In low-stock regions, priorities between buyers and movers are diverging, and brokers play a crucial role in realignment
In high-demand areas like Sussex, the housing market isn’t just tight, it’s mismatched. First-time buyers and home movers are entering the same competitive space with very different priorities, and according to Rebecca Geer of Oakdene Mortgages, that disconnect often leads to delays, frustration, and lost opportunities.
“Movers tend to have really high expectations of what their current property will sell for,” said Geer. “Estate agents are driving that, often overvaluing homes and creating a false sense of demand.”
The result is stalled chains and missed purchases. “I had a client who did their research and wanted to list at £475,000,” Geer said. “But the agents pushed for £525,000. She lost the home she wanted because she wasn’t getting the viewings – the market didn’t agree with the price.”
Buyers look for affordability, movers look for leverage
The gap between movers and first-time buyers begins with mindset. Home movers, Geer explains, are focused on monthly affordability, not the perceived value of an asset they already own. “They ask: what can I actually afford to pay each month, not what’s the maximum I can borrow?” Conversely, first time buyers are focused on the maximum they can borrow.
Older first-time buyers, now often in their 40s, face additional challenges as shorter mortgage terms mean higher monthly costs. Meanwhile, many are used to renting homes larger than they can realistically buy, which skews their perception of affordability.
By contrast, movers often over-leverage emotionally and financially, Geer said. “They fixate on what they think their current home is worth and build their next move around that. But without a realistic valuation and a firm offer, they’re stuck.”
Cost-of-moving calculations can reset expectations
To level-set both groups, Geer begins every client relationship with a “cost-of-moving” exercise. “We go through everything - estate agent fees, solicitor quotes, survey costs, removals. It’s about painting the full financial picture,” she said.
That clarity helps first-time buyers feel more prepared and often reins in overconfident movers. “It’s not just about deposit and rate - the hidden costs matter. And it’s critical to do this before a property search begins.”
She also encourages all buyers to work with a broker early, ideally three to four months before a potential purchase to line up documents, secure pre-approvals, and get a true sense of what’s affordable.
Fast markets require realism and readiness
In competitive areas, lenders are doing their part. Geer describes sub-minute mortgage offers and innovative products like 95–100% LTV loans and rent-based affordability schemes. But speed doesn’t solve everything.
“What’s missing is consistency, especially with pricing expectations and transaction timelines,” she said. Conveyancing remains a sore spot. “Everything else has sped up - estate agents, mortgage offers - but the legal side is still slow and clunky.”
For movers hoping to leapfrog into a new home, and first-time buyers eager to gain a foothold, the broker’s role is increasingly to manage expectations, not just secure a loan.
“There’s a lot of noise,” Geer said. “But the fundamentals haven’t changed: know what you can afford, be ready, and don’t let hype drive your decisions.”
Education bridges the gap
Geer sees the broker’s job as an educator above all, especially when priorities between movers and new buyers are misaligned.
“I love working with first-time buyers because they’re learning and open to advice,” she said. “But movers need that same grounding. If we can bring both groups back to reality early on, deals go faster, and stress levels go down.”
In a fast-moving, low-stock market, realism, not rhetoric, is what gets keys in hands.
