Homeowners who bought their current home within the last 20 years are sitting on an average of £80,000 in property value gains, research reveals.
The analysis by Zoopla also found that 60% are seeing gains of £65,000 or more.
This is due in part to house price growth of 78% during the last 20 years.
Meanwhile, the property website found that homeowners who sold their home in the last 12 months made £65,000 on average.
High house prices in London
In London, 71% of homeowners are currently sitting on gains larger than those released by the average homeowner – at £65,000 – who sold their home in the past 12 months.
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Outside of the capital, the South East saw the highest proportion (70%) of homes increase in value by £65,000 or more due to higher property values in the region and above-average house price growth during the past two decades.
Lowest average gains
By contrast, average gains in the North East and Scotland are 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.
However, homeowners do not necessarily need to reside in their home for decades to benefit from substantial gains.
Nearly half – 48% – of homes purchased in the past 10 years have increased in value by more than £65,000, increasing to 55% in the South of England.
In the South West, 58% of homes experienced gains of more than £65,000, the highest proportion in the UK.
It is followed by the South East at 57% and the East of England at 53%.
High-value areas and commuter towns see largest gains
Homes in high-value areas and commuter hotspots have seen the largest property gains in the past 20 years, with 80% of homes in the Cotswolds increasing in value by more than £65,000.
Richmond, often viewed as one of London’s highly desirable suburbs due to its plentiful green spaces and fast connections to Central London, also saw 80% of homes increase in value by £65,000 or more.
Redbridge, Waltham Forest, Barking and Dagenham are some of the more affordable suburbs in the East of the capital, and have seen 77% of homeowners gain £65,000 or more since their last purchase.
Zoopla attributed this to Londoners looking increasingly to balance their budgets with their commuting needs.
Traditional commuter towns near London also saw more than three-quarters of homeowners gaining over £65,000 in property value since they last bought their home.
This includes St Albans and Wokingham, both at 78%, and Sevenoaks at 77%.
All three locations provide access to Central London by train in 40 minutes or fewer.
Trafford in the North West also saw significant gains of 78% due to an increase in house prices within the area.
Izabella Lubowiecka, senior property researcher at Zoopla, said: “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.
“While 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.”
She continued: “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.”
