Connells Group has reported a 39% increase in first-time buyer registrations in the third quarter of 2025 compared with the same period last year, according to its latest Shared Ownership Factsheets.
The data highlights rising demand from first-time buyers, alongside the relative affordability of shared ownership. Connells said the average monthly payment for a 25% shared ownership property stands at £691, compared with £1,080 for the average traditional mortgage, a difference of 36%.
Roy Hind, Connells Group’s affordable housing director, said: “Our data shows the demand to step onto the property ladder is clearly there, but as we well know, affordability has become a major blocker for first-time buyers wanting to purchase their first home. That’s why shared ownership is a vital solution for aspiring homeowners in today’s market, and one which needs to be prioritised across the housing sector if we really want to help buyers overcome cost barriers and access homeownership.”
The regional picture shows the best opportunities for shared ownership are in the North East, where all five of the most affordable Local Authorities are located. Meanwhile, the five least affordable local authorities are in London. The table below shows the most and least affordable Local Authorities based on affordability ratio.
In Hartlepool, the leading local authority for affordability, shared ownership owners would spend on average 16% of their salary on their monthly payment, compared with 74% in Kensington & Chelsea, the least affordable local authority.
| Most affordable | Least affordable |
| Hartlepool – 16% | Kensington & Chelsea – 74% |
| Darlington – 17% | Westminster – 56% |
| County Durham – 17% | Wandsworth – 54% |
| Redcar and Cleveland – 18% | Camden – 52% |
| Northumberland – 18% | Hammersmith & Fulham – 51% |
Hind continued: “While this data is really encouraging, the supply of new homes remains a significant challenge, with recent NHBC data showing new home starts are 17% below the ten-year average. Shared ownership is a vital solution to the affordability gap, and therefore, to truly unlock homeownership for more people, we need to explore innovative ways to boost housing supply and ensure these much-needed options remain available.”
