First-time buyer survey region-by-region

The price of an average first-time property rose from £52,674 to £159,494 in the decade to 2007, according to the charity Shelter. Find out more details from the survey for your region by clicking on the links below.

'Struggle' for first-time buyers

EAST MIDLANDS

	1997	2002	2007
Average first time buyer house price	£44,342	£82,326	£124,019
House price to income ratio	1.58	2.25	2.9
Average monthly repayment	£253.22	£398.29	£643.73
Average repayment as % of average income	10.8%	13%	18.1%
Source: Shelter

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SOUTH EAST

	1997	2002	2007
Average first time buyer house price	£64,234	£142,749	£188,811
House price to income ratio	1.84	3.26	3.41
Average monthly repayment	£376.37	£690.62	£980.04
Average repayment as % of average income	12.9%	19%	21.2%
Source: Shelter

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EAST

	1997	2002	2007
Average first time buyer house price	£57,115	£121,326	£169,285
House price to income ratio	1.84	3.03	3.55
Average monthly repayment	£332.30	£586.98	£878.69
Average repayment as % of average income	12.8%	17.6%	22.1%
Source: Shelter

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YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER

	1997	2002	2007
Average first time buyer house price	£43,021	£69,096	£119,722
House price to income ratio	1.53	2.07	2.99
Average monthly repayment	£245.04	£334.29	£621.43
Average repayment as % of average income	10.4%	12%	18.6%
Source: Shelter

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WEST MIDLANDS

	1997	2002	2007
Average first time buyer house price	£46,306	£84,862	£129,726
House price to income ratio	1.60	2.41	2.84
Average monthly repayment	£265.38	£410.56	£673.36
Average repayment as % of average income	11%	14%	17.7%
Source: Shelter

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SOUTH WEST

	1997	2002	2007
Average first time buyer house price	£53,211	£115,634	£163,377
House price to income ratio	1.89	3.23	3.68
Average monthly repayment	£308.13	£559.44	£848.02
Average repayment as % of average income	13.1%	18.7%	22.9%
Source: Shelter

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LONDON

	1997	2002	2007
Average first time buyer house price	£73,962	£169,975	£258,756
House price to income ratio	1.98	3.27	4.30
Average monthly repayment	£436.60	£822.34	£1,343.10
Average repayment as % of average income	14%	19%	26.8%
Source: Shelter

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NORTH EAST

	1997	2002	2007
Average first time buyer house price	£36,628	£58,916	£107,448
House price to income ratio	1.31	1.71	2.79
Average monthly repayment	£205.46	£285.04	£557.72
Average repayment as % of average income	8.8%	9.9%	17.4%
Source: Shelter

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NORTH WEST

	1997	2002	2007
Average first time buyer house price	£44,741	£73,363	£120,677
House price to income ratio	1.55	2.12	2.98
Average monthly repayment	£255.69	£354.93	£626.39
Average repayment as % of average income	10.6%	12.3%	18.6%
Source: Shelter

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NORTHERN IRELAND

	1997	2002	2007
Average first time buyer house price	£39,956	£73,745	£164,811
House price to income ratio	1.55	2.25	4.25
Average monthly repayment	£226.07	£356.78	£855.47
Average repayment as % of average income	10.5%	13%	26.5%
Source: Shelter

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SCOTLAND

	1997	2002	2007
Average first time buyer house price	£38,845	£66,426	£108,446
House price to income ratio	1.36	1.89	2.45
Average monthly repayment	£219.19	£321.37	£562.90
Average repayment as % of average income	9.2%	11%	15.2%
Source: Shelter

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WALES

	1997	2002	2007
Average first time buyer house price	£42,022	£73,586	£122,313
House price to income ratio	1.52	2.26	3.08
Average monthly repayment	£238.86	£356.01	£634.88
Average repayment as % of average income	10.4%	13.1%	19.2%
Source: Shelter

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ENGLAND (ALL)

	1997	2002	2007
Average first time buyer house price	£54,775	£111,028	£166,527
House price to income ratio	1.75	2.80	3.49
Average monthly repayment	£317.81	£537.15	£864.38
Average repayment as % of average income	12.2%	16.3%	21.7%
Source: Shelter

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