The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggest something rather unexpected. After years of worsening affordability, the picture has begun to improve. Wages have risen faster than house prices since 2021, nudging the headline affordability ratios in the right direction. On the face of it, that feels like progress.

When you have had your property on the market for a while, many sellers eventually face the same difficult decision: whether their asking price needs adjusting to reignite buyer interest.

Over the last few weeks, there has been a growing narrative in the national press suggesting that the housing ladder is becoming increasingly difficult to climb. Much of this centres around the widening gap between smaller and larger homes, with many commentators suggesting that homeowners are becoming “stuck” and unable to move up.

In Bicester, the gap between 2- and 3-bed homes has widened since 2006, but moving up isn’t as unaffordable as it seems. Lower mortgage rates, higher equity, and incomes mean real monthly costs have risen less than headlines suggest.