Our 2015 Buyer Barometer: what British homebuyers wanted

Archive note: This page restores Tepilo's 2015 Buyer Barometer at its original URL. All survey percentages and buyer profiles in the first part of the article describe respondents in 2015. They have not been updated or presented as current findings. A separate 2026 market update appears later on the page.

In 2015, the typical buyer in Tepilo's survey had a budget of £205,221, had owned two properties and was most likely to buy a three-bedroom semi-detached home in the suburbs with a partner or spouse.

The bigger story was that location led almost every other consideration. It mattered to 65% of respondents, ahead of the number of bedrooms at 56% and the size of the garden at 41%.

About the 2015 Buyer Barometer

Tepilo commissioned the Buyer Barometer to explore the habits, priorities and opinions of British house buyers. A research company surveyed 2,000 British homebuyers, and the results were first published in September 2015.

The project examined the average buyer, the homes people wanted, who they planned to buy with and the features that could attract or deter them. Contemporary coverage provides a detailed record of the results, while the company that produced the campaign confirms the sample and research purpose. The study was a consumer survey, not an official measure of house prices or completed transactions.

The average British homebuyer in 2015

The survey's headline profile looked like this:

These are survey findings from 2015, not benchmarks for a buyer today.

Who were people buying with?

Most respondents expected to buy with a partner or spouse, but the answers varied by age and region.

• 18% said they would buy alone.
• Among buyers aged 18 to 24, 17% said they would buy their first home with friends.
• Buying alone was most common among respondents in Wales at 35%, followed by the South East at 28% and Yorkshire at 27%.
• It was least common in the North East at 3% and London at 12%.

The figures showed that there was no single route into home ownership, even though buying with a partner remained the most common profile.

What mattered most when choosing a home?

Location was the leading consideration, but the practical shape and usability of a home also mattered.

The results suggest that buyers were weighing the whole package. Space mattered, but so did how a property worked day to day.

What made a location attractive?

When respondents looked beyond the property itself, transport and everyday convenience came first.

There were some striking differences between groups. A good local pub mattered to 35% of 18 to 24-year-olds and 33% of respondents in the East Midlands. Living near family and friends mattered to 65% of respondents in the North East, compared with 22% in the South West and 23% in London.

The local pub finding was later cited in academic research examining the relationship between public houses and house prices in Great Britain.

How many bedrooms did buyers want?

Three-bedroom homes were the clear favourite:

• 45% chose a three-bedroom property.
• 27% chose a two-bedroom property.
• 18% chose a four-bedroom property.
• Fewer than 5% chose a studio or one-bedroom property.

Two-bedroom homes were especially popular in the North East and Scotland, where 48% of respondents chose them.

Did buyers believe in a “forever home”?

Respondents expected to reach their forever home at the age of 44, on average. However, 20% did not believe that a forever home existed. Among respondents aged 55 and over, that proportion rose to 33%.

That split captured two different ways of thinking about ownership. Some buyers were aiming for one long-term destination, while others expected their needs and homes to keep changing.

Property as an investment

Almost a third of respondents, 32%, said they had bought a property as an investment. The proportion rose to 41% among people aged 35 to 44.

Among respondents who had invested in property:

• 45% had bought a home for their children to live in while at university.
• 24% had invested in property as an alternative to a traditional pension.

These figures record attitudes in 2015. They should not be treated as current investment guidance. Tax rules, mortgage costs, regulation and individual circumstances have changed since the survey was carried out.

2026 update: the market around today's buyer

This section is new. Tepilo has not rerun the 2015 survey on a like-for-like basis, so the original preference percentages cannot be presented as current buyer behaviour. The figures below provide an official 2026 market backdrop instead.

House prices are higher than the 2015 survey budget

The UK House Price Index for June 2026 put the average UK property value at £272,000, up 2% over the year. England's average was £293,000.

For context, the 2026 UK average is £66,779, or about 32.5%, above the £205,221 budget reported by the typical respondent in 2015. This is only an illustration, not a direct price comparison. One figure is a self-reported buyer budget and the other is an average property value based on completed sales.

Prices also vary substantially across the UK. Buyers should start with the market in the area and property type they are considering, rather than relying on a single national average. Check recent house prices in your area.

Mortgage costs deserve an early affordability check

The Bank of England's June 2026 Money and Credit release reported an effective interest rate of 4.35% on newly drawn mortgages. Net mortgage approvals for house purchases rose to 58,200 that month.

That makes monthly affordability, deposit size and resilience to future rate changes essential parts of a modern property search. A home may match the 2015 wish list for location, bedrooms and garden, but it still has to work within a sustainable monthly budget.

Home ownership remains the largest tenure in England

The English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025 found that owner occupation remained the largest tenure in England, covering 65% of households. It also found higher mean weekly mortgage payments than five years earlier, both in London and across the rest of England.

The practical lesson is simple: price is only one part of the buying decision. Buyers should consider mortgage payments, council tax, energy performance, maintenance and the costs of moving before deciding what they can afford.

What still makes a useful buyer checklist?

The 2015 percentages are historical, but the subjects behind them remain useful prompts for any viewing:

1. Location: How long will regular journeys take, and are public transport links reliable?
2. Space: Do the bedroom count, storage and layout suit both current and likely future needs?
3. Outdoor space: Is the garden manageable, private and suitable for the way you want to use it?
4. Everyday amenities: Are shops, schools, healthcare and other essentials within a practical distance?
5. Running costs: What are the council tax band, energy rating and likely maintenance costs?
6. Local constraints: Is the property listed, in a conservation area or affected by nearby planning applications?

Before making an offer, you can use Tepilo's tools to check the local authority, look up the council tax band, find the EPC, check conservation area status and review planning applications.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and restoration notes

The original Tepilo page was no longer available when this article was restored. The historic findings were reconstructed from contemporaneous coverage and campaign records:

• Mortgage Soup: 32% of Brits have bought a property as an investment, published 8 September 2015
• Content Soup: Property PR for Sarah Beeny, confirming the 2,000-person survey and campaign scope
• Public houses and house prices in Great Britain: a panel analysis, an academic paper whose references preserve the exact legacy URL

Current context was checked against HM Land Registry, the Bank of England and the English Housing Survey. Current figures were last reviewed on 28 August 2026.