"Our latest research signals a new era of confidence for prospective buyers, who are taking more of an empowered approach to getting on the property ladder"
- Rachel Geddes - Mortgage Advice Bureau
New research from Mortgage Advice Bureau shows that prospective homebuyers are more confident about purchasing property within shorter timeframes. The findings, based on data from the My MAB and Homebuying apps, highlight a sharp reduction in the period buyers expect to move from browsing to buying.
The median time that aspiring buyers expect to purchase a property has plummeted over the last five years, dropping from 11.14 months in 2021 to 5.83 months in 2024 and 2025 to date. This signals a growing belief among prospective buyers that they’re in a strong position to purchase their first home, and can do so in line with their expected timeframes.
Instead of waiting for a return to the record-low interest rates of 2021, buyers have become more financially prepared, growing in confidence that they could find and purchase a property within a shorter, more achievable timeframe. The most significant acceleration occurred between 2022 and 2023, when the median expected purchase time dropped from eight months to just under six months, and has remained stable since.
The shift during this period from a seller's to a buyer's market, combined with the pressure of rising interest rates, created an environment where buyers were able to move more quickly to secure a property. This trend has since stabilised as the market has adjusted to the new economic reality.
More proactive approach
This newfound confidence is reflected in the fact that 88% of first-time buyers in 2025 expected to purchase their home within 18 months - a significant increase from just 75% in 2021.
This demonstrates that prospective homeowners are not only more empowered but also more proactive and realistic in their approach. They're actively planning their path to homeownership, no longer waiting for market conditions to change, but instead making the decision to move forward now.
Most notably, 97% of aspiring buyers expect to become homeowners within three years. Beyond this, the trajectory flattens into a gentle long tail of buyers (3%) projecting 10+ years to purchase. This small group anticipates it will take more than three years to purchase a home, reflecting persistent affordability challenges in the market.
"Our latest research signals a new era of confidence for prospective buyers, who are taking more of an empowered approach to getting on the property ladder,” said Rachel Geddes, Strategic Lender Relationship Director at Mortgage Advice Bureau. “This proactive belief, coupled with the expertise and insight of a mortgage broker, can place prospective buyers in an even stronger position to streamline their homebuying journey.
“The sharp reduction in expected purchase times also aligns perfectly with Project 28 - a new charter we’re supporting in collaboration with fellow industry bodies to significantly shorten the property transaction process. Through this, we're giving buyers increased confidence, helping reduce delays, and improving the homebuying process overall."
