Most broker conversations seem to start at one of two ends of the housing ladder: the first-time buyer trying to get a foot on it, or the older homeowner weighing up downsizing. In between sits a much bigger, quieter group. Homeowners who have taken their first step onto the housing ladder but may now be considering another move because their lives and housing needs have changed. New research from Yorkshire Building Society, Accord's parent company, calls this group second steppers. It shows that while the desire to move is often still there, costs, stress and a shortage of suitable homes can make that next step harder to take, and it's worth asking whether your brokerage is giving them the attention they're due.
Second steppers matter more than the conversation around them suggests. The research is clear that when this group can't move, the effect doesn't stop with them: it means fewer homes released for the first-time buyers below them on the ladder, and fewer options further up for established homeowners and downsizers too. They're the hinge that keeps the whole chain moving, yet they rarely get a dedicated conversation of their own.
Part of the reason is that this group doesn't always look like it needs one. Just over half of second steppers say they're not currently looking to move at all, most often because they feel settled, like their area, or feel their current home meets their needs. That's a fair position for many of them to be in. But it also means the ones who are quietly ready to move are easy to miss unless you're actively asking, rather than waiting for them to raise it.
For those who are ready, the barriers aren't the same ones a first-time buyer faces. Second steppers are already on the ladder, so the block isn't usually about clearing a deposit hurdle. It's about whether the next move is worth the cost, the stress and the tax, often while balancing a growing family, work and caring responsibilities at the same time.
The numbers back this up. Among second steppers, 36% cite the costs associated with moving as a barrier to buying their next home, 31% cite Stamp Duty, 29% the time and stress involved in buying, 27% not being able to find a home in the area they want to live in, and 26% not finding one with the amenities they need. When it comes to selling, this group is also more likely than average to worry about the time and stress involved. None of that points to reluctance. It points to a decision that carries more weight and more friction than it perhaps should, for people who genuinely want to make the move.
Brokers cannot remove every barrier to moving, but an early conversation can help clients understand their position, explore the options available and make a more informed decision about what comes next.
This is a group worth building into a regular CRM habit rather than waiting for them to come back to you. Pull clients who completed three to five years ago and haven't had a proactive conversation since, particularly around a product transfer or their first remortgage, where the conversation naturally opens anyway. Rather than sticking to conversations around rate, it's worth asking what's changed: family size, working patterns, caring responsibilities, or simply whether the home still works for them.
A proactive conversation could help an existing client understand whether their next move is realistic, while helping your brokerage strengthen a relationship you’ve already built.
Talking through the full cost of moving early, Stamp Duty, fees and moving costs together, rather than piecemeal, helps a client weigh up the decision with a realistic number in front of them rather than a rough guess. It's also worth walking through porting versus new borrowing, so they understand the real choice in front of them rather than assuming the more expensive route is the only one.
Some second steppers will mention extending or adapting their current home instead of moving. That's not necessarily a dead end for the conversation. Around a quarter of this group have already extended their property, which often signals someone weighing a move against staying put rather than someone who's ruled a move out completely. It's worth asking which one it is before assuming.
For brokerages focused on growth, this group represents a case volume that doesn't need a marketing spend to find, it's often sitting in your existing book already. The wider economic case for keeping this part of the ladder moving is significant too: the research finds that every home sale supports £27,000 in economic activity on average, rising to £66,000 once the wider chain it unlocks is included. Second steppers moving on doesn't just generate a case for you, it frees up a home further down the ladder.
For brokerages more focused on steady, manageable workload, this doesn't need to be a campaign. It's a CRM pull and a handful of well timed calls, built into however you already handle remortgage and product transfer conversations.
Second steppers won't usually flag themselves as ready to move. They're settled enough not to complain and busy enough not to chase you. But for the ones balancing a growing family or a changing work pattern against a home that no longer quite fits, a proactive check in can turn a quiet client into a live case. Start with a short list of clients who completed three to five years ago and haven't had a call since, then open the conversation with what's changed in their life, not what rate they're on.
Helping more clients understand their next step could strengthen the relationship you have with them while helping to keep the wider housing ladder moving.
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