Northern towns and cities, including Bradford and Wigan, race ahead as southern markets slow
The latest OnTheMarket Hotspots report shows the gap between North and South is widening and it’s the Northern sales marke setting the pace.
By tracking instructions, buyer leads and property searches, the Hotspots reveals where homes are generating the most activity. And once again, it’s towns and cities in the North that are drawing the strongest demand in today’s most competitive sales markets.
Between November and January, Bradford has kept its crown as England’s busiest sales market since December 2024. But the real story this period are some of the changes in rankings behind Bradford.
Wigan leapt seven places, rising from ninth to second, while Rochdale climbed nine spots to reach third. Meanwhile, Stoke-on-Trent, Coventry and Newcastle upon Tyne each moved up two places. Affordable homes, high buyer interest and strong instructions continue to prove a hard-to-beat formula.
Meanwhile, some former high performers slipped down the rankings. Sunderland dropped three places, while Liverpool fell by five. Burnley experienced the sharpest decline, tumbling from second to tenth.
At the other end of the table, the same names reappear and for the same reason. Higher house prices continue to weigh on activity in many Southern coastal locations. Brighton remains anchored to the bottom spot, while Southend-on-Sea and Worthing complete the bottom three. Portsmouth dropped five places, falling into the bottom ten while Exeter dropped three spots.
There were, however, small signs of recovery. Chatham climbed five places and Bristol rose three, narrowly avoiding the bottom ten. But the pattern is clear; when afforability tightens, activity slows.
In London, momentum continues to sit on the outer boroughs, echoing January’s Under Offer Index.
The surprise? The City of London takes the top spot, likely amplified by the small number of instructions in the Square Mile. Joining the City in the top five are Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge and Bexley – all among the capital’s fastest-moving markets right now.
Barnet was among the highest climbers in the latest rankings, jumping nine places, as well as Islington also made notable progress, rising four places.
In central London, however, the story is very different, with several boroughs sliding down the rankings. Lambeth sits at the bottom, followed by Haringey and Hackney, while while Wandsworth and Tower Hamlets each dropped a place.
Although Southwark climbed three positions, it still remains in the bottom ten, alongside Hammersmith & Fulham, Greenwich, Ealing and Merton.
“These latest Hotspots results underline a trend we’ve been seeing for some time now, affordability is a key driver of market momentum. Northern towns and cities, where buyers can get more for their money, are seeing consistently higher levels of activity, while more expensive Southern and central locations are finding conditions more challenging.
“What’s particularly interesting is how this pattern is echoed in London, with outer boroughs outperforming more central areas. Buyers remain motivated, but they are increasingly focused on value, and that’s clearly reflected in where we’re seeing the strongest instructions, searches and enquiries.”
The Hotspots data points to one unmistakable trend: buyers are chasing value, and that value is increasingly being found in the North and on the outskirts of London. Where homes are more affordable, activity is stronger; where prices are higher, momentum is harder to sustain. For agents, sellers and buyers alike, the direction of travel is clear: the market’s energy is shifting northward and outward.
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