Family homes in England’s most in-demand areas
Since the housing market reopened in England on 13th May, millions of home-hunters have been looking for their next move.
You’ll find 95% of all properties for sale from estate agents on Rightmove, and we’ve taken a look at where the most in-demand areas are among prospective buyers right now.
This study is based on the number of people phoning and emailing estate agents about homes for sale over the past two weeks on Rightmove, compared to the first two weeks in March before lockdown.
The average increase for all of England is 32%, and we’ve also had our ten busiest ever days on Rightmove since the market opened.
Where are the top ten places with the biggest increase in buyer demand and how much are houses in these areas?
How much of the asking price are sellers getting?
Since the market reopened in England it’s been typical family homes of three or four bedrooms that are achieving closest to asking price for sellers, with buyers agreeing to pay 98% on average in England.
This compares to 97.5% of the asking price being achieved for first-time buyer properties, which are any properties with two bedrooms or fewer, and 97.4% for larger homes, know as ‘top-of-the-ladder’ properties.
So what’s available for families looking to buy in the most in-demand areas? Scroll down to see the types of four-bedroom homes currently listed for sale in the top five places.
We’ve chosen homes on the higher end of the budget as we love to dream, but you can select your own budget and start looking on Rightmove now.
Where’s the most in-demand place in each region?
How are the cities faring?
These are the top ten biggest cities in England, based on number of listings they have on Rightmove.
What do the experts say?
Rightmove’s property expert Miles Shipside said: “The fact that towns are bouncing back better than bigger cities is indicative of many prospective buyers choosing smaller areas to live, but still looking for places that will have all the facilities they need on their doorstep.
“Many of the towns in the list have cheaper prices so a buyer’s budget goes further allowing extra space for possible home-working and gardens for private relaxation.”
What do the estate agents say?
Steven Thomas, Director of Watkins Thomas in Hereford, said: “Our market has been very busy since we were able to reopen in May. There’s been a shift in the type of buyer since before lockdown. We were dealing with a lot of first-time buyers with limited deposits in March, but now it’s families looking for more space.
“It’s a bit like what we see in January – families spend Christmas sitting down and talking about their next move and they get going in January. We’re now seeing people, having sat down during lockdown and reviewed what they’re looking for, jumping into action in June.”
Kristian Derrick, Director of Ashtons in Wigan, added: “Since the market reopened we’re finding that the majority of our three and four bed homes are selling for at least asking price, with many going to sealed bids with a number of buyers interested. Typically these buyers have been local families looking for more space. We’ve also seen a big increase in the buy-to-let market, with investors able to purchase a terraced home in relatively good condition in a good area for under £100,000.”
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