Spring is prime time to put a house on the market – but whether you get a quick sale or a long wait for buyers depends heavily on where in the UK you live, analysis by online property listing firm Zoopla has found.
Homes in England and Wales spend an average of 36 days on the market before an offer is made and accepted and the sale agreed.
But there are significant variations around the country. Some homes sell in as little as 19 days while others take as long as 62 days to get a sale agreed.
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More than half (52%) of sales agreed so far in 2025 have been within the first two months of a home being listed.
To complete a sale, sellers and buyers will typically need another four to six months, depending on the complexity of the transaction.
Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, says: “It currently takes just over a month to agree a home sale across England and Wales but this varies widely across the country and by property type with smaller family homes the fastest selling homes.”
Where are the fastest selling homes in England and Wales?
The fastest selling homes in the first three months of 2025 are in Manchester and the borough of Waltham Forest in north east London, Zoopla found. Homes in these areas sell in just 19 days, on average.
With property sold at an average price of £525,000, Waltham Forest is far from the cheapest option for home buyers. But the London borough has much to recommend it.
It is accessible and 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.
Manchester provides a much more pocket-friendly location, with properties selling for an average £240,000. The city's strategic location means it is well connected, with easy access to other parts of the North West.
Its attractions – beyond its two massive football clubs – also include a kaleidoscope of shops, restaurants, cultural venues and buzzing nightlife. For families, Manchester boasts a wealth of educational options while its commitment to safety fosters a sense of belonging, Zoopla says.
Why is there a north/south divide when it comes to selling homes?
As a general rule, homes tend to sell faster in areas with lower house prices which are more affordable to more households.
This means homes in northern regions of England tend to sell faster than homes in southern regions, where prices are higher.
Homes in the North West and North East regions of England are particularly fast-moving.
They take on average 32 days to sell and account for six of the top ten fastest moving markets in England and Wales – Manchester (19 days), Carlisle (20 days), Stockport (22 days), Gateshead (22 days), Newcastle upon Tyne (23 days) and Halton (25 days).
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Fastest moving markets in England and Wales
Local authority
Region
Q1 2025 - Days on the market
Q1 2024 - Days on the market
Sold STC* price Q1 2025
Waltham Forest
London
19
21
£525,000
Manchester
North West
19
22
£240,000
Carlisle
North West
20
23
£160,000
Stockport
North West
22
31
£300,000
Gateshead
North East
22
29
£150,000
Redditch
West Midlands
22
32
£270,000
Newcastle upon Tyne
North East
23
24
£172,000
Basingstoke and Deane
South East
24
29
£357,000
Halton
North West
25
33
£220,000
South Gloucestershire
South West
25
26
£325,000
Source: Zoopla Research
Days on the market for homes listed for sale in the previous 3 months
* Sold subject to contract median asking price
Where are the fastest selling homes in the UK?
When it comes to the entirety of the UK, homes in Scotland tend to move the fastest.
Scottish properties spend an average of 21 days on the market before a sale is agreed – 13 days faster than the UK average of 34 days.
Scotland has a different system from England and Wales, with homes listed with a Home Report, a pack of three documents that give buyers a clear picture of the condition of the property. In addition, homes are marketed as ‘offers over’ the asking price.
Fastest selling homes by type
Across the whole of the UK, when it comes to the size of property for sale, two and three-bedroom homes sell fastest, within an average of 24 days.
Two and three-bed homes are more desirable because they appeal to several types of buyers. They are generally seen as better value for money, particularly for first-time buyers.
Downsizing empty-nesters, who are not ready to give up elements like a garden or more living space, may also look to buy this type of home.
This compares to flats and four-plus bed homes that take an average of 31 and 38 days, respectively to sell due to increased supply and lower demand.
The early weeks of 2025 saw a double-digit increase (18%) in the number of flats on the market, for example, Zoopla says, with a more modest increase of seven per cent in the number of houses for sale.
This increase in supply is running well ahead of new sales agreed, something that is significantly impacting the time to sell for these types of properties.
What causes a slow housing market?
Location isn’t the only deciding factor when it comes to how long it will take a property to sell. According to Zoopla, getting the price right is just as important.
Homes that are priced incorrectly for the local market will take longer to achieve a sale or may not sell at all, Zoopla says.
Where homes don’t attract sufficient demand and sellers, and agents reduce the asking price by 5% or more, these homes take almost twice as long to sell, an average of 43 days, according to the online property listing firm.
An 11% growth in homes for sale year-on-year means that getting the sale price right is important for those sellers keen to secure a home and move in 2025.
Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, says: "Metrics like time to sell and average sale price are crucial in helping would-be sellers understand the value of their home and the asking price they could secure in 2025.
“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.”
Buyer demand has increased across southern England, but it is still not keeping pace with the rise in the number of homes for sale.
Why are there more properties on the market?
One reason for the increase in homes on the market is the decision by 150 councils across the UK to introduce double council tax for second homes.
Second-home hotspots like coastal towns are seeing a boost in supply as a result, something that is significantly affecting the length of time it takes for properties to sell in these areas.
Properties in East Lindsay in the East Midlands, an area known for its stunning coastline that includes seaside towns like Skegness and Mablethorpe, are taking on average 59 days to sell.
Homes in the Welsh county Gwynedd, another second home hotspot that has increased council tax by 150%, are also taking an average of 59 days to sell.
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Slowest-moving housing markets in the UK
Local authority
Region
Q1 2025 - Days on the market
Q1 2024 - Days on the market
Median sold STC price Q1 2025
Denbighshire
Wales
62
48
£180,000
Westminster
London
61
68
£797,500
East Lindsey
East Midlands
59
58
£200,000
Gwynedd
Wales
59
51
£195,000
Angus
Scotland
58
46
£152,500
Kensington and Chelsea
London
58
62
£985,000
Canterbury
Southeast
56
51
£335,000
Forest of Dean
South West
56
50
£297,000
North Devon
South West
55
48
£290,000
Blaenau Gwent
Wales
54
54
£130,000
Source: Zoopla Research
Days on the market for homes listed for sale in the previous 3 months
* Sold subject to contract median asking price
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Laura Miller is an experienced financial and business journalist. Formerly on staff at the Daily Telegraph, her freelance work now appears in the money pages of all the national newspapers. She endeavours to make money issues easy to understand for everyone, and to do justice to the people who regularly trust her to tell their stories. She lives by the sea in Aberystwyth. You can find her tweeting @thatlaurawrites
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