Existing homeowners prioritising stability over mobility

Adam French, Head of Consumer Finance 01603 476154 Email Adam

Existing homeowners prioritising stability over mobility

Existing homeowners continue to be risk averse, prioritising financial stability over mobility, mortgage search data from Moneyfactscompare.co.uk reveals.

Analysis of consumers comparing fixed-rate mortgages on moneyfactscompare.co.uk in February 2026 shows a clear divide between first-time buyers and existing homeowners. While new buyers remain concentrated in high loan-to-value (LTV) borrowing, homemovers are overwhelmingly searching for lower-risk loans, a sign that many households are choosing predictable finances over stretching themselves to make a move.

Of those second-time buyers and homemovers who are researching mortgages, 45% are looking for fixed terms of five years or more which may indicate that many households expect interest rates to remain uncertain and are seeking payment stability rather than risking short-term rate bets. Combined with sluggish house price growth it may mean many existing homeowners are only considering making a move when necessary, rather than opportunistically.

Existing homeowners prioritising stability over mobility

Existing homeowners continue to be risk averse, prioritising financial stability over mobility, mortgage search data from Moneyfactscompare.co.uk reveals.

LTV	Borrower type			Moneyfacts Average Mortgage Rates (at LTVs)
LTV	FTB	STB	RMTG	2-yr	5-yr
Max 60%	17%	45%	68%	4.23%	4.55%
Max 80%	18%	35%	24%	4.77%	4.84%
Max 90%	48%	18%	6%	5.07%	5.11%
Max 95%	11%	2%	1%	5.44%	5.46%
Max 100%	5%	0%	0%	-	-
Consumers comparing fixed term mortgage deals on moneyfactscompare.co.uk, 1-28 February 2026, by borrower type and LTV. Percentages rounded to the nearest whole number. Average mortgage rates correct as at 28 February 2026. Source: Moneyfacts Analyser
FTB: first-time buyer. STB: second-time buyer or homemover. RMTG: remortgage

LTV	Borrower type			Moneyfacts Average Mortgage Rates (at LTVs)
LTV	FTB	STB	RMTG	2-yr	5-yr
Max 60%	17%	45%	68%	4.23%	4.55%
Max 80%	18%	35%	24%	4.77%	4.84%
Max 90%	48%	18%	6%	5.07%	5.11%
Max 95%	11%	2%	1%	5.44%	5.46%
Max 100%	5%	0%	0%	-	-
Consumers comparing fixed term mortgage deals on moneyfactscompare.co.uk, 1-28 February 2026, by borrower type and LTV. Percentages rounded to the nearest whole number. Average mortgage rates correct as at 28 February 2026. Source: Moneyfacts Analyser
FTB: first-time buyer. STB: second-time buyer or homemover. RMTG: remortgage

Adam French, Head of Consumer Finance at Moneyfactscompare.co.uk, said:

“Mortgage search behaviour reveals that while first-time buyers continue to stretch into higher loan-to-value borrowing out of necessity, existing homeowners are prioritising lower risk and greater financial certainty.

“Moneyfactscompare.co.uk data also shows almost half (45%) of second-time buyers and homemovers are opting for fixes of five years or longer, significantly more than first-time buyers or remortgage borrowers. At the same time, searches are heavily concentrated at lower LTV tiers among existing borrowers, with more than two-thirds of remortgage borrowers looking at loans of 60% LTV or below.

“This suggests many households are choosing stability over mobility. Slower house price growth means fewer homeowners are trading up quickly and instead are focusing on protecting affordability and insulating themselves from future economic and rate uncertainty. The housing ladder hasn’t stopped moving, but in an increasingly volatile - and expensive - world, it appears plenty of prospective borrowers are climbing it much more cautiously.”

Adam French, Head of Consumer Finance at Moneyfactscompare.co.uk, said:

Notes to editors

You are welcome to use part or all of this press release, so long as we are sufficiently sourced. We would appreciate a link back to Moneyfactscompare.co.uk.

Pioneering financial comparison technology for over 35 years, Moneyfacts Group plc is the UK’s leading provider of retail financial product data. Used by virtually every bank and building society in the UK, and supplied to the Bank of England, Financial Conduct Authority, Financial Ombudsman Service, HM Treasury, Prudential Regulatory Authority and UK Finance.

Our expert research team monitors the thousands of mortgages, savings, credit card, personal loan, banking, life, pension and investment products in the UK.

Moneyfactscompare.co.uk is the financial product price comparison site, launched as Moneyfacts.co.uk in 2000 and rebranded to Moneyfactscompare.co.uk in 2023, which helps consumers compare thousands of financial products, including credit cards, savings, mortgages and many more. Unlike other comparison sites, Moneyfactscompare.co.uk shows whole of market data regardless of commercial bias, showing consumers a true picture of the best products based on the criteria they select.

For more information about us please see our key facts.

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Notes to editors

You are welcome to use part or all of this press release, so long as we are sufficiently sourced. We would appreciate a link back to Moneyfactscompare.co.uk.

Our expert research team monitors the thousands of mortgages, savings, credit card, personal loan, banking, life, pension and investment products in the UK.

For more information about us please see our key facts.

Broadcast

Our broadcast suite enables our finance experts to appear in-vision for television, and we regularly comment live on national and regional radio.

To arrange an interview for radio or television, please contact our press department. We have an in-house broadcast room.

If you're looking for extra comment, a chart or more information, then please give us a call. We are always more than happy to help.

Adam French Head of Consumer Finance

01603 476154

Email Adam

Rachel Springall Finance Expert

01603 476210

Email Rachel

Caitlyn Eastell Personal Finance Analyst