London commuter towns: The best places for first time buyers in and around the capital

Thousands of first-time buyers face a tense few weeks of praying they get the keys to their new home before being clobbered by stamp duty from April 1.

The countdown to March 31 will be all the more stressful for those would-be homeowners waiting to complete around London, where many starter homes teeter on the brink of the tax increase.

And, despite properties in the capital having an average price tag of £548,393, there are five boroughs where flats sneak in just under the £300,000 stamp duty threshold.

In October last year, the Chancellor Rachael Reeves decided not to extend the freeze on stamp duty thresholds, meaning a return to the levels in place before the 2022 mini-budget.

Movers currently pay stamp duty if their property costs more than £250,000. But from April 1, buyers will have to pay a 2% charge on all home purchases priced from £125,000 to £250,000.

The changes will be harder for first-time buyers who currently pay no stamp duty on properties up to £425,000 and five percent on everything above. This threshold falls to £300,000 after March 31.

Where should I move to?

The Kent town of Ashford – just 39 minutes by train into London - is proving particularly popular with first-time buyers at the moment, with small homes being snapped up in less than a month.

Terraced houses, sold through Purplebricks, are taking an average of 29 days to go from being listed to being sold subject to contract (SSTC). The average terraced home in the town costs £278,407.

And, flats in Sutton are also moving fast too. Properties sold through Purplebricks in the south London borough are going from listed to SSTC in an average of 56 days.

Flats in the area, where trains into central London take just 33 minutes, average £292,897.

In 2024, a third (33%) of adults aged 18 to 24 still lived with their parents. This may be no surprise given the average age of a first-time buyer in the UK is 33 years and eight months.

There were 293,339 first-time buyers in the UK in 2023, down 21% from 369,870 first-time buyers in 2022, suggesting it is becoming increasingly hard to secure that first set of door front keys.

The average property price for a first-time buyer in 2023 was £288,136 while the average first-time buyer deposit was £53,414, equating to 19% of the total purchase price.

Jo Pocklington, Managing Director of Purplebricks Mortgages said: “While the stamp duty changes on April 1 might put off some first-time buyers looking to buy in or around London, there are still plenty of potential starter homes within an easy commute of the big city.”

Using House Price Index and Purplebricks data, Britain's biggest online estate agent has compiled a top 10 areas where first-time buyers can secure a small in or around London, which may not be liable for stamp duty fees after March 31.

1. Maidstone

• 53-minute train journey to London
• Average terraced home costs £295,402

Maidstone is the largest town in Kent and is just a 53-minute train ride from the heart of London.

The average price for a terraced home is £295,402, meaning it is a very serious location for first-time buyers to consider if they have to make it into a London office at least a couple of times a week.

According to Purplebricks data, terraced homes in Maidstone are on the market for just under four months, averaging 110 days from listing to SSTC.

Currently on the market with Purplebricks is this Victorian terraced house in Allen Street priced at £280,000.

The two-bed property, which is just a short walk from Maidstone town centre and stations, boasts two reception rooms, an upstairs and a converted cellar

2. Basingstoke & Deane

• 53-minute train journey to London
• Average terraced home costs £294,587

While Basingstoke and Deane may be 50 miles outside London, commuters can still reach the capital in under an hour by train.

Terraced homes in the Hampshire district average £294,587, which is still crucially lower than the April 1 stamp duty threshold for first-time buyers.

And, these terraced properties are moving fast, with the average time spent on the market less than two months or 51 days from being listed to SSTC.

This 1820s end-of-terrace in Pyotts Hill area of Basingstoke comes with a £300,000 price tag, which is bang on the stamp duty threshold.

The charming period property is on the edge of the historic village of Old Basing, which is part of a conservation area due to the historic brick-built homes.

3. Ashford

• 38-minute train journey to London
• Average terraced home costs £278,407

Ashford offers a slower pace of home life with the convenience of a 38-minute train ride to the capital and direct trains to Paris in under two hours.

Smaller homes in the Kent town - formerly the UK’s Eurostar primary hub - are proving particularly popular, with terraced properties being snapped up in under a month.

The average terraced home costs £278,407, and these ideal starter homes go from being listed to SSSTC in an average of 29 days, according to Purplebricks data.

This contemporary three-bed townhouse is just a short walk from Ashford International Station and is on the market for £300,000.

4. Witham

• 43-minute train journey to London
• Average terraced home costs £284,917

The Essex town of Witham is a good spot for London commuters, with Greater Anglia trains arriving at Liverpool Street in 43 minutes.

The typical terraced home in this rural town asks for a price of £284,917.

This modern three-bed home near Witham station is currently on the market for £300,000.

5. Braintree

• 1 hour and 2 minutes train journey to London
• Average terraced home costs £271,660

Despite being another location more than 50 miles outside London, Braintree is commutable by train in just over an hour.

Terraced homes in the Essex town steeped in medieval history cost around £275,466, and tend to sell in under four months, or 117 days from being listed to SSTC, according to Purplebricks data.

This three-bed semi-detached home, located between the town centre and Braintree Shopping Outlet village, is on the market for £295,000.

6. Rochester

• 37-minute train journey to London
• Average terraced home costs £271,459

Rochester is about 30 miles southeast of London, and it takes a little over half an hour to get you into the capital by train.

The historic town, which has Saxon and Roman heritage, is a popular spot for tourists visiting both Rochester Castle and the Cathedral.

The average terraced house in the town costs £271,459 and properties tend to be on the market for little over three months, or 98 days from being listed to SSTC, according to Purplebricks data.

This three-bed semi-detached terrace in the ‘Troy Town’ area of Rochester comes with a price tag of £225,000 - well under the £300,000 stamp duty threshold for first-time buyers.

7. Milton Keynes

• 30-minute train journey to London
• Average terraced home costs £267,470

Built in the 1960s, Milton Keynes quickly became one of the UKs ‘New Towns’ to relieve housing congestion in London - it was granted ‘city status’ in 2022.

Situated in Buckinghamshire, the modern city is 50 miles outside London but the fast train allows commuters to zoom into London in just half an hour.

The latest data shows that the average price of a terraced house in ‘MK’ is just £267,470 and these starter homes are taking an average of 73 days to go from being listed to SSTC.

This three-bed family home in the Bradville area of the city is on the market for £270,00

8. Luton

• 25 minutes train journey to London
• Average terraced home costs £260,099

Luton, in Bedfordshire, is 32 miles north of London with a commuting time of just 25 minutes by train.

First-time buyers can call a terraced home their own for around £260,099 and these properties tend to shift in just over two months, or 65 days from listing to SSTC, according to Purplebricks.

This three-bed ‘doer-upper’ period property is on the market for £250,000 with Purplebricks.

9. Sutton

• 32-minute train journey to London
• Average flat costs £292,897

The borough of Sutton has been part of London since 1965 and is just 13 miles from the centre of the capital, which can be reached by train in around half-an-hour.

Sutton is an appealing location for first-time buyers looking to avoid stamp duty after April 1 because the average flat costs £292,897.

Flats in the area are on the market for less than two months, or 56 days from being listed to SSTC, according to Purplebricks data.

This one-bed maisonette, just 0.4 miles from the station and in a quiet cul-de-sac, is on the market for £300,000.

10. Croydon

• 15-minute tube journey to London
• Average flat costs £279,175

Croydon’s reputation for crime has improved over the last decade as the area has become more attractive to city workers thanks to 12-minute train links into London Bridge.

The average flat price is £297,175, and properties spend an average of four months on the market, or 111 days from being listed to SSTC, according to Purplebricks data.

This second-floor, two-bed flat near Croydon University Hospital is on the market for £290,000.