This follows a report, which found that the Northern England housing market is set to stabilise as London and the South East continue to suffer from sluggish sales due to affordability pressures. 1
A report by cash house buyer, Sell House Fast has revealed the best underrated UK property hotspots, analysing affordability, commuting convenience, crime rates, school ratings, quality of life, and local amenities.
You can view the full study here: https://sellhousefast.uk/blog/underrated-property-hotspots/
Top 10 Underrated UK Property Hotspots:
| Rank | Town | Hub city | Car approx. commute time (mins) | Train approx. commute time (mins) | Average house price | Crime risk score /1,000 | Good/ Outstanding schools within five miles | Overall score /10 |
| 1 | Horsforth | Leeds | 29 | 26 | £328,259 | 556 | 74% | 7.05 |
| 2 | Rowley Regis | Birmingham | 41.5 | 21 | £206,009 | 620 | 90% | 6.96 |
| 3 | Sutton Coldfield | Birmingham | 33.5 | 24 | £394,443 | 475 | 72% | 6.39 |
| 4 | Chesterfield | Sheffield | 40.5 | 12 | £212,576 | 626 | 64% | 6.29 |
| 5 | Dronfield | Sheffield | 29 | 10 | £273,863 | 394 | 66% | 6.19 |
| 6 | Kenilworth | Birmingham | 47.5 | 100 | £449,304 | 379 | 70% | 6.12 |
| 7 | Newton-le-Willows | Liverpool/Manchester | 55 | 20 | £217,662 | 622 | 72% | 5.73 |
| 8 | Mossley | Manchester | 55 | 17 | £200,244 | N/A | 62% | 5.39 |
| 9 | Menston | Leeds | 47.5 | 21 | £364,003 | 456 | 66% | 5.37 |
| 10 | Stalybridge | Manchester | 50 | 12 | £240,631 | N/A | 63% | 5.35 |
- Horsforth claims the top spot with 7.05/10 thanks to fast commuting times and strong educational options, plus a vibrant local scene with 220+ coffee shops, bars, pubs, and restaurants within five miles.
- An average house price of £328,259 makes Horsforth more affordable than Leeds’ neighbourhoods like Roundhay (£435,245) and Bramhope (£537,503), with a median annual pay of £31,450.
- Rowley Regis, just west of Birmingham, ranks second with 6.96/10, offering a very accessible average house price of £206,009 – 23.2% cheaper than the national average and nearly half the price of Edgbaston (£388,665).
- Within five miles of Rowley Regis are 43 coffee shops, 114 bars and pubs, and 103 restaurants, and 90% of schools are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. Median pay is £27,414 with a crime risk score of 620/1,000.
- In third place, Sutton Coldfield scores 6.39, with a 33.5-minute drive to Birmingham, 30 coffee shops, 54 pubs, and 103 restaurants, a median pay of £28,995, a lower crime risk (475/1,000), but a premium average house price of £394,443.
Further Insights:
- House prices in Salford, Greater Manchester, have climbed 96.4% since 2014, increasing from £113,010 to £221,910
- The UK’s cheapest underrated town to buy a home is Mossley in Manchester, where you’ll pay £200,509 – nearly 50% times less than Altrincham
- The cheapest place to buy in London is Brixton, with an average house price of £595,820, which is still more expensive than any of the properties based in Manchester or Birmingham.
- First-time buyers looking to buy in London dropped by 3.2% as of December 2025 vs the same period in 2024.
1. Zoopla
