Six hotspots for home-sellers in Britain

Almost two years of heated buyer demand has created the strongest sellers’ market of the past decade across much of Great Britain.

And our latest research shows that Grays, Essex, and Mangotsfield, near Bristol, are the top hotspots for sellers right now. More than eight out of every 10 homes for sale on Rightmove in these popular towns are already sold subject to contract (SSTC).

Each of the top seller hotspots have key factors in common: good commuter links to a major city, well-priced houses, good schools, and lots of open space.

Our property expert Tim Bannister says that 2021 has been the strongest sellers’ market in ten years. He says: “New properties coming up for sale haven’t been able to keep pace with the buyers who have been snapping them up. Our study shows that in some areas, the shelves are almost bare, leading to a desperate need for more sellers to consider making 2022 their year to move.”

“The good news is that there’s been a jump in the number of people who want to find out what their home is worth and are contacting agents to have their home valued, with many perhaps getting in early to be ready for the New Year buyer rush,” he added.

Top six spots for home-sellers

1. Grays, Essex

Average asking price: £345,415
Annual price growth: 7%
% of homes available for sale: 16%
% of homes sold Subject To Contract (STC): 84%

Buyers priced out of London are heading east to the Thames Estuary hotspot of Grays in Essex, which is about 20 miles east of London and offers a super-fast commute to the City which takes just over half an hour. Property ranges from Victorian houses and Thirties semis, to brand new homes. Most of the local schools have good or outstanding Ofsted reports.

It has plenty of open space, with the lovely Chafford Gorges Nature Park and Greys Chalk Quarry Nature Park to explore, and an artificial beach by the Thames at Riverside Park.

Search for homes for sale in Grays, Essex

2. Mangotsfield, Bristol

Average asking price: £335,598
Annual price growth: 12%
% of homes available for sale: 16%
% of homes sold STC: 84%

As house prices in the centre of Bristol have grown, buyers have started to head to the outskirts of the city, and Mangotsfield, five miles from the heart of Bristol, is busy as a result.

Mangotsfield has lots of spacious Twenties and Thirties houses, a scattering of local shops and restaurants, and the glories of the Cotswolds just to the east. There are regular bus services into the city, with its fantastic selection of shops, bars, restaurants, and nightlife.

Search for homes for sale in Mangotsfield, Bristol

3. Eastleigh, Hampshire

Average asking price: £365,196
Annual price growth: 7%
% of homes available for sale:17%
% of homes sold STC:83%

Just outside Southampton, Eastleigh is the perfect spot to buy a home if you love the outdoors. A good-looking town set beside the River Itchen, Eastleigh is sandwiched between the South Downs National Park and the New Forest, and close to the Solent and the beaches of Sussex and Hampshire.

There’s a good choice of modern new houses and flats in town, as well as some streets of period terraces. With more people now able to work from home, this area has started to attract a new generation of buyers who might previously have felt the hour and 15-minute train ride to London was just a little too far.

Search for homes for sale in Eastleigh, Hampshire

4. Redditch, Worcestershire

Average asking price: £242,886
Annual price growth: 7%
% of homes available for sale: 17%
% of homes sold STC: 83%

Fifteen miles to the north of Birmingham, Redditch – the birthplace of pop music sensation Harry Styles – is not only a popular area for commuters, there’s plenty going on in the vibrant town, with plenty of shops and restaurants, a theatre and cinema. Plus, the 900-acre Arrow Valley Country Park provides plenty of green space.

Property ranges from period terraces to well-priced but slightly bland purpose built houses, and some very fancy country homes on the outskirts.

Search for homes for sale in Redditch, Worcestershire

5. Yeovil, Somerset

Average asking price: £225,763
Annual price growth: 7%
% of homes available for sale:18%
% of homes sold STC: 82%

At the gateway to the West Country, Yeovil is a market town close to beautiful countryside. It’s 20 miles from the West Dorset Heritage Coast, and an hour and a quarter by train to Paddington, or an hour and a half to Bristol.

There’s a good choice of period or new houses, and mostly high-performing schools. Buyers moving out of big cities find it refreshingly walkable. Beyond the coast, you could head for a day trip to Bristol or go and marvel at Stonehenge.

Search for homes for sale in Yeovil, Somerset

6. Hythe, Kent

Average asking price: £423,938
Annual price growth: 13%
% of homes available for sale: 18%
% of homes sold STC: 82%

The pandemic has inspired more home-movers to head to the coast, and Hythe is a classic English seaside town, with a Victorian promenade overlooking the English Channel.

A home overlooking the beach is the most expensive option here – modern penthouses exchange hands for seven-figure sums. But if you look even a street or two inland, you can choose from Thirties detached homes, modern townhouses, and period terraces and cottages.

If you ever get bored of Hythe’s long and slender pebbly beach, you can walk through open countryside along the Royal Military Canal or explore the Kent Downs. The nearest station is at Folkestone, four miles away, where you can also find some excellent grammar schools.

Search for homes in Hythe, Kent

READ MORE: Five reasons why it’s a great time to sell your home

The header image for this article has been provided courtesy of Kempsters Estate Agents, Grays