The latest research from Savills suggests that it's places such as Winchester, Bath and Oxford which have seen the fastest house price growth in the first quarter of 2021, with price rises of 4%, 3.7% and 3.2% respectively.
'It’s no longer just a story of the search for village or rural idyll that dominated 2020,' says Frances Clacy, Savills residential research analyst.
'This third lockdown has made some people more aware of what they’re missing and there is a real sense of urban revival. We’re now seeing prime regional town and city markets keeping pace with their more rural surrounds in annual price growth terms.'
York and Edinburgh have also witnessed the same phenomenon, with 2.6% price growth so far in 2021. London, by contrast, has been largely flat: prices are up 0.4% in the prime central areas, and 0.7% in the prime outer suburbs.
As well as growth in the smaller cities, demand for beautiful country houses remains just as strong as ever: prices are up 2.9% this year, and almost 9% year-on-year according to the Savills numbers. Coastal properties are also still booming, up 6.8% year-on-year, with Suffolk and Devon particularly popular.
Scottish estates are also booming. Strutt & Parker report that 24 of the 36 large scale estates (with an average size of over 2,000 acres) up for sale in 2020 were sold, with several more sales agreed this year. Those estates went for an average price of £4.7 million.
But it's fascinating to see that many buyers might now be looking ahead to a post-pandemic Britain, in which commuting two or three days a week seems increasingly likely for many who were previously required to be at their desks in London full-time. Commuting from Bath or York to London, for example, would take a huge toll full time, but many will think it's now manageable a couple of times each week.
That's led many buyers to amend their priorities — and often they are moving closer to their roots. 'Proximity to family is now also a very strong driver, with our city offices reporting buyers returning to their home towns,' adds Clacy.
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From California to Cornwall: How surfing became a cornerstone of Cornish cultureA new exhibition at Cornwall's National Maritime Museum celebrates a century of surf culture and reveals how the country became a global leader in surf innovation and conservation.
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18 magnificent homes for sale from £550k to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeFrom a charming thatched cottage to a 300-acre estate with its own vineyard, here's our pick of places to come to the market via Country Life of late.
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18 magnificent homes for sale from £550k to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeFrom a charming thatched cottage to a 300-acre estate with its own vineyard, here's our pick of places to come to the market via Country Life of late.
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If heaven is on earth, it might be in this home with a converted chapel that is now a swimming pool5 Wood Barton Town House is part of an exclusive 80-acre development in Devon that also comes with fishing rights on the River Avon and four bedrooms.
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The sounds of spring and stained glass in an Arts-and-Crafts masterpiece in DorsetWith 35 acres, more than 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool and tennis court, Winterfield has it all.
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An eight-bedroom wonder in East Sussex where the outdoors are an adventureThe interiors of Old Middleton are pretty good too.
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A lakeside farmhouse on the market in the beautiful heart of PembrokeshireA lake, streams, 15 acres and five bedrooms. Rogershook might have it all.
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An idyllic countryside home that's light, spacious and comes with a Grade II-listed follyHagg House is a gorgeous family home that just happens to have a miniature castle in the gardens. Annabel Dixon explains more.
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A historic villa for sale on the Via Nomentana worthy of Rome's rich historyThree floors, lots of balconies, and a private garden in one of Rome's loveliest neighbourhoods.
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Eight bedrooms of unlisted Edwardian elegance with sweeping views of SomersetAshton House sits near the market town of Chard and comes with a wealth of amenities both inside and out.
