The data – collated by property portal Zoopla as part of its Year in Property report – revealed that properties sell fastest in Carlisle, with homes in this city changing hands in the space of just 23 days on average.
This was significantly lower than the UK average sell time of 38 days.
Sunderland, Bedford and Knowsley also ranked among England’s speediest property markets – taking 23 days to sell – whilst Copeland came in just behind (on 24 days).
Scottish homes are the speediest time to sell in the UK overall – with properties in Falkirk, West Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire, and East Ayrshire sitting on the market for just 13 days.
The results also revealed that three-bed terraced properties the most popular property type across the country, accounting for 18% of buyer enquiries.
January was the most popular month for visitors to the Zoopla website, aligning with the ‘Boxing Day Bounce’ which drives an increase in property searches as people start looking for a new home at the beginning of a new year.
May was the most popular month to list a home for sale as families spend time finding their next home before listing their own, while according to HMRC, March was the busiest month of the year for completions with 178,000 property transactions completed in the UK with a value of £40,000 or more.
Zoopla said it expects to see a “boost in momentum heading into 2026” following a period of hesitance in the run up to the Autumn Budget.
The company stated: “Potential buyers in the £500,000-£2,000,000 bracket will be breathing a sigh of relief and re-entering the property market, and as a result Zoopla expects a steady year ahead, with sales remaining around 1.15 million, consistent with 2025.
“Mortgage lending is expected to stay competitive, and first-time buyers should prioritise understanding their affordability as the first step in their home-buying journey.”