The most popular country location Brits want to move to revealed
Searches for houses in the Cotswolds more than doubled in the second half of last year, as Brits swapped city life for country living in lockdown.
Rightmove's data analyst found that the demand for Cotswold property has significantly outstripped the national average, with interest rising by a whopping 102%. In fact, the number of sales being agreed by agents in the area outperformed the South West as a whole, peaking in September with a 100% annual rise.
With gorgeous honey-hued homes and countryside views as pretty as a picture book, we're not at all surprised people are looking to the Cotswolds when house hunting. Some of the most popular areas include Chipping Norton, which was up by 109.5%, Burford (+82.3%) and Chipping Campden (+68.5%).
"The headline market trend to emerge from 2020 was a huge jump in demand for rural areas and countryside living, and the Cotswolds ticks pretty much every box for home-movers seeking an escape to the country," Tim Bannister, Rightmove's Director of Property Data, said.
"As a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, brimming with endless walking trails and tight-knit village communities, the Cotswolds represent much of what we hold dear about the great British outdoors. It's easy to see why the area is a magnet for people looking for a quieter life, and with remote working seemingly here to stay for many, I expect the popularity of the Cotswolds will continue to grow this year."
Elsewhere in their research, they found that the average asking prices in the leafy market town were up 14.8% on 2019 — an annual increase of £38,290.
"The Cotswolds' property market has been completely frantic since the market re-opened in May, with an initial abundance of stock on the market, and buyers paying premiums to achieve their dream homes," adds Rupert Sweeting, Partner, Knight Frank Country Department.
"After experiencing being cooped up during the multiple lockdowns with a small or no garden, city dwellers quickly realised the benefits of moving to the countryside."
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