Rightmove said the typical first-time buyer home with two or fewer bedrooms cost £226,955 in March 2026.

But to move up one rung on the property ladder to the average three- or four-bedroom home would cost £345,857, Rightmove said.

This is an increase of 52%, or £118,902, the biggest gap since Rightmove records began in 2001.

This gap has only been larger in May and June 2025.

In London, the gap between the price of a first and second home is 60%, the highest gap in the country. The region with the lowest gap to trade up homes is Yorkshire and the Humber, at 38%.

Rightmove property expert Colleen Babcock said: “Flats, which make up a much larger share of first-time buyer homes and markets like London, have seen slower price growth, while houses have pulled further ahead.

“Concerns around leaseholds and ground rents are also likely weighing on flat prices.”

Quilter mortgage expert Karen Noye said: “Traditionally, people moved into bigger homes as their families grew. That pattern is breaking down.

“Buyers now need almost £24,000 of extra equity just to maintain a 20% deposit, and in regions like the South East the gap reaches 61%.

“Many households simply cannot make the move when children arrive, which inevitably shapes decisions about family size and contributes to the UK’s broader demographic pressures.”

The latest Rightmove house price index, published earlier this week, found that average new seller asking prices rose by 0.8% (+£3,023) in March to £371,042, a typical seasonal increase in prices.