Upsizers have returned to the housing market and reached their highest market share in almost five years during the first three months of 2026.
First quarter 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.
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Upsizers at five-year high: 70.3% of movers buying and selling in Q1 2026 are upsizing — the highest share since May 2021.
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Recovery since 2023: Upsizing has steadily increased since autumn 2023, aligning with easing mortgage rates.
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Mortgage use up: 82.5% of transactions used a mortgage in January 2026 — the highest level in eight years.
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Improved affordability: Inflation-adjusted house prices have fallen 16% over four years (per Nationwide), reducing the real cost of trading up.
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Shift from downsizing to upsizing: In 2023, high mortgage rates drove more downsizing; falling borrowing costs have now put upsizers “back in the driving seat.”
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Affordability equation better: Although rates remain above pandemic lows, lower real house prices have made larger homes more attainable despite cost-of-living pressures.
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Potential 2026 trend: If mortgage rates continue to fall, traditional “property ladder” dynamics could strengthen further.
More bedrooms & shorter moves
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66% of upsizers are buying homes with more bedrooms — the highest since tracking began in 2021.
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Average bedrooms purchased remains stable at 2.8.
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Median move distance is just 9 miles — the lowest since before the pandemic.
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41% of upsizers stay within the same postcode district — the highest share in almost a decade.
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Trend indicates more homeowners are gaining space locally rather than relocating to cheaper regions.
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Pandemic-era long-distance moving trend has fully reversed.
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.
Rob Houghton, co-founder and chief executive 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.”
More bedrooms — and closer to home
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. This suggests more households are affording extra space locally without needing to uproot their lives by moving to a cheaper region.
Houghton added: “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.”
