Removing stamp duty costs could bring more than 300,000 owner-occupied homes to the market across England within less than a year, a Jackson-Stops report reveals.

The housing mobility report estimates that figure could rise to more than 750,000 owner-occupied homes over three years, which Jackson-Stops says underlines the potential impact upfront moving costs can have on housing mobility.

It found that greater certainty over home-moving process could unlock 260,000 homes within a year.

The headline figure of over 260,000 homes represents the first wave of latent housing supply that could be unlocked if uncertainty over transaction timelines was reduced, with the figure rising to over 700,000 owner-occupied homes over the next three years.

The report comes after the government published its roadmap for reforming the home buying and selling process last month, which it says could cut transaction times by around four weeks.

Stamp duty was cited by 28% of affected owner-occupiers as a barrier to moving, highlighting the role upfront costs play in housing mobility. Economic uncertainty (42%) and mortgage rates (29%) were also cited.

UK-wide residential transactions show completions reached over 1.21 million in the 2024 to 2025 financial year, up from around 1 million in 2023 to 2024.

Jackson-Stops says the research suggests this activity is being supported by a mix of both practical life-stage and lifestyle-led decisions.

Among owner-occupiers who had moved, were considering moving, or had considered moving in the last five years, the leading motivations were moving to a larger home (24%) and relocating to a different area for lifestyle reasons (22%).

Millennials were the most active established owner-occupier generation, with 12% currently planning to move or already in the process of moving, compared with 8% of owner-occupiers overall.

Jackson-Stops chairman Nick Leeming says: “Our Housing Mobility Report highlights an industry-wide challenge facing the English housing market, with would-be movers hesitating before they even begin.”

“The Government’s proposed reforms are a positive and necessary step. Measures that improve upfront information sharing, strengthen professional standards and provide greater certainty earlier in the process should help buyers and sellers move with more confidence.”

“The key now will be implementation, ensuring the reforms are phased carefully, clearly understood by consumers and workable for the agents, conveyancers, lenders and other professionals who will need to deliver them in practice.”

“The market is active, and people continue to buy and sell homes every day. But our research indicates there is a sizeable group sitting behind that activity. People who could move, and in many cases would like to move, but who need greater confidence in the process in order to do so.”

Leeming adds: “Stamp duty is clearly part of the wider mobility challenge. While it is not the only factor shaping moving decisions, our data shows it remains a meaningful barrier for some would-be movers. Any serious discussion about improving housing mobility should consider both the transaction process itself and the upfront costs people face when deciding whether to move.”