Swindon and Strood have been named the best places to sell a property in England or Wales, based the lowest average time on market, according to new research.

Properties in both towns have the lowest average time on market, at just 101 days. However, at the other end of the scale, in London has all 10 locations with the longest average time on market, according to date released from Quick Move Now and home.co.uk.

Gloucester has the next quickest selling time at 102 days, followed by Ashford at 104, then Rainham and Basingstoke at 106, Coventry at 109, Tamworth at 1001, Northampton at 111 and Rochester at 112.
Knightsbridge in London has the worst time for selling a home at 363 days, followed by Mayfair at 354, Marylebone at 346, South Kensington at 331, Belgravia at 329, Soho and the Strand at 325, Chelsea at 323, Cromwell Road at 318 and Paddington at 316.

‘It is now taking longer to sell a property. When we looked at the best and worst places to sell a property in 2017, the top spot, Bedford, had an average time on market of just 76 days. That figure is 25 days less than the current top spot held by Swindon and Strood,’ said Danny Luke, Quick Move Now’s managing director.

‘At the slower end of the market, in 2017 Sunderland took the top spot with 295 days; 68 days less than Knightsbridge’s current average time on market of 363 days. Even in the best areas to sell a property it is taking longer, and homes are on the market for an average of well over three months. For comparison, in March 2017, properties in Swindon spent an average of 81 days on the market. By July last year that figure had risen to 89 days, and today it stands at 101 days,’ he explained.

‘If you are hoping to sell your property in the current market, there are several things you can do to improve your chances of securing a buyer. Firstly, make sure your property is competitively priced; it’s a buyer’s market, so you need to ensure your home stands out against the competition. You also need to ensure your property is looking its best and that you choose an estate agent with a good reputation who will proactively market your property,’ he pointed out.

‘If you’re still struggling to sell, or if you can’t afford to wait to sell your property through an estate, don’t be afraid to consider alternative ways to sell your property. Property auctions and genuine cash home buyers can both provide quicker alternatives to the open property market and can be a great option if you are working to a deadline,’ he added.