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The number of homemovers hit a seven-year high in 2014 but is still well down on pre-financial crisis levels

An estimated 365,400 people moved home last year as rising house prices boosted homeowner equity and made it easier to find affordable mortgage deals.

This was the largest annual increase in the number of homemovers since 2010, and the third successive annual rise.

The number of homemovers in 2014 was 16% higher than in 2009, which marked the depth of the recent housing market recession.

But it was little more than half the average 717,025 homeowners seen between 2004 and 2007.

The new figures from Lloyds Bank also showed that Chancellor George Osborne's recent stamp duty reforms should save the average homeowner nearly £5,000, further boosting the housing market.

The tax bill on the average homemover property of £252,064 has fallen from £7,561 to £2,603, a drop of £4,958.

Lloyds' figures also showed that first-time buyer numbers have risen significantly faster than homemovers in recent years.

Homemovers have declined as a proportion of all new mortgage-financed home purchasers from 71% in 2004 to 54% in 2014.

Since 2009, the average price paid by a homemover has grown £199,645 to £252,064, an increase of £52,418 or more than 25%.

The average deposit put down by a homemover in 2014 was £83,302.

Andy Hulme, Lloyds Bank mortgages director, said: "House price rises over the past 12 months have enabled more homeowners to make the next move on the housing ladder.

"The resulting higher levels of equity in their property are providing homeowners with more funds to finance the purchase of their next home.

"A steady rise in property values in 2015 should further ease the constraint on many of those who bought their first home around the peak of the market in 2006 and 2007, enabling more of them to become second steppers."

Homemover property prices increased by 9% in 2014.

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