Zoopla has named its ‘most promising’ property markets for 2025, with Scotland and the north of England dominating the list.
The portal analysed prices, affordability and sale times across the UK, before naming the areas where it expects to see house prices rise this year.
Read on to see if your town made the list, and for advice on finding the best place to live.
Please note that the information in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Please refer to the particular terms and conditions of a provider before committing to any financial products.
Scotland boasts most promising markets
The town of Motherwell in North Lanarkshire has the UK’s most promising housing market, according to Zoopla’s research.
The portal says house prices in the ‘ML’ postcode area are increasing by 3.8% year-on-year and properties are taking just 13 days to find a buyer.
The top five towns in Zoopla’s report are all in Scotland. This may be driven in part by Scotland’s house-selling process, where valuations and surveys are provided to buyers up-front, resulting in homes selling more quickly.
See the table below for the full top five.
Source: Zoopla. House price growth measured year on year
The north leads the way for England
Outside of Scotland, the north of England boasts eight of the top 10 most promising markets, with the other two in the Midlands.
Newcastle, the only area outside of Scotland to feature in the overall UK top 10, leads the way.
The ‘NE’ postcode boasts price growth of 2.1% year-on-year and an average selling time of 28 days.
Check out the table below for the full top ten.
Hotspots in Wales and Northern Ireland
Zoopla identified areas along the south coast of Wales as its most promising markets, citing a ‘greater concentration of jobs and economic activity.’
Cardiff, Newport and Swansea were ranked as the top three housing markets in Wales.
Belfast was named as the area with the best prospects for house price growth in Northern Ireland, ranking 19th in the overall UK table.
How does Zoopla rank areas?
To identify the housing markets with the best prospects for 2025, Zoopla analysed four data points:
- the income required to purchase an average-priced home
- the speed at which homes are selling
- the percentage of properties that have been on the market for more than six months
- the percentage of homes where the asking price has been reduced by more than 5%.
The overall ranking for an area is calculated by averaging its position across the four data points.
As a result, the top of Zoopla’s table features affordable areas where homes sell quickly and asking prices are rarely reduced.
More expensive areas struggle
Zoopla’s least promising housing markets in the UK are all located in the south of England, with the bottom five in London.
Torquay, in the south west of England, has the least promising housing market outside of the capital. Homes take an average of 49 days to find a buyer, and 22% have had their asking prices cut by more than 5%.
Zoopla’s research aligns with other recent analyses of house prices and affordability in England, which show high mortgage rates have had a significant effect on affordability in more expensive parts of the country. This has resulted in prices stagnating and houses taking longer to sell.
What might be next for house prices?
Experts predict that house prices will rise in 2025, with most estimates ranging from 2.5% to 4%.
Savills forecasts a 4% rise in the average UK prices in 2025, with Scotland and regions in the north of England seeing prices increase by an above-average 5%.
Fellow estate agent Knight Frank forecasts slower growth, with UK house prices increasing by 2.5% this year. Over the next five years, it predicts house prices will rise by a total of 19% from their current levels.
How to find the best place to live
When researching a new place to live, there are lots of factors to consider. These can include the town’s amenities, transport links and the quality of local schools. Our guide on finding the best place to live offers lots of pointers.
Once you’ve found the property you want, it’s time to make an offer. Check out our advice on making an offer on a house or flat for information on the research you should conduct before making an offer, as well as tips on what information you should keep to yourself.
If you’re thinking of moving later in the year and want to keep up-to-date with what’s happening in the property market, see our guides on house prices and mortgage rates, which are updated weekly.
