Homes across eight areas of the UK are taking 60 days or longer to find a buyer, according to analysis by a property website.
The data from Zoopla also found a widening regional gap in sale times with some areas selling up to seven times more quickly than others.
Melton in the East Midlands is the area with the slowest selling time, with the average time between the day the property is first listed on the market to the day the estate agent reports a sale agreed at 76 days – a 21-day increase compared to July 2025.
After this process is complete, it takes, on average, another four to six months for the legal and mortgage lending process before the buyer gets the keys and can move in.
The national average time to sell of 42 days has remained the same over the last year, with homes in some areas selling faster, and some slower.
Explaining the reasoning behind why homes are taking so long to sell in some areas, Richard Donnell, executive director of Zoopla, said: “Melton has a lower-than-average proportion of smaller-house types like flats or terraced houses, while also having a high proportion of larger and detached homes – many of which aren’t affordable to those living in the area.
“There are also quite a few older, less energy-efficient homes in the area, which can also be a deciding, and delaying, factor in home sales.”
Westminster’s slower selling times were because of London’s higher buying costs and higher house prices, while Teignbridge is affected by higher council tax levels due to many people owning a second home as well as more choice available.
Why are homes in some regions selling faster?
All the top 10 local authorities for speed of sale were in Scotland, where property purchases work differently compared to England and Wales.
Falkirk had the fastest average selling time with a property selling in 11 days, followed by Renfrewshire and North Lanarkshire, both taking 13 days.
In Scotland, sellers are required to have paperwork ready before coming to the market, and buyers must have a lawyer appointed before they can make a formal offer.
“In other words, it shows the speed benefits of being prepared,” said Charlie Lamdin, founder of housing marketplace BestAgent.
“The second factor is the extra demand for homes that are more affordable than typical, which also speeds up sales,” he added.
Carlisle and Barnsley are England’s fastest-selling markets, with both benefitting from lower average property prices that attract first-time buyers and families looking to get more for their money.
Donnell said: “The areas also benefit from proximity to the likes of the Lake District and green spaces, while Barnsley also offers strong commuting options to cities like Leeds or Sheffield.”
Affordability and access are the key drivers in regional property markets, according to Emma Fildes, property finder and adviser at Brick Weaver, who said areas that remain within financial reach despite rising interest rates are selling quickly if they are deemed to be long-term buys.
She added: “The preference for three-bedroom properties over flats means buyers compete for them in areas with good access to their workplace. Conversely, properties that are directly affected by increased taxes or subject to higher service charges are struggling to garner any buyer attention.”
Pricing also seemed to be a big driver of property selling times, with Lamdin suggesting correctly priced homes will always sell within a few weeks with multiple offers.
He said: “In this buyers’ market, too many sellers are clinging to the hope that their property is still worth what it was in 2022 at the peak of the market and being tempted by agents’ over-optimistic ‘valuations’, which are uses to compete for business.”
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