David Fell, lead analyst at Hamptons, explores the reasons why homes are now taking longer to sell in some parts of Britain than others.
He said: “In tougher markets, where less than half of sellers find a buyer, there is a tug-of-war between seller ambition and market pragmatism.
“Homes with overly ambitious asking prices often linger on the market, particularly when similar homes are subsequently being advertised at lower values.
“Leasehold homes in particular are taking longer to find a buyer than freehold homes, a differential which has grown as prices have softened.
“Sellers able to secure a buyer within the first 30 days are generally achieving their full first asking price, often with multiple offers on the table.
“However, homes that sit on the market for more than three months are recording average discounts of around five per cent.
“But finding a buyer is only the first half of the battle, as the wheels of the conveyancing process grind increasingly slowly.
“Progressing an offer to exchange of contracts is now taking 50 per cent longer than finding a buyer in the first place.”
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