On the move - where have we relocated during the pandemic?

Estate and lettings agent, Barrows and Forrester, recently analysed property sales volumes from the start of the pandemic in January 2020 until April 2022.

This data was used to discover which locations have seen the highest level of pandemic property market activity in regard to the most homes sold per 1,000 people. 

The results show that over 1.790 million homes sold across England have been sold since January 2020. This is the equivalent of 46.8 homes sold per every 1,000 people in England. 

The locations that were highly favoured during covid-19

In relation to the population of the region, the South West has seen the highest level of market activity. A grand total of 210,950 homes were sold in the South West. That is the equivalent of 37.1 homes for every 1,000 people. 

With offices and high streets isolated during this outbreak, it is no surprise that the least amount of home movers flocked to London at this time. Only 22.6 homes sold per 1,000 people. 

Rother in the South East was labelled as the busiest location as, 46.8 homes have sold for every 1,000 people. This is closely followed by Tendring in the East of England (46.8) and South Hames in the South West (45.8).

Seven of the top 10 busiest locations are found within these three regions, with the Isle of Wight (44.9), North Norfolk (44.2), East Devon (44.2) and Torbay (43.7) also making the list.  

The most active area of the property market is Fylde in the North West and the fifth most active in England with 44.5 homes sold per 1,000 people.

Scarborough in Yorkshire and the Humber also makes the top 10 areas to have moved the most during the pandemic (43.5), sitting ninth in England. 

Managing Director of Barrows and Forrester, James Forrester, commented: “We’re starting to see early signs that the pandemic property market boom may be coming to an end and it’s fair to say it’s been one of the most unprecedented periods in the history of the sector. 

“Buyer activity has been unrelenting and this has also driven property values to record highs pretty much consistently over the last 18 months.”

“We’re now seeing the market return to a sense of normality and so it will be interesting to see if the same areas rank top for the highest levels of market activity in another 18 months time, or if the current frontrunners revealed in our research have benefitted as a result of the pandemic induced trends for more outdoor space and larger homes.”