Upsizers have reached their highest market share in almost five years, as improving mortgage affordability and softer house prices make it easier for homeowners to climb the property ladder.
New data from reallymoving shows that 70.3% of movers who are buying and selling a property so far in Q1 2026 are upsizing – defined as buying a more expensive property than the one they’re selling – the highest proportion since May 2021.
A steady resurgence in upsizing activity since autumn 2023 coincides with a gradual easing in borrowing costs, making it more manageable for households to take on larger mortgages. The proportion of transactions using a mortgage also climbed to 82.5% in January 2026 — the highest level in eight years — signalling renewed confidence among borrowers.
At the same time, inflation-adjusted house prices have fallen by 16% over the past four years, according to Nationwide, reducing the real-terms cost of trading up.
In addition to moving to a more expensive property, two thirds of upsizers are also buying homes with additional bedrooms. While the overall average number of bedrooms purchased (2.8) remains broadly stable, the proportion of upsizers buying a property with more bedrooms than the one they are selling has reached 66% in Q1 — the highest level since reallymoving began tracking bedroom data in 2021.
Movers are also relocating shorter distances. The median move distance is now just 9 miles — the lowest level since before the pandemic. Among upsizers specifically, 41% are staying within the same postcode district, the highest share in almost a decade.
Rob Houghton, co-founder and CEO of reallymoving said: “The shift from downsizing in 2023 to upsizing in 2026 highlights how sensitive mover behaviour is to borrowing costs. When mortgage rates peaked, we saw downsizer activity surge, suggesting many homeowners were freeing up equity to help family members buy. Now that borrowing costs have eased, upsizers are firmly back in the driving seat.
“Real house prices have fallen significantly in recent years, so while mortgage rates remain higher than the ultra-low levels of the pandemic era, the overall affordability equation has improved. Despite the cost-of-living crisis, the jump to a larger property has become achievable again for many homeowners. If mortgage rates continue to fall through 2026, the traditional ladder dynamic — homeowners stepping up to larger properties — could reassert itself as the defining feature of the market.
“We’re seeing a clear shift towards people upsizing within their existing communities and staying close to schools, work and support networks rather than relocating further afield. The trend for longer distance moves we saw during the pandemic years has now fully reversed.”
