The average viewing requests for lettings reach 42 per available property across key locations.

New data from Leaders Romans Group (LRG), reveals that the top 10 in demand areas for lettings attracted 5,941 requests for viewings in June – an average of 42 per property. In contrast, the top 10 in demand areas for sales attracted 3,289 requests for viewings in June – an average of 16 per property.

While rental demand is growing in city centres, as lockdown eases and offices start to reopen, the new data highlights that homes in rural and coastal areas are among those with the highest amount of interest for lettings. These include locations such as, Christchurch (an average of 57 leads per available property), Poole (41) and Clacton-On-Sea (40). For those wishing to stay in more urban areas, both Norwich and Bath come out on top as the most in demand areas with an average of 31 and 29 viewing requests per available property for rent.

Over the last year, coastal properties have grown in popularity due to a sharp rise in people looking for properties with outside space and more room to comfortably work from home. These new priorities have no doubt been expedited by the pandemic – as flexible working means living in proximity of urban hubs including London is less of a draw for many people.

The latest findings suggest that Christchurch is ranked the highest for lettings with an average of 57 viewing requests per available property. It’s also two hours from central London by train, which means it’s ideal for those looking to make the occasional trip to the office in the capital. The town’s harbour, beaches and nature reserves have made Christchurch a popular area for buyers seeking proximity to London but also nature too.

The top ten locations with the highest average viewing requests on properties for rent

1. Christchurch – 57
2. Witham – 49
3. New Milton – 44
4. Poole – 41
5. Clacton-On-Sea – 40
6. Brighton – 39
7. Hitchin – 38
8. Waterlooville – 37
9. Fareham – 37
10. Lower Earley – 35

“It’s positive to see that average viewing requests for both sales and lettings are remaining strong. We have found that each village, town, city and area has its own unique property market, and factors that drive demand vary for each location. We can analyse this data and see that the majority of the branches in the top 10 in demand areas are located in the South and in coastal areas, and decisions are not necessarily tied to transport to the capital. It will be interesting to see if this momentum remains over the rest of the year.”

Michael Cook, National Lettings Managing Director at LRG

Find out more about LRG’s lettings and property management services.

The data also highlights that Tilehurst is ranked the highest for sales with an average of 25 viewing requests per available property. Perfectly placed for commuting to Reading, London and other key cities in the UK, Tilehurst is an excellent choice for those who don’t want to compromise family life with work.

The top ten locations with the highest average viewing requests on properties for sale

1. Tilehurst – 29
2. Maypole – 19
3. Yateley – 16
4. Southend-On-Sea – 16
5. Nottingham – 15
6. Kelvedon – 14
7. Evesham – 13
8. Mansfield – 13
9. Milton Keynes – 13
10. Woodley – 12

“As we can see from the latest data, areas such as Tilehurst are benefiting from their excellent transport links to London and fantastic amenities right on the doorstep, and we’re expecting demand to keep rising in these areas. Demand for homes with bigger gardens has led to the rise in UK rental growth outside London. As we look forward, 2021 is set to be a record year for sales, and quite possibly the busiest we’ve seen in the last 15 years.”

Kevin Shaw, Group Managing Director of Residential Sales at LRG

Find out more about our residential sales offering at LRG.

Methodology

Data was gathered from 175 Leaders Romans Group branches across the UK.