Moving from London to East Sussex can buy you considerably more home. The average property in East Sussex cost £316,959 in July 2026, against £550,037 in London, according to the UK House Price Index, and direct trains run to London from towns including Lewes, Polegate, Eastbourne and Uckfield. The mortgage side of the move mostly comes down to three things: how you release your London equity, what stamp duty you will pay, and making sure your income is assessed the right way.
Key takeaway: The trade-off is time for space. The towns with the quickest trains to London generally cost the most, while coastal towns further east offer more home for your money with a longer journey. Plan your sale, purchase and mortgage together and your London equity can go a long way.
[[stats: £550,037 = Average London home, July 2026 (Source: HM Land Registry) | £316,959 = Average East Sussex home, July 2026 (Source: HM Land Registry) | 1h 11m = Fastest weekday train from Lewes to London Victoria (Source: National Rail)]]
How much cheaper is East Sussex than London?
The gap is significant, though it varies a lot from town to town. These are the latest official averages, for July 2026, from the UK House Price Index published by the Office for National Statistics and HM Land Registry.
[[table: Area | Average price (July 2026) ;; London | £550,037 ;; Mid Sussex (including Haywards Heath) | £431,000 ;; Brighton and Hove | £409,000 ;; Wealden (including Uckfield, Crowborough, Hailsham and Polegate) | £391,000 ;; Lewes district (including Lewes, Seaford and Newhaven) | £368,000 ;; Rother (including Bexhill, Rye and Battle) | £338,000 ;; East Sussex (county) | £316,959 ;; Eastbourne | £255,000 ;; Hastings | £239,000]]
That puts the difference between the London and East Sussex averages at more than £230,000, which is why many people moving out of London find their equity could stretch to more space, a smaller mortgage, or both.
What your money buys, by property type
[[table: Area | Detached | Semi-detached | Terraced | Flat ;; Eastbourne | £518,000 | £355,000 | £283,000 | £175,000 ;; Hastings | £478,000 | £327,000 | £256,000 | £141,000 ;; Rother | £566,000 | £369,000 | £293,000 | £182,000 ;; Wealden | £593,000 | £352,000 | £291,000 | £185,000 ;; Lewes district | £593,000 | £398,000 | £324,000 | £198,000 ;; Brighton and Hove | £858,000 | £550,000 | £476,000 | £296,000 ;; Mid Sussex | £733,000 | £452,000 | £368,000 | £218,000]]
Average prices for July 2026 (provisional). Source: ONS and HM Land Registry, UK House Price Index, published 16 September 2026. District averages cover every town and village in the area, so individual towns and streets can differ widely.
How long is the commute from East Sussex to London?
Trains from East Sussex run into London Victoria, London Bridge and Charing Cross. These are the fastest scheduled journeys on National Rail's journey planner for a typical weekday morning, Thursday 15 October 2026.
[[table: From | To | Fastest weekday journey | Direct? ;; Haywards Heath | London Victoria | 44 minutes | Yes ;; Brighton | London Victoria | 1 hour 5 minutes | Yes ;; Lewes | London Victoria | 1 hour 11 minutes | Yes ;; Uckfield | London Bridge | 1 hour 20 minutes | Yes ;; Hastings | London Bridge | 1 hour 22 minutes | Yes ;; Polegate | London Victoria | 1 hour 24 minutes | Yes ;; Eastbourne | London Victoria | 1 hour 31 minutes | Yes ;; Seaford | London Victoria | 1 hour 42 minutes | One change ;; Bexhill | London Victoria | 2 hours | Some direct trains]]
Fastest scheduled journeys departing between 7am and midday on Thursday 15 October 2026. Peak trains can take a little longer: from Eastbourne, for example, the early morning trains took around 1 hour 37 minutes. Timetables change, so check before you rely on a particular service.
Southeastern has also announced a new morning express from Hastings starting on 14 December 2026, with a fastest journey of 1 hour 18 minutes to London Bridge and 1 hour 28 minutes to Charing Cross.
More than a quarter of workers in Great Britain (28%) were hybrid working in early 2025, according to the ONS, so for many people the commute is no longer a daily one, which can make a longer journey from the coast more manageable. It is still worth pricing your season ticket or regular fares into your monthly budget before you settle on what you can comfortably afford.
Should you sell in London before you buy in Sussex?
There is no single right order, and the best choice depends on your finances and your appetite for risk. These are the most common routes:
[[accordion: Sell first, then buy|Selling first means you know exactly how much equity you have and you can move as a chain-free buyer, which sellers often favour. The downside is that you may need to rent in between, which means moving twice. ;; Buy and sell on the same day|The most common route is a chain, where your sale and purchase complete on the same day. It avoids paying for two homes, but a problem anywhere in the chain can delay both. ;; Keep your London home and let it out|Some movers keep their London property as a rental and buy in Sussex using a let-to-buy arrangement. It means two mortgages, landlord responsibilities and usually higher stamp duty on the new purchase, but it keeps a foothold in London. ;; Buy before you sell|If you find the right home first, it may be possible to buy before your London sale completes, for example with short-term bridging finance. This adds cost and risk, so it needs careful planning with an adviser.]]
If you already have a mortgage, you may be able to take your current deal with you rather than paying an early repayment charge - our guide to porting your mortgage explains how it works. If you are keeping your London home, our guides to let-to-buy mortgages and mortgaging a second home cover the options, and our guide to moving home walks through the whole process.
How does your London equity change your mortgage?
Bringing a large deposit from a London sale can change your mortgage options considerably. Lenders price their mortgages in loan-to-value (LTV) bands, such as 60%, 75%, 90% and 95%, and the lower bands tend to come with lower rates. A buyer putting down 40% or more is generally choosing from a wider range of products than one stretching to 95%.
Example: Suppose you sell a London flat and have £200,000 of equity after repaying your mortgage and paying your costs. Buying a £400,000 house in East Sussex, you could put down half and borrow £200,000 at 50% LTV, or keep some cash back for work on the house and borrow a little more. This is a simplified illustration only.
Some movers use their equity to clear their mortgage entirely, while others keep a smaller mortgage and hold savings back for renovations or a financial cushion. If you will still need a mortgage, you can estimate what your income could support below.
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Calculator results are illustrations only and do not reflect any lender's full affordability assessment.
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How much stamp duty will you pay in East Sussex?
East Sussex is in England, so if you have owned a home before you pay Stamp Duty Land Tax at the standard rates: 0% on the first £125,000, 2% on the next £125,000, 5% on the portion from £250,001 to £925,000, 10% from £925,001 to £1.5 million and 12% above that.
[[table: Purchase price | Stamp duty if replacing your main home | Stamp duty if you keep your London home ;; £255,000 | £2,750 | £15,500 ;; £400,000 | £10,000 | £30,000]]
If you still own your London home at the end of the day you complete on your Sussex purchase, the higher rates for additional properties usually apply, adding 5% to every band. If you then sell your previous main home within 3 years, you can usually claim the extra back. First-time buyer relief does not apply if you have owned a home before. Our stamp duty calculator lets you try your own figures.
Stamp duty rates correct as at 13 October 2026.
Will mortgage lenders mind that you commute to London?
Generally, no. Lenders assess your income, your outgoings and your credit history rather than where your office is, so keeping a London job while living in Sussex is not usually an issue in itself. What matters is that your regular costs, including travel, still leave the mortgage comfortably affordable.
If you are planning to change jobs as part of the move, the timing can affect your application. Some lenders can use a new salary from day one with a signed contract, and probation is rarely the deciding factor on its own - see our guides to getting a mortgage with a new job and getting a mortgage on probation. If you are self-employed or a company director, our self-employed mortgage guide covers how lenders look at your income. If part of your pay comes as bonus or commission, our guide to how lenders count bonus and commission income compares how different lenders treat it.
What should you check before buying in East Sussex?
- The survey. If you are buying a period or converted property, a more detailed survey can be worth the extra cost. Our guide to which survey to get explains the options.
- Listed buildings. Historic England's National Heritage List for England shows whether a building is listed, which can affect the changes you are allowed to make.
- Lease length on flats. If you are buying a flat, the length of lease remaining matters to lenders, so check it early.
Moving to Eastbourne or nearby? Local mortgage advice
Quanstrom Financial is a mortgage broker in Eastbourne, so we know the towns you are looking at. Whether you are considering Eastbourne, Lewes, Seaford, Uckfield, Polegate, Hailsham, Bexhill, Hastings or Haywards Heath, we can meet you at our office in Eastbourne, or advise by video call, phone or email while you are still in London.
As a whole-of-market broker, we compare lenders across the market for you, including for larger deposits, complex income and buying before you sell. Book a free consultation to talk through your move.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct train from Eastbourne to London?
Yes. Direct trains run from Eastbourne to London Victoria, with the fastest weekday journeys taking around 1 hour 31 minutes and early morning trains around 1 hour 37 minutes, based on National Rail's timetable for 15 October 2026.
How much cheaper is East Sussex than London?
In July 2026 the average home in East Sussex cost £316,959, compared with £550,037 in London, according to the UK House Price Index. In Eastbourne the average was £255,000 and in Hastings £239,000, while Brighton and Hove averaged £409,000.
Which East Sussex towns have the quickest commute to London?
Of the towns in our table, Brighton, at around 1 hour 5 minutes to London Victoria, and Lewes, at around 1 hour 11 minutes, have the fastest trains, with Uckfield around 1 hour 20 minutes to London Bridge. Haywards Heath, in neighbouring West Sussex, is quicker still at around 44 minutes.
Should I sell my London home before buying in East Sussex?
There is no single right answer. Selling first gives you certainty and makes you a chain-free buyer but may mean renting in between, while buying and selling on the same day avoids paying for two homes but depends on the whole chain. The right order depends on your finances and how much risk you are comfortable with.
Can I keep my London flat and rent it out?
You may be able to, often through a let-to-buy arrangement, where you remortgage your current home onto a buy-to-let mortgage and take a new mortgage on your Sussex home. You will usually pay the higher rates of stamp duty on the new purchase, so it is worth planning the numbers carefully.
Can I take my mortgage with me when I move to Sussex?
Often, yes. Many mortgages are portable, meaning you can move your existing rate to a new property, subject to the lender's criteria. Any extra borrowing may be on a different rate, and porting is not always the cheapest option, so it is worth comparing it with a new mortgage.
How much stamp duty will I pay moving to East Sussex?
If you have owned a home before and are replacing it, stamp duty on a £400,000 purchase is £10,000 at current rates. If you keep your London home, the higher rates for additional properties usually apply, which would make it £30,000, although you can usually claim the extra back if you sell your previous main home within 3 years.
Do mortgage lenders mind if I commute to London?
Not usually. Lenders focus on your income, outgoings and credit history rather than where you work, but your travel costs are part of your monthly budget, so it is worth making sure the mortgage stays comfortably affordable once fares are included.
Is Eastbourne cheaper than Brighton?
Yes, considerably. The average home in Eastbourne cost £255,000 in July 2026, against £409,000 in Brighton and Hove, according to the UK House Price Index. Brighton has faster trains to London, at around 1 hour 5 minutes to Victoria compared with around 1 hour 31 minutes from Eastbourne.
Written by Toby Quanstrom CeMAP, Director at Quanstrom Financial, a whole-of-market mortgage broker based in Eastbourne, East Sussex.
House prices: UK House Price Index, July 2026 (provisional), ONS and HM Land Registry. Train times: fastest scheduled weekday journeys on National Rail's journey planner for Thursday 15 October 2026. Stamp duty rates correct as at 13 October 2026. This article is general information only and does not constitute personal advice.
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