The number of mortgages for first-time buyers touched the highest-mark in two years in December 2009 as people rushed to take advantage of tax break.
The Council for Mortgage Lenders said that banks approved around 25,000 mortgages for first-time buyers in December, up 26 per cent from the previous month. The figure was the highest since November 2007.
Stamp duty holiday, which was saving up to 1,750 pounds for the first-time buyers, came to an end at the start of this year.
From January 1, 2010, stamp duty added extra 1 per cent of the purchase price to the transaction cost. 
Speaking on the topic, Brian Murphy from Mortgage Advice Bureau said, “The stamp duty holiday was a real fillip for first-time buyers, and they clearly took the government up on its offer.”
However, he added that first-time buyer levels would start dropping again due to the conclusion of the stamp duty holiday.
The Government had launched stamp duty holiday on property worth less than 175,000 pounds, in wake recent recession to support struggling property market.