Homeowners who purchased their current home within the last 20 years are sitting on an average of £80,000 in property value gains, according to new analysis by Zoopla.

This is due in part to house price growth of 78% over the last 20 years.

Zoopla also estimated that UK homeowners who sold their home in the last 12 months made on average £65,000.

In London, 71% of homeowners are currently sitting on gains larger than those released by the average UK homeowner who sold their home in the past 12 months (£65,000).

Outside the capital, the South East saw the highest proportion of homes (70%) increase in value by £65,000 or more due to higher property values in the region and above-average house price growth over the last two decades.

At the other end of the scale, average gains in the North East and Scotland have been much lower, typically sitting between £40,000 and £45,000. This is due to lower house prices as well as modest 20-year house price growth, especially during the period that followed the global financial crisis.

Senior property researcher at Zoopla, Izabella Lubowiecka, commented: “Millions of UK homeowners are sitting on tens of thousands of pounds in property value gains since they moved into their current home, despite recent falls in house prices.

“Whilst house prices fell or grew modestly in London in recent years, there are areas, such as Richmond, where the market has fared much better. In the North West, Trafford has seen similar growth, due in part to its close proximity to Manchester and popularity with families looking to move out of the city.

“For many, meaningful capital gains can provide important financial support for their next home move. Those thinking of selling should get their property valued sooner rather than later, they never know, they could be sitting on a small fortune.”

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