| Two in three homebuyers face unexpected costs, adding strain during the buying process | Common surprise expenses include repairs, legal fees, moving costs, and Stamp Duty charges | Even experienced buyers aren’t immune, with 55% still caught unawares by the additional costs |
It’s no secret that buying a house can be far from cheap, but two in three homebuyers end up facing ‘unexpected costs’ during the process1.
Commonly cited examples of such costs include renovations and repairs, moving costs, legal fees and Stamp Duty. While first-time buyers (66%) saw the highest percentage experiencing unexpected costs, more than half of those with previous buying experience (55%) were still caught unawares.
The costs of costs
Unexpected costs don’t just add financial pressure for prospective homebuyers; they can also contribute to delays. Indeed, going hand in hand with paying more than anticipated, surveys show that many homebuyers find that the buying process also takes longer than expected.
Specifically, some 46% say it took between three and six months to exchange contracts, while a further 16% reported delays of six months or more, according to one study2.
Expect the unexpected?
More than a quarter called unexpected costs the most ‘frustrating’ part of buying their home.
1Smoove, 2025, 2Open Property Data Association, 2025
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