Blackburn named among top 15 UK cities with the quickest home sales, according to new study

A new study by conveyancing-solicitor.co.uk has analysed housing data across 100 towns and cities in the UK to reveal where homes are selling the fastest. The findings shed light on some expected hotspots, but also a few under-the-radar surprises.

To rank the cities, the study focused on median selling times: the number of days it typically takes for a property to go under offer once listed. Unlike average (mean) times, which can be skewed by a few sluggish sales, the median offers a more realistic snapshot of what sellers can expect. Still, the study also looked at mean selling times to highlight how consistent (or inconsistent) each market really is. The data was sourced from Home.co.uk.

Blackburn ranks 12th in the UK for the fastest-selling homes, with a median selling time of just 35 days. That means half of all properties are under offer in five weeks or less, a reassuring figure for homeowners keen to move quickly. The mean selling time stands at 82 days, indicating that while most homes shift swiftly, a smaller number are taking longer to find buyers. With its relatively affordable property prices and growing appeal among commuters and investors, Blackburn’s housing market continues to show healthy levels of activity.

Meanwhile, Glasgow claims the top spot in the UK for the fastest home sales, with a median selling time of just 14 days and a mean of 37, meaning properties are flying off the market in just a couple of weeks. Dundee follows in second place, where homes typically go under offer in 18 days and average out at 44. Edinburgh ranks third, boasting a 24-day median, though a mean of 95 days suggests a wider spread in how long some homes take to sell. In fourth is Belfast, where properties usually sell within 28 days, with a mean of 82. Newcastle upon Tyne sits in fifth with a 30-day median and a mean of 75, showing a relatively steady market pace.

Sheffield ranks sixth, with homes going under offer in a median of 31 days and a mean of 69. Three cities tie for seventh place, Redditch, Stockport, and Sunderland, all recording a median selling time of 33 days, though their mean times vary: Redditch at 90, Stockport at 73, and Sunderland at 78. Rounding out the top 10 are Crawley and Warrington in joint tenth place, both with a 34-day median. Crawley’s mean sits at 72, while Warrington’s is slightly quicker at 71.

While the top ten may be speeding through house sales, not every city is quite so brisk.

Leeds, for instance, came in 25th with a median of 40 days and a mean of 98.

Bristol and Derby tied in 30th place with a median of 41 days; Bristol’s mean is 76, while Derby is slightly slower at 80.

Liverpool landed in 44th with a median of 46 days, and Birmingham came in 48th at 47 days.

York ranked 63rd (51 days), and Nottingham was 70th (53 days).

Even London, with all its market activity, lagged in 84th with a median of 59 days, proof that a busy market doesn’t always mean a fast one.

At the other end of the table, Slough was the slowest of them all, with a median selling time of 81 days. Brentwood, Canterbury, Worthing, and Bournemouth rounded out the bottom five, all taking between 64 and 77 days. Whether it’s higher prices, more selective buyers, or just local market quirks, selling a home there requires a bit more patience.

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