People buying and selling a property in 2026 will pay £17,413 in upfront expenses, which is £418 less – or 2.3% – than a year ago, when costs reached an all-time high.
However, looking at the bigger picture, the cost of moving to a new home has risen by 74% over the past decade, after adjusting for inflation. Back in 2016, the cost of moving a house was £10,016 in today’s money compared to £17,413 today.
The cost of moving house report takes into account all additional costs except the mortgage and deposit.
Stamp duty is the biggest cost for those already on the property ladder, averaging £9,500. First-time buyers purchasing a property worth up to £300,000 are exempt.
Estate agent fees, which average £4,473, conveyancing typically at £2,241 and surveying which costs £510 on average, also need to be taken into consideration by house movers.
There is also a removal fee of usually £624 and the sellers’ cost of obtaining an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which is £65.
Real estate prices are falling
Stamp duty is the biggest expense for many, and is calculated as a percentage of the property price. So with House prices fallThe typical stamp duty bill has also fallen, and this has largely led to lower moving costs over the past year, according to Realmoving. It also reduced the average estate agent fees.
The biggest change was in removal costs, which fell by almost 12% from £709 to £624 based on a movement of less than 30 miles.
Real Moving said this may be due to fierce competition among movers amid declining demand for movers. These savings offset a 2.7% increase in transport costs from £2,182 to £2,241.
Rob Houghton, founder and CEO of Real Moving, said: “Movers will be relieved to hear that the cost of moving has eased slightly this year, but the longer-term picture is much less reassuring.
“Moving home costs almost three-quarters of what it did a decade ago, even after accounting for inflation, making it a major barrier to mobility and economic growth. When families face an upfront bill of more than £17,000 just for buying and selling, especially during an extended cost of living crisis like this, many decide to stay where they are even if their homes no longer suit their needs.
“It prevents people from moving to a new job, discourages growing families from moving to larger homes and makes downsizing much less attractive.
“Moving home is also generating spend across a whole range of businesses from conveyancers, surveyors, estate agents and removal companies to tradesmen and retailers. With transaction volumes suppressed, the impact extends beyond the direct housing market.”
