What £250,000 buys you around the UK

We looked at 57,092 homes listed at around £250,000. In Sheffield it usually buys a three-bedroom house. In London it buys a one-bedroom flat. Here's what the same money gets you, area by area.

Theo Marsh11 Nov 2026 · 4 min read Part of: Buying a home: the Home guide

Published 11 November 2026.

Around £250,000 most often buys a three-bedroom semi-detached or terraced house. But it depends heavily on where you look. In the Sheffield postcode area, 82% of homes at this price were houses with three or more bedrooms. In London postcodes, 1% were.

We looked at 57,092 homes listed for sale on home.co.uk at £225,000 to £275,000 between 10 August and 8 November 2026. For comparison, HM Land Registry put the average UK sold price at £273,000 in August 2026. Ours are asking prices.

What you typically get

Nearly 8 in 10 homes at this price were houses or bungalows. About 2 in 10 were flats.

Share of homes listed at £225,000 to £275,000 by type: semi-detached 30%, terraced 24%, flat or maisonette 21%, bungalow 10%, detached 9%, other houses 5%, other 1%

Almost half had three bedrooms, and just over a third had two.

Share of homes at £225,000 to £275,000 by bedrooms: one 8%, two 36%, three 48%, four 7%, five or more 1%

What £250,000 buys, area by area

In Sheffield, Nottingham and Newcastle, at least three-quarters of homes at this price were houses with three or more bedrooms. In Bristol it was 29%, in Brighton 15%, and in London 1%.

Share of homes at £225,000 to £275,000 that are houses with three or more bedrooms: Sheffield 82%, Nottingham 78%, Newcastle 76%, Birmingham 69%, Cardiff 68%, Leeds 58%, Liverpool 54%, Glasgow 53%, Manchester 47%, Edinburgh 38%, Bristol 29%, Brighton 15%, London 1%

Here's what's for sale in Sheffield with three or more bedrooms for up to £250,000:

Live on Home

Homes for sale in Sheffield

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Where £250,000 buys a detached home

Across all areas, 13% of homes at this price were detached, counting detached bungalows. In Doncaster it was half, and in Darlington and Teesside nearly half.

Share of homes at £225,000 to £275,000 that are detached: Doncaster 50%, Darlington 48%, Teesside 48%, Lincoln 44%, Durham 43%, Peterborough 35%, Swansea 33%, Carlisle 33%, all areas 13%

Live on Home

Homes for sale in Doncaster

See all homes for sale there

Where it mostly buys a flat

In London postcodes (E, EC, N, NW, SE, SW, W and WC), 96% of homes at this price were flats, and 68% had one bedroom. Flats also made up most homes at this price in Croydon and Romford in outer London, and in Guildford, Hemel Hempstead, Reading and Brighton.

Share of homes at £225,000 to £275,000 that are flats: London 96%, Croydon 92%, Romford 81%, Guildford 79%, Hemel Hempstead 71%, Reading 67%, Brighton 64%, all areas 21%

What you'd pay in stamp duty

In England and Northern Ireland, Stamp Duty Land Tax on a £250,000 home is £2,500 if it will be your only home: nothing on the first £125,000 and 2% on the next £125,000. First-time buyers who qualify for relief pay no stamp duty on homes up to £300,000. You'll usually pay 5% on top if you'll own another home as well. Scotland and Wales have their own taxes with different rates. These rates were correct on 10 November 2026 and can change, so check gov.uk before you budget.

Houses for sale under £250,000 (250k)

Houses under £250,000 in Sheffield, Nottingham and Doncaster
House prices in your area
Our guide to buying a home

How we worked this out

We counted homes listed for sale on home.co.uk between 10 August and 8 November 2026 with an asking price of £225,000 to £275,000, leaving out commercial property. We counted each home once: 57,092 in all. These are asking prices, not sold prices.

Areas are postcode areas, named after their main town or city: for example, S for Sheffield and DN for Doncaster. London is the E, EC, N, NW, SE, SW, W and WC postcode areas. We only show areas with at least 250 homes at this price. "Flats" includes maisonettes and apartments. "Detached" includes detached bungalows.

Frequently asked questions

What can I buy for £250,000 in the UK?

Most often a three-bedroom semi-detached or terraced house. Of the homes we looked at around this price, 55% were houses with three or more bedrooms and 21% were flats.

Where can I buy a house with three or more bedrooms for £250,000?

In many cities in the North, the Midlands and Wales. In Sheffield, Nottingham and Newcastle, at least three-quarters of homes at around £250,000 were houses with three or more bedrooms.

What does £250,000 buy in London?

Almost always a flat. 96% of homes in London postcodes at around this price were flats, and 68% had one bedroom.

How much is stamp duty on a £250,000 house?

In England and Northern Ireland it's £2,500 if it will be your only home, and nothing if you qualify for first-time buyer relief. You'll usually pay 5% on top if you'll own another home.

Sources

UK House Price Index summary: August 2026. HM Land Registry. Accessed 10 November 2026.
Stamp Duty Land Tax: residential property rates. UK Government. Accessed 10 November 2026.