Rightmove data reveals rising interest in city living and cooling coastal demand
The pandemic-era exodus from cities appears to be reversing, according to new analysis by property portal Rightmove.
Five years after the onset of COVID-19, buyer interest in coastal and rural areas is cooling, while demand for urban homes — especially in London — is resurging.
Rightmove’s latest report compares housing and mortgage market trends from March 2020 to the present, highlighting a shift back toward pre-pandemic preferences.
City living regains popularity
In 2021, Cornwall briefly displaced London as the most searched-for location on Rightmove, as remote work and lifestyle changes drove home-seekers to the coast and countryside. At the time, only 47% of London-based buyers intended to remain in the capital — down from 59% the year before.
Fast forward to 2025, and London has reclaimed its top spot. The proportion of Londoners looking to stay put has climbed to 58%, indicating renewed interest in urban living.
Meanwhile, properties in coastal locations are taking longer to sell. In 2021, coastal homes averaged 52 days to find a buyer. That figure has increased to 73 days. In London, the average time has remained more stable — rising slightly from 63 days to 65 days.
Asking prices in seaside towns reflect this moderation. In March 2021, coastal homes saw a 4.5% annual price jump, outpacing the national average of 2.7%. Now, prices in these regions are up just 1% year-on-year, mirroring national growth levels amid a more balanced supply-demand landscape.
“Five years on from the pandemic, many short-term trends brought about by the unique circumstances of lockdown have reversed,” said Steve Pimblett (pictured left), chief data officer at Rightmove.
“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.”
“Directly following the pandemic, many people saw the home working revolution as a potential opportunity to pursue a new or different lifestyle, often away from traditional town and city centres, as there was little need to be present within a physical office location five days a week,” added Nathan Emerson (pictured right), chief executive of letting agents trade body Propertymark.
“Substantial numbers of employers are now starting to ask their employees to make a return to centralised office locations, thus reversing the trend of five years ago for many people, and they are choosing metropolitan areas once again where there are likely better transport links and a more competitive jobs market in many cases.”
Mixed fortunes for first-time buyers
Since 2020, the typical asking price for a first-time buyer property has risen 17%, reaching £227,965. In contrast, average wages have grown 30% over the same period, potentially increasing the borrowing capacity of new buyers.
But affordability pressures remain. Rents have climbed 42% since 2020, outstripping wage growth and making it more difficult for aspiring homeowners to save for a deposit. At the same time, borrowing costs have risen sharply. The average five-year fixed mortgage rate now stands at 4.73%, more than double the 2.15% rate seen five years ago. For first-time buyers with a 20% deposit, this means monthly mortgage repayments have surged — from £590 in 2020 to £949 today.
Buyer preferences still favour space
Demand continues to lean toward larger homes. Prices for semi-detached and detached properties have outpaced those for flats over the past five years, indicating a sustained preference for more living space.
Search behaviour supports this trend. Buyers are still prioritising space-related features. In the rental market, pet-friendly properties remain in demand, while interest in listings that include bills — once a top priority during the inflation surge of 2022 — has fallen from the top five search terms.
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