In a list of the ten towns recording the biggest increase in property searches by buyers over the last six months, five of them were in sought-after Surrey: Sutton, Kingston, Woking, Croydon and Guildford.
The surge in searches in the Surrey is likely to be due to the strong price recovery in the county, where the average house price in September (£370,717) was 3% up on six months previously (£360,113 in April). Homebuyers realise that the market in the South East is definitely back on the up and now is the time to secure a property they might have been unable to afford before the market downturn.
Michael O'Flynn, Director of FindaProperty.com, said:
“The renewed interest in the property market appears to be most pronounced in Surrey, which remains one of the UK's most desirable places to live. Prices may still be higher in Surrey compared with other areas of the UK, but its close proximity to London, good schools and green open spaces make it an irresistible choice for commuters in particular."
Manchester City Centre topped the table with the highest overall increase in property searches since April, increasing by over 17% to September as homebuyers and investors move to snap up good value properties, while the South West of England has benefited from a surge in interest from buyers in both Exeter (16.09%) and Plymouth (15.84%). Other hotspots of activity include the Midlands with a rise of almost 15% in property searches in Leicester, and North London (11.60%).
