Zoopla has revealed the fastest-moving property markets in England and Wales, and the North has dominated the rankings this year. Six North West and North East regions made it to the top ten list for 2025’s first quarter, with some selling almost three times quicker than London.
Manchester was the North’s fastest market, where homes sold within 19 days on average, compared to the likes of 58 days in one of the slowest markets, Kensington and Chelsea. Carlisle, Stockport Gateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne and Halton also made it to the top ten. On average across the North West and North East, homes sold within 32 days, two days faster than the UK average of 34 days. While Zoopla reported that buyer demand increased across southern England, it failed to keep pace with the increase in homes for sale.
With 150 councils across the UK introducing double council tax for second homes, properties hung on the market in hotspots like coastal towns.
Properties in North Devon, which increased council tax on second homes by 100 % on 1 April, took on average 55 days to sell.
Homes in the Welsh county Gwynedd, another second home hotspot that has increased council tax by 150%, took an average of 59 days to sell.
When it came to the UK, homes in Scotland tended to move fastest, spending an average of 21 days on the market before a sale was agreed.
Despite the North dominating speedy sales, Waltham Forest in North East London topped the list this year for England and Wales, selling in an average of 19 days.
The London borough enjoys good schools, low burglary and crime rates, and a large number of green areas, making it a popular location for families looking to stay within commuting distance of central London.
Two and three-bed homes were the fastest-selling property type, at an average of 23 days, while flats and homes with more than four bedrooms took longer to sell due to increased supply,
Richard Donnell, Executive Director at Zoopla, reported that smaller family homes sold the fastest.
She added: “Buyers have a lot more choice of homes for sale than a year ago. Aiming too high on the asking price is likely to impact saleability and how long you may have to wait to agree a sale.”
