.
At TwentyCi, we’re seeing more housebuilders move away from blanket marketing in favour of data-driven insight. By understanding who their buyers are and when they’re most likely to act, we’re helping them connect with the right audiences at the most critical points in the buying journey.
