Newquay in Cornwall has been named as having the hottest UK property market, overtaking London as the most searched-for location, new research by Rightmove has found.
In fact, the online property portal found that eight out of 10 listed homes have been sold subject to contract since the start of 2021 — the fastest moving market in the UK. With remote working on the up as a result of the pandemic, idyllic coastal areas are more desirable than ever before.
Newton-Le-Willows in Merseyside also made the top 10, where just under 82% of properties have been sold, closely followed by Plymstock in Devon (81%) and East Sussex's Hailsham (81%).
On the other hand, however, Birmingham city centre was found to be the worst place for sellers, with only 18% of properties selling so far this year.
"Areas around the North and South West are the stand-out seller's markets right now, and places in Cornwall and Devon are continuing the trend of a desire to move to the seaside and countryside," Tim Bannister, Rightmove's Director of Property Data, said.
"Suburbs are also faring well as some people move further out from the centre of cities. Both sale and rental properties in city centres have been suffering over the past year as the usual appeal to live there has temporarily been taken away, leading to more stock than usual being available, but we may see these start to shift more quickly over the next few months as lockdown restrictions continue to be removed."
As well as this, new properties coming up for sale were 51% higher this March, thanks to the extension of the Stamp Duty Holiday. So far this year, Rightmove has recorded 20 of its busiest ever days for visits to the site, with 9.3 million people searching for homes on Wednesday 7th April.
Planning to relocate? Take a look at the full list below...
Top 10 seller's market areas
- Newquay, Cornwall
- Newton-Le-Willows, Merseyside
- Plymstock, Devon
- Hailsham, East Sussex
- Canvey Island, Essex
- Atherton, Manchester
- Quedgeley, Gloucestershire
- Willingdon, East Sussex
- Whitchurch, Bristol
- Melksham, Wiltshire
"The stock shortage is the worst I've seen in thirty years and there’s just seemingly endless demand," Bradley Start, Partner at Start & Co Estate Agents in Newquay, adds. "We're getting requests for viewings within minutes of a property going on Rightmove and many properties are going to best and final offers due to the competition, something that usually we would only see a few times a year.
"It's a mix of locals moving, people buying holiday homes and those relocating completely, which is leading to more out-of-town buyers than we would normally see."
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17 garden mirrors to buy for your outdoor space
Reflect light into shady corners with this small window grid mirror. Made of powder-coated steel, it can be hung both portrait or landscape.
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Chapel Distressed Arched Window Indoor Outdoor Full Length Wall Mirror
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This square, vintage-style outdoor mirror will bring a pop of character to your garden or balcony space. And helpfully, it's also suitable for indoor use, so if you ever change your mind, it can be moved without worry.
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This vintage-style distressed mirror from John Lewis will jazz up any empty wall space. Its protective painted finish makes it ideal for the garden, while the fittings ensure it's easy to hang.
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For something a little more unique, this leaf-shaped mirror is an excellent option for a quirky garden full of fun design elements. It comes in two different colourways depending on your preference, rust or black. And it's also UV-stable, so it'll endure in your garden for years.
Add a touch of decor to your outside space with this stunning 'tree of life' garden mirror, which comes in an elegant and natural rust colour.
This outdoor mirror with ornate detailing will make for a lovely addition to both modern or more traditional garden spaces, and is one of the more affordable mirrors on our list, too.
Lisa Joyner is the Deputy Daily Editor at House Beautiful UK and Country Living UK, where she's busy writing about home and interiors, gardening, dog breeds, pets, health and wellbeing, countryside news, small space inspiration, and the hottest properties on the market. Previously, she has written for Conde Nast Traveller, House & Garden and Marie Claire magazine. Lisa studied at University For The Creative Arts, where she completed a BA in Fashion Journalism.
