New home buyers and the Yorkshire effect

Debbie Whittingham, Sales Director, Miller Homes Yorkshire, reveals why the house builder is benefitting from the "Yorkshire effect"

For those choosing to make Yorkshire their home, the delights of living in God’s Own County are evident in abundance. Prices in the region continue to be some of the most competitive and affordable in the UK. According to the latest UK House Price Index the average UK house price has risen in the last 20 years from £80,443 to £234,370, a 191% increase. This is compared with the Yorkshire average which currently stands at £187,000, up around 1% in the last 12 months and over 177%.

As with any area, property prices and what you can get for your money fluctuate wildly from rural and desirable, to inner city and high demand, but with plans in place across the county to deliver the anticipated growth in demand for homes in the region (currently predicted at 18,000 per year by the National Housing Federation) the options for new home buying in the county continue to be plentiful.

There is little wonder that Yorkshire continues to be a county that enjoys higher numbers of relocators and we are seeing more people who work in London as many places here are two to two-and-a-half hours away from London by train.

This is primarily attributed to a lack of affordability in the capital – house prices-v- the average salary is now incomprehensible – and there is a desire for a lifestyle change away from the frenetic, fast pace of life in London. With more people looking to readdress the often elusive ‘workplace balance’, another reason for attracting people ‘up North’ is the fact that York was voted the fourth happiest place to live and work in the UK in 2019.

The Lodge at City Fields, Wakefield. Phase two of construction by Miller Homes, will bring 38 three and four bedroom homes to the market.

For those who want a new home, there are still a number of incentives and ways to buy ranging from the government-backed Help to Buy equity loan scheme to part-exchange deals.

The other appeal of a new home is that a new-build is generally more energy efficient and easier to maintain and has layouts that suit modern lifestyles. These include extra bathrooms, downstairs cloakrooms, places to work from home and ever-increasingly electric vehicle charging points. Miller Homes currently has eight new home developments located across the region. Visit www.millerhomes.co.uk/locations/yorkshire-and-the-surrounding-areas