Asking prices in more affordable locations like Scotland and the north of England soared the most in 2025, according to Rightmove.
Affordability was a key driver of house price growth last year as reams of the asking price hotspots are reasonably priced areas, according to the property portal.
Buyers’ budgets remain stretched thanks to inflated mortgage rates and years of house price rises, meaning homes in the south of England are beyond the reach of many.
Rightmove said this had caused price tags in northern and Scottish towns including Hawick, Liverpool and Durham to balloon.
In fact, 43 of the 50 places that saw the biggest growth were priced below the national average.
Across these top 50 locations, asking prices averaged £270,711 – some 26 per cent or nearly £100,000 below the national average of £368,031.
Asking prices in Hawick, in the Scottish borders, climbed by some 18 per cent last year
Border town Hawick in Roxburghshire, Scotland, topped the list as asking prices surged by 18 per cent year-on year.
Average price tags across the country were 0.6 per cent lower at the end of 2025 compared to a year earlier.
In Hawick, owners were listing their homes for a reasonable £148,633 on average. Buyers can snap up a two-bedroom bungalow for this price.
Hawick is a one-and-a-half-hour drive from capital Edinburgh, which is ideal for those need to nip in to the city for meetings. Plus, the area is perfect for history buffs, and lovers of textiles and knitwear.
Scotland features the most in these top 50 price tag hotspots, followed by the north west, and Yorkshire and the Humber.
The housing market was tepid last year as house hunters feared changes to housing policy in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ November Budget.
This means buyers needed a strong price incentive to be lured to the market.
Plus, while mortgage rates are falling, they are still far above the lows seen just a few years ago during the pandemic.
It means buyers may be considering borrowing less – and therefore looking in cheaper areas – to lower their monthly mortgage payments.
As swathes of buyers opted for more affordable regions, asking prices in these areas have been in turn pushed upwards due to a surge in demand.
Colleen Babcock, of Rightmove, explains: ‘There is typically a larger pool of buyers who are looking to move within more affordable price brackets.
‘Therefore, locations with more homes that fall under the average asking price can see more demand from buyers, and that underpins house price growth in those areas.’
Taking the silver spot for asking price growth is Durham. It saw a 15 per cent surge year-on-year. Price tags averaged £251,339, which stretches to a two-bedroom flat or three-bedroom new build home.
The cathedral city has plenty of green space and is home to Durham University.
In bronze spot is Stannington in Sheffield, where listing prices climbed by 12 per cent to £264,078.
This desirable suburb is close to the peak district and has a strong community fell yet is more affordable than the national average.
Pay a little more than the area’s average asking price and you could buy a three-bedroom semi-detached.
| Area | Local authority | Region | Average price | Average price rise year-on-year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawick, Roxburghshire | Scottish Borders | Scotland | £148,633 | 18% |
| Durham, County Durham | County Durham | North East | £251,339 | 15% |
| Stannington, Sheffield | Sheffield | Yorkshire and The Humber | £264,078 | 12% |
| Anfield, Liverpool | Liverpool | North West | £132,178 | 11% |
| Benton, Newcastle Upon Tyne | North Tyneside | North East | £231,693 | 11% |
| Johnstone, Renfrewshire | Renfrewshire | Scotland | £156,107 | 11% |
| Anlaby, Hull | East Riding of Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | £256,305 | 10% |
| Saffron Walden, Essex | Uttlesford | East of England | £523,787 | 10% |
| Seacroft, Leeds | Leeds | Yorkshire and The Humber | £218,893 | 9% |
| Orkney, Orkney Islands | Orkney Islands | Scotland | £215,546 | 9% |
| Rutherglen, Glasgow | South Lanarkshire | Scotland | £172,537 | 9% |
| Flitwick, Bedford | Central Bedfordshire | East of England | £429,287 | 9% |
| Allestree, Derby | Derby | East Midlands | £309,115 | 9% |
| Clydebank, Dunbartonshire | West Dunbartonshire | Scotland | £134,907 | 9% |
| Whitchurch, Shropshire | Shropshire | West Midlands | £293,108 | 9% |
| Nelson, Lancashire | Pendle | North West | £144,562 | 9% |
| North Berwick, East Lothian | East Lothian | Scotland | £474,298 | 8% |
| Droylsden, Greater Manchester | Tameside | North West | £232,156 | 8% |
| Beeston, Leeds | Leeds | Yorkshire and The Humber | £162,600 | 8% |
| Broadgreen, Liverpool | Liverpool | North West | £202,201 | 8% |
| Glenrothes, Fife | Fife | Scotland | £154,549 | 8% |
| Stoke, Plymouth | Plymouth | South West | £200,397 | 8% |
| Darwen, Lancashire | Blackburn with Darwen | North West | £188,276 | 8% |
| Barrhead, Glasgow | East Renfrewshire | Scotland | £177,791 | 8% |
| Rugeley, Staffordshire | Cannock Chase | West Midlands | £295,862 | 8% |
The rest of the top ten included many suburbs close to city centres as employees return to work in the office. However, office workers seem to be balancing affordability with their commute time.
Anfield in Liverpool – home of the Liverpool FC ground – is fourth with an 11 per cent growth to £132,178.
John Baybut, of Berkeley Shaw Real Estate in Liverpool, says improved infrastructure is luring in buyers.
‘Liverpool Football Club have been the anchor for significant regeneration in Anfield as they have committed to the area,’ he says.
‘The infrastructure around Anfield will continue to improve as the local authority know LFC will be there for the long term.’
After Anfield are Benton in Newcastle, Johnstone in Renfrewshire and Anlaby in Hull.
Finishing up the top ten is Seacroft in Leeds and Orkney in the Orkney Islands.
No area in London – where homes are listed for £679,782 – is in the top 50 places for price tag growth as the city faces a flatlining property market.
