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How long does it take to sell your home? The best and worst UK cities revealed
Recent statistics have shown a huge gap in the time taken for houses to sell in the north versus the south, with homes in London’s adjacent towns and cities enjoying much faster sales than those located in more northern, ex-industrial locations.
Across the UK, there are many homeowners looking for a quick house sale. But unfortunately, while they have an element of control over the presentation of their homes, there’s precious little they can do to affect a potential buyer’s perspective on location. The proximity of quality services and amenities are a big draw for driving up the asking price of the average UK home – but the position of your home relative to larger cities is fast becoming the driving force behind a purchase, according to a recent survey.
The figures, released by Quick Move Now, have also emphasised the ever-widening north-south divide, with those living closer to London more likely to enjoy a swift house sale. Out of the top ten towns and cities, seven enjoy pride of place thanks to their reputation as excellent commuter towns.
From Brighton and Swindon to Reading and Rochester, the influence of the capital reigns supreme when London-based workers look for an alternative to city centre homes and their extortionate prices. Those looking for locations with good transport links to London can expect to pay over 40% less than those who reside within its periphery. As a result, a home in Reading – the best-performing city – can expect to sell in less than a fifth of the time it would take to sell in the worst-performing town, Wallasey.
Emphasising the north-south divide, the towns and cities with the lowest rankings are all located in either the north of England, Northern Island, Wales or Scotland, with northern industrial cities appearing to suffer the most.
Scunthorpe, with its diminished steel trade; Rochdale, with its historically significant wool trade; and Sunderland, previously one of the world’s largest shipbuilding towns – all represent the decline of previously successful domestic industries. This has undoubtedly had a knock-on effect for those families who chose to stay despite manufacturing and production being moved abroad. Even Keighley in West Yorkshire – the home of television shows such as A Touch Of Frost and Last Of The Summer Wine – is not free from the industrial downtown, languishing in eighth from bottom.
So what can you do if you live in one of these negatively-affected areas? Well, luckily most houses do sell eventually… but for many hoping to sell, time is a factor and they cannot afford to wait for a chain to clear. There are other options, however, such as property buying companies who will buy any home for cash and allow its owner to move ahead in life and buy a new house themselves without stress.
If you’d like to sell your house quickly, ask National Homebuyers for advice, as we guarantee to buy any home. Call 08000 443 911 or request a call back to find out how much you could get for your property.
