Buyer demand climbed in Q1 ahead of pandemic market freeze

April 24, 2020

The latest buyer demand index from GetAgent.co.uk has revealed that buyer demand climbed in Q1 of this year, up 2% when compared to the previous year and on the previous quarter alone, while in London demand lifted by 7% annually and 3% quarter to quarter. Both nationally and in London, Q1 of this year saw demand exceed levels seen throughout all quarters of 2019.

See the full data tables here.

Using data from the major property portals, GetAgent.co.uk looked at where has seen the largest levels of buyer demand across the UK’s most populated towns and cities, based on the total level of the stock listed for sale and the ratio that has already gone under offer or sold subject to contract.

Most in-demand

Where current buyer demand is concerned, Falkirk (65%), Bristol (62%), Dartford (61%), Glasgow (60%) and Sheffield (59%) were the hottest markets pre-pandemic lockdown, whilst Derry (+12%), Belfast (+8%), Basingstoke (+7%), Birkenhead (+6%) and High Wycombe (+6%) enjoyed the largest quarterly uplift when compared to the end of last year.

On an annual basis, Woking (+15%), High Wycombe (+12%), Bristol (+10%), Basildon (+10%) and Reading (+9%) had enjoyed the largest bump in buyer demand when compared to the first quarter of last year.

In London, Bexley (64%), Waltham Forest (57%) and Havering (54%) were amongst the most in-demand boroughs with buyers, with Ealing (+11%), Southwark (+7%) and Bromley (+7%) enjoying the largest uplift on the previous quarter.

Ealing and Waltham Forest also enjoyed some of the biggest increases on an annual basis, up +14% and +13% respectively.

See all data tables for most in-demand areas here.

Least in-demand

Aberdeen remains the least in-demand location for homebuyer demand by far, at just 7% in the first quarter of this year. Blackpool (25%), Stockton-on-Tees (26%), Darlington (27%) and Middlesbrough (29%) were also amongst some of the areas for the lowest buyer demand.

Despite a wider Boris market bounce, Exeter (-5%), Hove (-4%) and Dudley (-3%) saw the largest decline in buyer demand when compared to quarter four of last year, while despite a strong quarterly uplift, Derry saw the largest decline when compared to the start of last year at -12%.

The City of London (10%) was the least in-demand borough for current demand, joining Camden (-2%) with the largest quarterly decline, as well as seeing the largest annual drop at -8%.

See all data tables for least in-demand areas here.

Properganda PR

National and local media coverage for property businesses. Journo quotes delivered in minutes.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

Conveyancing causes more stress than property chains

The latest research by Lyons Bowe has found that 42% of recent homebuyers say conveyancing is the biggest barrier to a smooth property transaction, compared with just 19% who point to property chains. The survey of 1,000 recent homebuyers* examined which aspects of the transaction process had presented the biggest barriers to a smooth journey,…
Read More →
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Britain’s most competitive summer rental hotspots

New analysis from the UK’s largest property platform Rightmove has revealed the areas where renters faced the strongest competition this summer, with several North West towns emerging as the toughest places to secure a home Wallasey and Birkenhead in Merseyside were Britain’s joint most competitive rental market during July and August, with an average of…
Read More →
AI in estate agency letting agency property
Letting Agent Talk

The 5 tasks lettings agents won’t trust to AI

AI must make lettings more human, not less, and that requires real rental intelligence. The latest research from Propoly has found that letting industry professionals see a clear role for AI in property management, but are reluctant to let it operate without human oversight, particularly when decisions involve people, complex circumstances or potentially significant consequences. Propoly…
Read More →
Breaking News

Foxtons Lettings Market Index – August 2026

The busiest weeks arrived earlier than usual, with activity spread more evenly across the summer due to implementation of the RRA • Renter registrations eased 3.0% in August. Along with July, it was still the peak of 2026, finishing off the summer rush just below July’s levels. • Competition for available property rose 22.4% in…
Read More →
Breaking News

Three-quarters of homebuyers hunt after 5pm

Britain’s property hotspots where estate agency branches are handling the most sales revealed The latest internal data from Street.co.uk has revealed that estate agency branches using the platform are handling an average of 4.7 property sales per branch each month across Britain’s major cities, some two properties more per branch than the estimated wider market…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 23/9/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Voluntary upfront property information is a tax on conscientiousness estate agents Nobody wants to go first Thought Leadership by Olivier Januiax Founder of Nestlink ‘Picture this, you have invited two estate agents to carry out a market appraisal on your home, because you want…
Read More →