New data from property website Zoopla reveals that homes in Manchester and Waltham Forest sell faster than anywhere else in the UK, with an average of just 19 days in each region. Buyers in all regions can expect completion to take between four and six months depending on the complexity of the transaction.
Across England and Wales, the number of days homes spent on the market in the first three months of 2025 was 36, with just over half of all homes selling within two months. In Scotland, which is analysed separately due to its different home-selling system, the average number of days on the market was just 21.
Homes in affordable regions are selling the fastest, with the north of England dominating the top 10. Just behind Manchester is Carlisle with 20 days, followed by Stockport and Gateshead with 22, Newcastle upon Tyne at 23 days, and Halton with 25 days. Redditch (West Midlands), Basingstoke and Deane (South East) and South Gloucestershire (South West) make up the rest of the top 10 with 22, 24 and 25 days respectively.
The slowest moving market can be found in Denbighshire, where properties take an average 62 days to sell. Homes in London’s Westminster are the second-slowest sellers, at 61 days, with East Lindsey in the East Midlands coming in at third slowest with 59. Homes in southern coastal regions have also seen a slow-down, which Zoopla attributes to council tax changes for second homes:
“While buyer demand has increased across southern England, it is failing to keep pace with the increase in homes for sale. With 150 councils across the UK introducing double council tax for second homes, second-home hotspots like coastal towns are seeing a boost in supply, something that is significantly affecting the length of time it takes for properties to sell in these areas.”
However, the general trend is for affordable regions to sell faster. The company said of the data:
“There are significant regional variations in the time to sell, with available stock, demand and pricing all playing an important role. Homes tend to sell faster in areas with lower house prices which are more affordable to more households. Homes in northern regions of England tend to sell faster than homes in southern regions, where prices are higher.”
When it comes to property types, two and three-bedroom homes are snapped up most quickly, with an average of 24 days. ‘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’.
Flats and homes with four or more bedrooms take an average of 31 and 38 days to sell respectively, which Zoopla says is due to an 18% increase in the number of flats on the market that isn’t being matched by demand. ‘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’.
Commenting on the data, Zoopla’s executive director Richard Donnell said getting the price right is crucial for a speedy sale:
“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. Households that are thinking about listing their home and moving in 2025 need to set their asking price at the right level and take the advice of local agents. 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”.
