Zoopla has found that first-time buyer (FTB) activity is losing steam. This could be due to factors such as fewer high LTV options and tighter lending criteria. While this news isn’t a shock, it is significant because, as Zoopla notes, this segment of the market hasn’t fallen for five years. But, according to Zoopla’s latest estimate, FTBs’ share of 2020 sales will fall below 2017 levels. However, this could be an opportunity for the new-build sector. The growing size of deposits needed by FTBs may create more interest in help-to-buy. In the current climate, being able to buy a property with a 5% deposit will only get more appealing.
