New global research from Cotality shows that UK homebuyers remain committed to homeownership, but affordability pressures are leaving them with less room to compromise - making trusted information more important than ever.
Cotality’s global Consumer Sentiment Report examines how buyers in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are adapting to the cost of homeownership in 2026. Across all five markets, buyers are changing their spending, borrowing and property expectations- but the UK findings point to distinctive pressures.
UK respondents were less willing than the five-country average to cut lifestyle spending, take a smaller mortgage, or consider buying a smaller home, suggesting that many buyers are already making difficult trade-offs in a market characterised by comparatively small homes, high deposit requirements and sustained cost pressures.
Certainty matters throughout the transaction
For UK buyers, the challenge is not only whether they can afford to purchase, but whether they can proceed with confidence. Two-thirds of UK respondents said they would choose certainty over speed. They want clearer costs, greater transparency around mortgage decisions and confidence that their transaction will complete.
These findings reinforce the case for homebuying and selling reform in the UK. Providing trusted property information earlier, including details about condition, valuation and energy performance, can help buyers make informed decisions, reduce avoidable delays and improve outcomes for everyone in the transaction.
Turning buyer demand into better outcomes
For lenders and other property professionals, the opportunity is not simply to wait for market conditions to change. By bringing together property, valuation, market, energy and climate intelligence within customer journeys, organisations can support more informed assessments, clearer decisions and more personalised guidance.
Read the global Cotality Consumer Sentiment Report to explore how buyers across five international markets are responding to affordability pressures - and what this means for the organisations supporting them.
