North West property market remains resilient as homes take longer to sell across Britain
Half of local housing markets across Great Britain are taking longer to secure buyers than a year ago, but Zoopla data shows the North West continues to outperform many parts of th
By The Guardian
Homes are taking longer to sell than a year ago across half of Great Britain’s local housing markets as mortgage uncertainty makes buyers increasingly cautious.
New analysis from property platform Zoopla found selling times had increased in 180 of 363 local authority areas across England, Scotland and Wales.
Despite the widespread slowdown, the national average time required to find a buyer remains unchanged at 42 days.
Zoopla says that figure masks increasingly significant differences between individual property markets.
For Cheshire and the wider North West, the picture remains relatively resilient compared with many higher-priced areas of southern England.
Separate Zoopla market data for 2026 has identified the North West as one of England’s strongest-performing housing regions, supported by comparatively affordable property prices and access to major employment centres.
Warrington has been among the stronger markets.
Zoopla’s 2026 postcode analysis put the average property price in Warrington at around £231,300, with annual price growth of 2.9%.
Homes were taking an average of 37 days to secure a buyer in the data used for that assessment.
Crewe recorded a similar average selling time of 37 days, alongside annual price growth of 2.6%.
Chester’s market has been moving more slowly, with homes taking an average of 44 days to sell, although annual price growth was also recorded at 2.6%.
The figures demonstrate the increasingly local nature of Britain’s housing market, with conditions varying significantly even between towns in the same region.
Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, said the stable national selling time conceals a growing divide between local markets.
Mortgage conditions are one reason buyers have become more cautious.
Recent volatility has resulted in some mortgage products being withdrawn and borrowing costs increasing as lenders respond to changing expectations for inflation and interest rates.
That can encourage potential buyers to delay decisions in the hope that more attractive mortgage deals become available.
The contrast between different parts of Britain is substantial.
Scotland currently contains the fastest-moving housing markets, with homes in Falkirk taking an average of just 11 days to find a buyer.
Carlisle and Barnsley are among the fastest markets outside Scotland, with homes taking around 23 days.
At the opposite end of the market, homes in eight local authority areas are now taking at least two months to sell.
Melton in the East Midlands is the slowest, at an average of 76 days, while Westminster in London and Teignbridge in Devon are also among the areas experiencing lengthy selling periods.
For homeowners considering selling, the widening gap between local markets means national averages provide only a limited indication of how quickly an individual property is likely to attract a buyer.
Pricing is becoming particularly important in areas where buyers have more properties to choose from and are sensitive to mortgage costs.
The North West continues to benefit from comparatively affordable prices, but the differences between Warrington, Crewe and Chester show that sellers still need to consider conditions in their immediate market rather than relying on the strength of the region as a whole.