10 quickest markets for sellers
- Cumbernauld in Scotland and Heaton in Newcastle are the quickest markets in Great Britain
- East London is leading the way in the capital, with Leytonstone overtaking Walthamstow as the fastest market
- Nine out of 10 of the slowest markets are coastal, with St Austell in Cornwall taking 101 days on average
If you’re thinking of listing your home for sale soon, you might be wondering how long it could take to find a buyer.
Right now, homes are taking an average of 64 days to sell nationally, but this can vary significantly depending on where you live in Great Britain. Our Speed of Market tracker takes a real-time look at how quickly homes are selling in different areas, and we can reveal where properties are finding buyers fastest.
Cumbernauld, just northwest of Glasgow, is now the quickest-selling area across Great Britain, with homes taking an average of just 15 days to sell. This is a day faster than we were seeing in November, when Grangemouth held the top spot at 16 days. Scotland dominates the top 10, with all of the fastest markets north of the border – the country continues to be by far the quickest market to sell houses, helped by its different buying system.
In England, Heaton in Newcastle remains the fastest market outside Scotland, with homes taking an average of 26 days to find a buyer. Meanwhile, in the capital, Leytonstone in East London has overtaken Walthamstow as London’s quickest market, where homes are now selling in 34 days on average. However, London’s quickest markets are generally moving more slowly than they were in November.
At the other end of the scale, coastal areas are seeing the longest selling times. St Austell in Cornwall is currently the slowest market, with homes taking 101 days on average to find a buyer.
Take a look at the full lists below.
Britain’s quickest markets
Scotland continues to be by far the quickest market for selling homes. All 10 of the fastest-selling areas are found north of the border.
Cumbernauld tops the list at just 15 days, while Glasgow commuter towns feature prominently alongside towns in Renfrewshire, Ayrshire and Fife.
10 quickest markets in Britain
| Area | Region | Average house price | Average time to sell in days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumbernauld, Glasgow | Scotland | £162,956 | 15 |
| Renfrew, Renfrewshire | Scotland | £157,034 | 18 |
| Kilmarnock, Ayrshire | Scotland | £142,370 | 19 |
| Irvine, Ayrshire | Scotland | £131,385 | 19 |
| Cambuslang, Glasgow | Scotland | £198,221 | 21 |
| Rutherglen, Glasgow | Scotland | £178,115 | 21 |
| Paisley, Renfrewshire | Scotland | £141,156 | 22 |
| Motherwell, Lanarkshire | Scotland | £167,069 | 22 |
| East Kilbride, Glasgow | Scotland | £172,041 | 24 |
| Dunfermline, Fife | Scotland | £212,298 | 24 |
The quickest markets outside Scotland
Outside Scotland, the North East of England is seeing some of the fastest sales, with Heaton in Newcastle taking the top spot at 26 days. The North West also features prominently, with areas in Cheshire, Cumbria and Merseyside all making the top 10.
10 quickest markets outside Scotland
| Area | Region | Average house price | Average time to sell in days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heaton, Newcastle Upon Tyne | North East | £243,085 | 26 |
| Wallsend, Tyne and Wear | North East | £157,991 | 30 |
| Runcorn, Cheshire | North West | £194,184 | 34 |
| Carlisle, Cumbria | North West | £179,275 | 37 |
| Gosforth, Newcastle Upon Tyne | North East | £310,489 | 39 |
| Bootle, Merseyside | North West | £137,768 | 40 |
| Rainham, Gillingham, Kent | South East | £355,622 | 40 |
| Newcastle Upon Tyne | North East | £220,802 | 40 |
| Aldershot, Hampshire | South East | £342,724 | 41 |
| Earley, Reading, Berkshire | South East | £464,731 | 41 |
In London, eastern areas are leading the way. Leytonstone is the fastest at 34 days, with nearby Walthamstow and Leyton also seeing quick sales. South East London locations including Eltham and Crystal Palace also feature in the capital’s top 10. On average, properties in London are taking 70 days to sell.
10 quickest markets in London
| Area | Region | Average house price | Average time to sell in days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leytonstone, East London | London | £533,836 | 34 |
| Walthamstow, East London | London | £534,809 | 38 |
| Leyton, East London | London | £513,323 | 40 |
| Eltham, South East London | London | £472,820 | 48 |
| Romford, London | London | £424,261 | 50 |
| Crystal Palace, South East London | London | £496,016 | 51 |
| Middle Park, South East London | London | £470,257 | 51 |
| Bexleyheath, Kent | London | £480,330 | 55 |
| Chiswick, West London | London | £908,859 | 55 |
| Sidcup, Kent | London | £481,357 | 56 |
Where are homes taking longest to sell?
Coastal areas dominate the list of slower markets, with nine out of 10 of the current slowest areas found by the sea.
St Austell in Cornwall takes the longest at 101 days, followed by Paignton (97 days) and Torquay (95 days) – all in the South West.
10 slowest markets
| Area | Region | Average house price | Average time to sell in days |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Austell, Cornwall | South West | £279,796 | 101 |
| Paignton, Devon | South West | £274,691 | 97 |
| Torquay, Devon | South West | £276,751 | 95 |
| Acomb, York, North Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | £317,581 | 93 |
| Boston, Lincolnshire | East Midlands | £182,103 | 93 |
| Herne Bay, Kent | South East | £351,098 | 93 |
| Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | £166,800 | 92 |
| Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire | North West | £297,905 | 91 |
| Scarborough, North Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | £210,163 | 90 |
| Christchurch, Dorset | South West | £452,166 | 90 |
Thinking of moving?
There’s plenty you can do to help your property stand out when it comes to listing it for sale. Our guide to selling walks you through everything from getting a valuation to exchanging contracts.
Or if you’re taking your first step onto the property ladder, our complete guide to buying takes you through the process step by step.
