Homes near the sea are taking three weeks longer to sell than in 2020, with buyers instead gravitating towards cities, analysis from RIghtmove shows.
This marks a reversal of the trend during the covid-19 pandemic, as London is the most searched for location on Rightmove, and the majority (58%) of people living there are looking to stay rather than leave.
In 2025 average asking prices have risen by 1% across coastal areas compared to last year, as competition between buyers has cooled as supply has increased.
Steve Pimblett, Rightmove’s chief data officer, said: “Five years on from the pandemic, many short-term trends brought about by the unique circumstances of lockdown have reversed.
“Coastal homes are taking longer to find buyers and price growth has stabilised as more supply has come onto the market, some likely from movers heading back to the city.
“At the same time, fewer people are looking to escape cities, as life has returned to normal, and the debate continues about remote versus office working.”
In March 2021, Cornwall overtook London as the most searched for area on Rightmove for the first-time.
At the same time, Londoners were increasingly looking to leave the capital. In March 2021, less than half (47%) of potential home-buyers in London were looking to stay in the capital, versus 59% the year before.
The average asking price for a home near the sea increased by 4.5% in March 2021 compared to the year before when the pandemic began.