Could cheaper houses and the rise of working from home be tempting homebuyers to head north?

It’s official – the North of England is the place to be for house hunters, with mortgage searches in major cities soaring by 67% in just twelve months.

New data from mortgage technology experts, Twenty7tec, reveals that Leeds, Bradford, Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield now make up almost 11% of all UK property searches.

This surge in popularity means that nearly one in ten house hunters are now looking to ditch the high prices of the South and snap up a bargain in these bustling Northern hubs.

And it’s not just a flash in the pan – the figures show that since January, these cities have seen a 29.5% increase in interest compared to the same period last year.

First-Time Buyers Priced Out of London

The news is particularly encouraging for first-time buyers struggling to get on the property ladder in the capital. The research reveals a staggering 73% leap in searches by first-time buyers in these Northern cities in the last month alone, compared with a year ago.

Experts believe that this could be down to the growing number of people working from home since the pandemic, who are no longer tied to expensive Southern cities.

Nathan Reilly, director at Twenty7tec, explains: “The growth in digital nomads who can now work from anywhere, or simply people are gravitating to the North just to get their foot on the property ladder and away from the renters’ market in London.”

So, if you’re looking for a more affordable way to buy your dream home, it seems like heading North could be the answer!