UK’s top property website Rightmove names Bristol as most searched city by house hunters, followed by York, Glasgow and Edinburgh respectively. Besting far larger UK cities like Manchester and Birmingham.
Consistent Contender
Bristol’s a consistent contender for the title, continuously growing its allure to renters and home buyers which comes from “its creative, small city-feel, vibrant cultural scene and relative affordability.” Affordability because the city’s average house prices stand at £316,000 - a value “more than £283,000 below the London average,” a value which has created a very high demand for new homes in Bristol which greatly exceeds the number of supply. Thus, the price increase of houses in the city has been higher as compared to other areas.
From Miles Shipside, Rightmove director and housing market analyst, “In the last year the price of property coming to market in Bristol has risen by 2.3 per cent, well above the national average of 0.8 per cent...”
Shipside further adds that, “Though this is good news for those already on the property ladder, it makes it harder for first-time buyers to get onto it...”
Regardless though, the city’s improving accessibility with a “promising direct, non-stop 68-minute trains from Bristol Parkway to London Paddington” is a stronger attraction.
Beautiful City
A recently transferred Adam Sandford, general manager of Runway Ease, a co-working space and his partner explains why they moved to Bristol a year ago: “The city is beautiful, there’s so much Georgian architecture and during the summer there’s something on everyday, such as St Pauls Carnival which is like a smaller Notting Hill.
We really like it, it’s small enough you can walk everywhere – though it’s mainly uphill – and it’s got a really bohemian vibe.
We’re hoping to buy at some point, we’ve had a few viewings. You can definitely get more for your money than in London, but it's still less than in other parts of the UK.”
Next on the list of most searched cities is York whose quality schools and ideal quality of life attracts young families looking for quieter and more family-oriented surroundings.
Ranking third is Glasgow which “is one of the cheapest cities in the UK for living costs.”
Edinburgh, ranking fourth in most searched cities, is second to London as the most visited city and disclosed to be one of the “top of 32 cities worldwide for affordability and lifestyle for cash-strapped millennials.”
Source:
https://www.homesandproperty.co.uk/property-news/uk-most-popular-city-bristol-takes-top-spot-as-most-searched-for-city-outside-of-london-a135736.html
