The Intermediary – December 2025 - Flipbook - Page 23
RESIDENTIAL
Opinion
Help clients
prepare as the cost
of moving rises
E
very year we analyse
data from thousands
of quotes provided to
home movers on our
site to determine the
cost of moving home in
England. Our newly published 2025
report shows that these costs have
climbed sharply to reach a record
£17,831, while frist-time buyers (FTBs)
now spend an average of £2,315 in
upfront moving costs.
Many people are still surprised by
how much they need to budget beyond
their deposit and mortgage payments.
With affordability under intense
pressure, these additional costs can
become a significant barrier.
For mortgage brokers, this creates
an important opportunity to help
clients understand the full financial
commitment involved in purchasing
a home and to plan more effectively
from the outset. As the scale and
complexity of upfront costs continue
to rise, the broker’s role in preparing
clients has never been more valuable.
Why buyers underestimate
Most buyers focus on two numbers at
the start of their journey: their deposit
and expected mortgage repayments.
Everything else – conveyancing,
surveys, removals, Stamp Duty,
insurance – is oen an aerthought.
Yet our research also shows that
many professional fees are climbing
year on year, including conveyancing
fees (up 8.7%) and the cost of a Level 2
survey (up 6.5%). For someone buying
and selling, the total cost of a move
is now 27% higher than in 2024 and
FTBs in England now pay an average
of 6.5% more than a year ago.
In London, the only region where
the median FTB purchase price
now triggers Stamp Duty liability
since the thresholds were lowered
in March, initial outlays have risen
by over 200%.These pressures oen
undermine financial confidence, delay
purchases and even cause them to
fall through.
The full picture
Brokers already provide essential
advice on mortgage products and
affordability. By expanding this
conversation to include the full cost of
moving, brokers can help clients make
beer-informed decisions and avoid
unnecessary stress later on.
A useful starting point is building
a Total Cost of Purchase budget,
incorporating items such as
conveyancing fees and disbursements,
survey costs – which vary by property
type and region – removals, Stamp
Duty, insurance and a buffer for any
unforeseen costs that may arise.
Reallymoving’s online Moving Cost
Calculator can help with this. Starting
early helps clients plan cash flow more
effectively and reduces the risk of lastminute financial strain.
But knowing what the costs are
is only part of the challenge. Many
buyers do not understand the point
at which these costs typically arise.
Brokers can also add real value by
explaining the typical sequence of
payments. A simple timeline can
reduce anxiety and prevent avoidable
delays, especially for FTBs who are
unfamiliar with the process.
Quality versus cost
When budgets are stretched, clients
oen look for savings in areas where
quality genuinely maers – and this
can prove a false economy. Time
is the biggest threat to a successful
transaction, so choosing the cheapest
conveyancer without checking
reviews thoroughly can end up being a
serious error. ‘Cheap now’ oen means
ROB HOUGHTON
is founder and CEO
at reallymoving
‘expensive later’. Brokers oen report
seeing the same misunderstandings
crop up repeatedly, including the
assumption that conveyancing fees
include all disbursements, forgeing
that some lenders charge valuation
fees, failing to budget adequately for
buildings insurance at exchange,
or overlooking the cost of follow up
investigations post-survey.
By flagging potential pitfalls early,
brokers can help prevent unnecessary
surprises and ensure clients have a
sufficient buffer in place.
Data and comparison
Brokers don’t need to manage every
element of the moving process, but
they can point clients toward reliable
resources. Comparison services such
as reallymoving allow buyers to obtain
accurate quotes for conveyancing,
surveys and house removals at an early
stage, and check extensive customer
reviews at the same time.
Clients can gain a clearer sense of
the expected costs in their region, lock
prices in ahead of time and reduce the
risk of overpaying.
Why this matters
With affordability stretched and
moving costs rising, many FTBs are
delaying their plans or stepping back
from the market. Helping clients
understand the total financial picture
is now central to responsible advice.
Buyers who are fully prepared,
financially and logistically, are more
confident, beer organised and more
likely to complete successfully. Clear,
early guidance is no longer optional,
it is essential to navigating today’s
housing market. ●
December 2025 | The Intermediary
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