Bradford has once again been crowned the hottest property market in Britain, according to the latest research from property portal OnTheMarket.
The firm’s Hotspots Index, which measures buyer interest by comparing the number of available homes with onsite search activity, shows that Bradford retained its leading position for the first quarter of 2025.
It marks the city’s third time at the top in the past four quarters, having led in the first half of 2024 before being briefly displaced by Newcastle in the third quarter.
Barnsley and Stoke-on-Trent were notable new entries into the top 10, climbing to eighth and tenth place respectively. In contrast, Derby and Blackburn dropped out of the top tier, falling to 15th and 24th.
NORTH-SOUTH DIVIDE
The index highlights the ongoing strength of the north-south divide in the housing market. Northern cities with more affordable property prices dominate the upper end of the rankings, while southern coastal towns continue to see weaker activity.
Southend-on-Sea remained at the bottom of the table for the fourth consecutive quarter, with Brighton, Worthing and Bournemouth also among the cooler markets.
Jason Tebb, president of OnTheMarket, says: “Affordability continues to be a concern for many buyers, even after three interest rate cuts over the past year. It is perhaps unsurprising that buyers are focusing on locations where their money stretches further.
“While wage growth has been strong, house prices have risen too, making it challenging for many to bridge the affordability gap.”
WORKING HABITS
Tebb adds that changing work patterns could also play a role in shaping demand.
And he says: “It will be interesting to see whether employers’ efforts to encourage staff back into the office will impact demand for homes in more remote areas, where a longer commute has, until now, been acceptable for hybrid workers.”
Elsewhere, Luton made significant gains, rising from 21st to 14th place, while Crawley jumped nine places to enter the top 20. Gloucester also saw a sharp rise, moving from 40th to 28th position as buyer activity intensified.
In London, the rankings were more stable. The City of London and Barking and Dagenham held onto the top two spots, while Newham and Hounslow slipped out of the capital’s top 10. Harrow and Waltham Forest were the new entrants, suggesting a subtle shift in buyer interest within the capital.
Despite some fluctuations, the broader trend points to buyers seeking affordability, space, and better value – particularly outside the South East.
Analysts suggest that unless there is a marked shift in mortgage rates or wage growth, the north may continue to dominate the list of Britain’s property hotspots for some time to come.
