Six city analysis shows areas where prices are rising and falling
Commuter house price growth is highest in locations around Glasgow and Manchester, according to new research from Rightmove, which examined house price trends in commuter hubs around six major cities. 10 of the top 15 fastest-growing hotspots for price growth were located around the two cities.
The study analysed price trends in commuter towns around London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow and Cardiff finding that Falkirk in Stirlingshire, which is commutable to Glasgow, had the highest price growth at +13.5%, with an average asking price of £183,596.
North offers cheaper access to major cities
Unsurprisingly, locations in the north offered cheaper access to major cities than those in the south. Despite price growth, 11 of the top 15 fastest-growing locations had average asking prices below £250,000, including Falkirk (£183,596), Rochdale (£238,115) and St Helens (£192,570). By contrast, commuter hotspots for London often have asking prices in excess of £500,000.
The commuter hotspot growth comes at the expense of more constrained price growth in the cities themselves. Across the six cities analysed, average asking prices rose 2.9% yearly in Glasgow (£191,530), 1.8% in Manchester (£261,212) and 1.4% in Cardiff (£285,596).
The other half of the cities analysed saw prices fall, down 3.1% in London (£646,451) and 0.6% in both Birmingham (£251,340) and Bristol (£375,205)
Commuter hotspots in the south also saw house price declines, with the largest in Haywards Heath in Sussex, down 4.8% to £461,066, followed by Maidenhead -3.9% (£571,686) and Bath -3.8% (£508,109).
Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert, said: “Our data highlights two very different stories playing out across some of Britain’s commuter markets. In the more affordable locations around Glasgow and Manchester, asking prices are rising strongly as buyers look for value within reach of major cities. Meanwhile, some of the more expensive commuter hotspots are seeing prices ease, which could create opportunities for buyers who may previously have been priced out.”
Ian Harris, NAEA Propertymark President, said the results showed a change in what homeowners want from where they live following the pandemic. “Initially, we saw many people embrace the concept of working from home and enjoying a lifestyle away from the traditional city commute. However, this is now a trend that is starting to swing back, with many people looking for a hybrid location that offers easy commuter access to key cities, while also providing a desirable mix of out-of-city amenities,” he said.
| Commuter hotspots | Nearby city | Average asking price | Annual price change |
| Falkirk, Stirlingshire | Glasgow | £183,596 | 13.50% |
| Rochdale, Greater Manchester | Manchester | £238,115 | 8.70% |
| Broxbourne, Hertfordshire | London | £654,263 | 8.10% |
| St. Helens, Merseyside | Manchester | £192,570 | 7.80% |
| Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot | Cardiff | £176,787 | 7.70% |
| Wishaw, Lanarkshire | Glasgow | £140,127 | 7.00% |
| Wigan, Greater Manchester | Manchester | £193,347 | 6.20% |
| Stalybridge, Greater Manchester | Manchester | £265,378 | 5.60% |
| Greenock, Inverclyde | Glasgow | £135,151 | 5.30% |
| Hamilton, Lanarkshire | Glasgow | £174,869 | 5.30% |
| Wolverhampton, West Midlands | Birmingham | £230,737 | 5.20% |
| Barry, Vale Of Glamorgan | Cardiff | £261,859 | 5.20% |
| East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire | Glasgow | £174,348 | 5.10% |
| Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire | Glasgow | £168,045 | 5.00% |
| Penarth, South Glamorgan | Cardiff | £432,414 | 4.70% |
Top 15 commuter hotspots with the biggest price falls
| Commuter area | Nearby city | Average asking price | Annual price change |
| Haywards Heath, West Sussex | London | £461,066 | -4.8% |
| Maidenhead, Berkshire | London | £571,686 | -3.9% |
| Bath, Somerset | Bristol | £508,109 | -3.8% |
| Leamington Spa, Warwickshire | Birmingham | £369,612 | -3.3% |
| Reading, Berkshire | London | £377,211 | -2.9% |
| Billericay, Essex | London | £558,087 | -2.8% |
| Yate, Bristol | Bristol | £331,921 | -2.3% |
| Slough, Berkshire | London | £405,182 | -2.2% |
| Chelmsford, Essex | London | £402,836 | -2.1% |
| Basingstoke, Hampshire | London | £353,642 | -1.9% |
| Woking, Surrey | London | £509,550 | -1.7% |
| Tonbridge, Kent | London | £483,362 | -1.5% |
| Redhill, Surrey | London | £426,481 | -1.3% |
| Brentwood, Essex | London | £559,908 | -1.2% |
| Caerphilly | Cardiff | £251,142 | -1.2% |
