January saw a 40% increase in the number of homes on the market, according to new research from online estate agents HouseSimple.
The firm’s analysis looks at the number of new properties listed by agents across 100 major towns and cities in the UK, and saw a sharp rise in new sellers last month.
Almost half (48%) of towns and cities saw new listings up by at least 50% from December, while 10% saw new listings double.
Just six towns across the UK saw fewer new sellers than in December.
London saw a large increase in new sellers in January, with every single borough in the capital enjoying a rise in new property listings compared to September. In total new property supply was up by almost 79%, while a fifth of London boroughs saw new net sellers double.
Here are the ten towns and cities which saw the largest increase in new listings in January.
| Town/city | Region | Percentage increase in new listings |
| Solihull | West Midlands | 148.9 |
| Southend-On-Sea | East | 141.5 |
| Salisbury | South West | 127.3 |
| Rugby | West Midlands | 120.7 |
| High Wycombe | South East | 117.5 |
| Exmouth | South | 116.7 |
| Slough | South East | 113.4 |
| Sale | North West | 113.3 |
| Hastings | South East | 110.1 |
| St Helens | North West | 105.2 |
Sam Mitchell, chief executive officer of HouseSimple, said that while 2017 had “ended with a whimper”, the property market was now enjoying a much-needed New Year bounce in terms of supply.
He added: “This boost does need to be put into context though, as new listings are still at very low levels. The market desperately needs a few more healthy months to fill the supply reservoir.
“We expect 2018 to be another challenging year for the UK housing market as the country’s exit from the EU draws closer. House price growth is likely to be single digits this year at best. However, the property market has proven over the past 12 months that it is robust enouHgh to handle the blustery economic headwinds coming its way.”
