Glasgow has been identified as the UK city where homes sell the fastest, with deals agreed in as little as 11 days, according to research by property management software provider Alto. Across the UK, the average property spends 30 days on the market, with London matching this national average and ranking 21st among the cities analysed.
Wakefield slowest for home sales
In contrast, Wakefield was found to be the city where homes take the longest to sell, spending 63 days on the market before a sale is completed. The data also revealed that the time to agree an offer on a flat or apartment has increased over the past 12 months, from 29 days to 39 days. Similarly, selling a one-bed or studio property now takes 42 days, up from 32 days.
Terraced homes sell fastest by type
The findings showed that terraced and semi-detached homes were the fastest-selling property types across the country, typically agreeing an offer 26 days after first being listed. Detached properties take longer, requiring 41 days on average, while retirement and sheltered accommodation (98 days) and park and mobile homes (96 days) are the slowest.
Alto's Speed of Sale Index tool
Alto, which is plugged into more than 6,000 estate agents nationwide, commissioned the research and created a free Speed of Sale Index tool that shows homeowners how quickly properties sell in their area by entering their postcode.
Riccardo Iannucci-Dawson, CEO of Alto, said: “We sit on one of the UK's biggest property datasets, and one number stood out: homes in Glasgow are typically agreed in just 11 days - the fastest anywhere in the country.” He added that agents in Glasgow who know their patch and price homes right from day one are seeing success, while properties priced too high tend to sit on the market.
Mark Adams, managing partner of G&S Properties in Glasgow, attributed the city's strong market to a chronic undersupply of property at accessible price points and a surge in demand for both urban and rural living. He advised sellers to find a reputable, independent estate agent who can set an accurate, competitive asking price and guide them on presenting the property well, including professional photography and drone footage.
The top 10 fastest-selling cities are Glasgow, Worcester, Belfast, Newcastle, Stoke-on-Trent, Cardiff, Portsmouth, Bradford, Sheffield, and Manchester. The slowest are Wakefield, Swansea, Peterborough, Nottingham, York, Lincoln, Chester, Cambridge, Wolverhampton, and Leicester.
