Research finds big increase in older first-time buyers

July 2, 2026 by Brendan O'Neill

Surveys and Statistics

The latest research has found that the number of people buying a first home when they are older than 50 has risen sharply.

This research comes from Tembo and it is based on mortgage product sales data provided by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). What it shows is that the number of over-50s buying for the first time has gone up by 47% since 2020. This means that these older first-time buyers now make up one of the key growth areas for that part of the market.

There has also been a rise in the number of people buying a first home after the age of 40. This demographic has gone up by 10.5% a year during that five-year period. What makes this even more interesting is that the overall market for first-time buyers has not really seen much growth. It has only grown 2% per year since 2020.

Part of this may be down to the fact that it is simply harder to buy for the first time now. People are faced with a housing market that is increasingly unaffordable, which is forcing them to save longer for things like deposit costs.

Richard Dana is the Tembo CEO and founder. He told Financial Reporter:

“A near-50% rise in first-time buyers over 50 isn’t a lifestyle choice; it’s the result of affordability pressures building year after year. People are taking longer to save, longer to earn enough, and longer to feel confident they can make homeownership work.”

Mortgage advisors with CeMAP training can help them to find affordable options.