The latest data on the housing market from Zoopla shows landlords are adding to supply levels by selling their properties to rationalise their portfolios and avoid the impact of higher mortgage rates.
The property website said its index showed that 1 in 10 (11%) of homes currently listed for sale were previously rented out.
This figure peaked at 14% in 2020 during the pandemic and has gradually decreased since then, it noted.
Five years ago, around 50% of these rental properties listed for sale returned to the rental market - either unsold or bought by another investor. However, only a third are returning to the rental market more recently.
These ex-rented properties are 25% cheaper in asking price than owned homes (£190,000 vs £250,000 which could be appealing to first-time buyers, Zoopla said, particularly in light of tougher buying conditions this year.