Bradford has once again been named the country’s most in-demand housing market, topping OnTheMarket’s Hotspots Index for the third consecutive period.
The index, published by the CoStar-owned property portal, tracks sales activity by comparing listings with buyer engagement over a rolling three-month period.
Between May and July, Bradford retained its position at the top of the table, having also led in the February–April and November–January reports.
Coventry registered one of the strongest gains, climbing from ninth to second, while Stoke-on-Trent entered the top 10 for the first time, rising from 12th to ninth. Barnsley, by contrast, fell out of the top 10 to 15th place.
COLDEST MARKET
At the other end of the scale, Brighton emerged as the “coldest” market, swapping places with Southend-on-Sea, which moved up three places. Bristol also fell sharply, dropping eight places into the bottom 10 for the first time.
Jason Tebb, president of OnTheMarket, said: “Once again, the north-south divide is holding firm, with the strongest levels of activity concentrated in some of the most vibrant and best-value markets in the north of England.
“By contrast, the southern seaside towns, where average values are higher, dominate the foot of the table.”
And he added: “Despite five interest rate reductions in the past year and some lenders easing criteria, affordability remains a challenge. Buyers are still seeking locations where their money will go further. Yet even with strong wage growth, higher average property values are making it difficult for many to bridge the gap.”
SIGNIFICANT MOVERS
Other significant movers included Luton, which jumped to 11th from 22nd, Southampton, up nine places to 16th, and Slough, which climbed 16 places to 20th. Oxford also saw a surge in demand, rising from 30th to 17th. Swindon fell most sharply, down to 34th from 20th.
In London, Barking and Dagenham and the City of London swapped places at the top of the capital’s rankings, but the overall composition of the top and bottom 10 boroughs remained unchanged. Lambeth again recorded the lowest activity levels, maintaining its position at the foot of the table for the third consecutive report.
