West Oxfordshire leads UK for first-time buyer growth

According to property portal Rightmove, this is outpacing every other part of Britain with a 45 per cent year-on-year increase – well above the national trend, which is currently four per cent lower than the same period last year.

Brendan Kay, managing director of Parkers Properties, said: “The research backs up what we are seeing on the ground in places like Witney, Carterton, and Eynsham, where demand for two-bedroom properties is huge.”

A key driver of this demand is the growing belief that buying offers better value than renting.

Rightmove figures put the average asking price for a first-time buyer property – defined as homes with up to two bedrooms – at £283,172 in West Oxfordshire, compared with the national average of £228,048.

Mr Kay said the lettings market is also playing a significant role.

He said: “Another report by Rightmove last year looking at the lettings market highlighted that West Oxfordshire has some of the fastest growing rents in the country.”

Mr Kay believes supply issues are adding to the pressure.

He said: “One of the other big factors fuelling the increase in demand from first-time buyers is the lack of new-build homes coming to market.

“During 2025, only 79 new builds were completed in West Oxfordshire compared with more than 3,500 in the last five years and the pipeline going forward is equally worrying, with barely 300 new homes under construction.”

Parkers Properties has branches in Witney and Eynsham.