Average house prices have skyrockets as property values "more than double" across swathes of Britain over the past two decades.
Property values have risen by 74 per cent since 2005, with the average house price climbing from £113,900 to £268,200, property website Zoopla has revealed.
As a result, the market has endured a jump of more than £150,000 since 2005, creating a melange of challenges for those hoping to purchase homes in areas where they grew up.
The data, which compared average house prices between April 2024 and April 2025 using Zoopla's house price index, reveals substantial variations across different regions, creating vastly different experiences for buyers depending on their location.
London has experienced the most dramatic price growth, with average property values more than doubling
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London has experienced the most dramatic price growth, with average property values more than doubling at a 119 per cent increase. The south east and eastern England have both seen 87 per cent rises in house prices over the same period.
The north east of England recorded just a 39 per cent increase during these two decades. Individual towns show even more extreme variations, with Sunderland experiencing only a 22 per cent rise and Blackpool seeing a 26 per cent increase.
The capital's average house price now stands at £534,400, compared to £244,200 in 2005. Meanwhile, the north east's average has grown from £115,800 to £146,400, demonstrating the widening gap between various parts of the nation.
Head of UK residential research at Knight Frank Tom Bill said: "If you grew up in north east England, bought in London and are now returning to your roots, you're in luck. You will get significantly more bang for your buck and the equity accumulated means your mortgage could be wiped out altogether."
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The gap between London and other regions has narrowed recently as more affordable areas experienced stronger growth, with Tom adding: "The squeeze in London means more buyers are looking beyond the M25, and that often includes locations where they have roots, a trend that was accelerated by the pandemic and shifting work patterns."
Consumer expert at Zoopla Daniel Copley said: "Our latest analysis certainly brings to light the profound impact that two decades of house price growth has had on the dream of 'returning home'."
Some of the most extreme price variations can be found at the local authority level. Kensington and Chelsea has seen average property values surge by 124 per cent, while Elmbridge in Surrey recorded a 110 per cent increase and St Albans in Hertfordshire experienced a 108 per cent rise.
These areas have seen average house prices more than double over the past 20 years. In Kensington and Chelsea, the average property now costs £1,130,400, compared to £504,000 in 2005.
Blackpool has experienced a 26 per cent increase since 2005
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At the opposite end of the spectrum, Blackpool has experienced just a 26 per cent increase over the same period, with average prices rising from £98,400 to £124,300. Sunderland recorded an even smaller increase of 22 per cent, with properties now averaging £124,000 compared to £101,600 20 years ago.
Daniel added: "UK house prices have soared by 74 per cent since 2005, making that nostalgic return financially unattainable for many, especially in hotspots in the south east and eastern England.
"However, the picture is far from uniform across the UK. Our data shows that while some areas have seen dramatic increases, house prices have risen slowly, in line with incomes in northern regions. This means that for some, the dream of returning to their roots might be much more attainable than they think."
A survey commissioned by Zoopla found that 52 per cent of people would consider relocating back to where they grew up. However, the president of NAEA Propertymark, Toby Leek, warned that popular rural and coastal areas often carry higher price tags, making it "hard to afford to purchase a home" for locals wishing to return.
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