Liverpool’s first-time buyers market has gotten off to a strong start in 2017, according to a city agent.

National figures from Halifax suggest more people took their first steps onto the property ladder in 2016 than at any time since the start of the financial crisis, and Bluerow Homes has noted a similar continuing trend in Merseyside.

Nicki Boyle, senior sales negotiator at Bluerow Homes, says: “Early January has seen a very strong market, with first-time buyers being especially keen to purchase their new home. Liverpool and the surrounding areas are proving very popular, with favourable mortgage rates encouraging people to take the plunge.

“Of course, there is still some uncertainty over Brexit, although this does not seem to have had an adverse effect on the local property market to date. We are confident that the market will continue to improve as the year goes on.”

Halifax estimates there were 335,750 first-time buyers in the UK last year, the highest number since 359,900 in 2007. However, the national average first-time deposit is said to have doubled to £32,000 since then.

The average price of a first home also appears to be on the rise, with the lender’s figures showing that it has broken through the £200,000 barrier for the first time.

Overall, the number of buyers entering the market was up by 7.3% in 2016, 75% higher than the all-time low of 192,300 first-time purchases in 2008 but some way off the peak of 402,800 in 2006.

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