Rate pressure and local conditions drive growing gap between markets
Half of Great Britain's local property markets are taking longer to sell homes than a year ago, according to new data from Zoopla covering the period to July 2026.
While the national average time to sell has remained at 42 days year-on-year, the figure masks growing divergence between fast-moving and sluggish local markets — in some cases separated by just a few miles.
Of 363 local authorities across England, Scotland and Wales, 180 recorded an increase in average days to sell over the past year. Eight areas now require 60 days or more to find a buyer. Melton in the East Midlands is the slowest market nationally, with sellers waiting an average of 76 days — 21 days longer than in July 2025. Westminster and Teignbridge are the second and third slowest markets, each averaging 63 days.
By contrast, 145 markets recorded improvements. North West Leicestershire, also in the East Midlands and under an hour from Melton, is among those that have sped up.
| Ranking | Best performing local authority | Avg. days to sell – July 2026 | Worst performing local authority | Avg. days to sell – July 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Falkirk | 11 | Melton | 76 |
| 2 | Renfrewshire | 13 | Westminster | 63 |
| 3 | North Lanarkshire | 13 | Teignbridge | 63 |
| 4 | South Lanarkshire | 14 | Torridge | 61 |
| 5 | East Ayrshire | 14 | Tower Hamlets | 60 |
| 6 | East Renfrewshire | 14 | Isle of Wight | 60 |
| 7 | West Dunbartonshire | 14 | Thanet | 60 |
| 8 | Stirling | 15 | North Devon | 60 |
| 9 | Glasgow City | 15 | South Norfolk | 58 |
| 10 | Clackmannanshire | 16 | Elmbridge | 58 |
Zoopla attributed some of the slowdown to elevated mortgage rates relative to the start of the year, which it said had increased buying costs and encouraged a wait-and-see approach among prospective purchasers.
Westminster's slower pace reflects higher house prices and elevated buying costs in the capital. Teignbridge's position in the slowest markets is linked to higher council tax in second-home areas and greater supply choice for buyers. Outside Melton, the remainder of the top 10 slowest markets are in southern England, with North East Lincolnshire the first non-southern market, ranked 17th slowest.
Scotland dominates the fastest-selling end of the table. All 10 of the quickest markets are Scottish, with Falkirk leading at an average of 11 days. Renfrewshire and North Lanarkshire follow at 13 days each. The first non-Scottish market does not appear until 20th place: Carlisle and Barnsley, both at 23 days. Zoopla noted that Scottish homes are typically marketed on an offers-over basis, with valuations and home surveys made available to buyers earlier in the process — factors that speed up transactions.
Regional analysis reveals a widening gap within individual regions between their fastest and slowest local markets. In Scotland, Aberdeenshire takes 45 days to sell on average — nearly five weeks longer than Falkirk. Zoopla linked reduced investment in North Sea oil and gas over the past decade to weaker housing demand around Aberdeen, while Falkirk benefits from connectivity to Scotland's central belt economy. Six of the 11 regions analysed have gaps of four weeks or more between their fastest and slowest local markets. Wales has the tightest differential at three weeks.
Among notable improvers, Barnsley has seen average selling times fall by nearly two weeks year-on-year, with Newcastle-under-Lyme recording an 11-day improvement. Waltham Forest, meanwhile, is now taking eight days longer to sell despite remaining London's fastest local market.
| Region | Worst performing local authority | Avg. days to sell – Jul 2026 | Change in days YoY | Best performing local authority | Avg. days to sell – Jul 2026 | Change in days YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands | Melton | 76 | +21 | North West Leicestershire | 32 | -8 |
| East of England | South Norfolk | 58 | +7 | Rochford | 33 | +1 |
| London | Westminster | 63 | +4 | Waltham Forest | 33 | +8 |
| North East | Middlesbrough | 54 | +11 | North Tyneside | 26 | +1 |
| North West | Eden | 55 | +8 | Carlisle | 23 | -7 |
| Scotland | Aberdeenshire | 45 | +2 | Falkirk | 11 | -1 |
| South East | Isle of Wight | 60 | +7 | Basingstoke and Deane | 29 | -8 |
| Thanet | 60 | +9 | ||||
| South West | Teignbridge | 63 | +5 | Plymouth | 33 | 0 |
| Wales | Pembrokeshire | 50 | +2 | Neath Port Talbot | 29 | -5 |
| West Midlands | Wyre Forest | 49 | +3 | Newcastle-under-Lyme | 27 | -11 |
| Shropshire | 49 | +5 | ||||
| Yorkshire and the Humber | North East Lincolnshire | 57 | +13 | Barnsley | 23 | -13 |
"While the national time to sell has barely moved, that stability is masking a real divide opening up between local markets," said Richard Donnell (pictured right), executive director at Zoopla. "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."
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