Bradford was the leading property hotspot in the country in the first quarter of the year, according to research from OnTheMarket, a CoStar Group brand.
The property portal’s latest Hotspots Index revealed that Bradford retained the top spot for a second consecutive quarter, while also topping the table in the first (January to March) and second (April to June) quarters of 2024.
It was only in Q3 2024 when Newcastle, currently sixth in the table, usurped Bradford as the hottest local market.
The OnTheMarket Hotspots Index looked at the number of available sales properties, and compared that against the volume of onsite activity, creating a score that represents the intensity of interest in that area.
Barnsley and Stoke-on-Trent were new entrants to the top 10, jumping to eighth place from thirteenth and tenth from seventeenth respectively in Q4 2024.
Meanwhile, Derby and Blackburn moved the other way, dropping out of the top 10 completely to fifteenth and twenty-fourth place respectively in Q1.
The north/south divide appeared to hold firm, with the top of the list dominated by some of the cheapest locations in the north.
Conversely, at the foot of the table the southern seaside towns are to be found, such as Brighton, Worthing and Bournemouth.
The coolest hotspot once again was Southend-on-Sea which has maintained its position at the bottom of the table for the past year.
Jason Tebb, president of the OnTheMarket, said: “Affordability continues to be a concern for many, even following two base-rate reductions in the second half of last year and a further quarter-point cut in February.
“It is perhaps not surprising that buyers are seeking out better-value locations where their money will go further.
“Despite strong wage growth, average property values have also increased, making it difficult for many to bridge the gap.”
He added: “It will be interesting to see whether the drive by employers to encourage more workers to return to the office will have an impact on activity in more remote locations where a longer commute is acceptable as long as it doesn’t have to be undertaken every day.”
