Homes in nearly three-quarters of London’s boroughs are taking longer to sell than a year ago, new data has revealed.
Figures from Zoopla show that 23 of London’s 32 boroughs have seen homes take longer to sell compared with last year, versus around half nationally, pointing to mounting affordability and demand pressures in the capital.
Slowest and fastest boroughs
Westminster has the slowest market in London, with properties taking an average of 63 days to sell, followed by Tower Hamlets at 60 days — meaning sellers in both boroughs are typically waiting around two months to secure a sale.
At the other end of the scale, Waltham Forest remains London’s fastest market, with homes taking an average of 33 days to sell. But even there the market has slowed, with properties taking eight days longer to sell than in July 2025.
Hackney follows at an average of 38 days, while homes in Bexley take 39 days to sell.
London-wide slowdown
Across London as a whole, properties are now taking an average of 48 days to sell, four days longer than the 44-day average recorded in July 2025.
The figures add to an already challenging market to navigate for London sellers. Last month, it was revealed that London house prices were down 3.7% year-on-year in May 2026, while prices across England overall were up 2.3%. Flats and maisonettes were particularly weak, falling 6.6% annually.
One possible explanation for the longer selling times is increasing competition between sellers. Recent reporting based on Rightmove data found that London’s housing inventory has reached a 16-year high, while asking prices have also come under pressure.
When buyers have fewer homes to choose from, they have greater incentive to move quickly. But when more properties are on the market, buyers can take their time, compare homes, wait for price reductions and negotiate harder — shifting more of the bargaining power into their hands.
Combined with ambitious asking prices, higher mortgage rates and economic uncertainty, the figures suggest the balance of London’s housing market has shifted.
National picture
Across the rest of the UK, around half of local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales (180 out of 363) have seen the average time it takes to sell a property increase over the past year. In eight areas, sellers are now waiting 60 days or more to find a buyer.
This is led by Melton in the East Midlands, where it now takes 76 days to sell the average home - a 21 day increase compared to July 2025. On the other hand, 145 markets have registered decreases in time to sell, including North West Leicestershire, an improving market in the East Midlands just an hour away from Melton.
Richard Donnell, Executive Director at Zoopla, says: “While the national time to sell has barely moved, that stability is masking a real divide opening up between local markets.
“In areas like Melton in Leicestershire, homes are taking noticeably longer to sell than a year ago, while markets just a short drive away are speeding up. If you're selling in a slower market, don't take a wait-and-see approach - talk to a local agent who knows what's happening street by street, and make sure your home is priced right from day one.
“That's still the biggest factor within a seller's control, whatever the local market is doing.”
