Halifax says the North East is now the strongest-growing English region, with annual growth of 3.5%, while prices in the North West are up 2.9%.
Now, a leading property expert has highlighted 10 popular northern postcode areas he predicts buyers will target this spring.
Sam Fox, founder of UKMC, says the region is set up to benefit from rising property prices.
”Spring usually brings more buyers into the market, but affordability is still a major concern this year,” he said.
“That is putting northern cities firmly in focus, especially where buyers can still get into a major urban market without taking on southern England levels of cost.
“I am seeing more buyers widen their search north because the sums are simply easier to make work there.
“Once people sit down and look properly at deposit size, monthly repayments and what they will still have left over each month, a lot of northern markets start to look far more realistic.”
Although house prices in the North are rising, Sam urged people to remain realistic.
He explained: “I would not call it a boom in the old sense, because buyers are still price-sensitive and they are still negotiating hard.
“But northern cities are giving people more options than many parts of the South. When budgets are tight, that carries a lot of weight, and it is why these places are likely to stay high on buyers’ lists this spring.”
Below, Sam shares the 10 postcodes in five popular cities across the North that he thinks buyers should be watching most closely.
1. NE3 and NE5, Newcastle
“Newcastle upon Tyne is a very good example of why the North East is drawing more attention. Halifax says the wider region is the strongest-growing in England, and that gives buyers a bit more confidence that they are not stepping into a flat market. It also remains one of the easier major northern cities to get into from a borrowing point of view. You can see that in places such as NE3 and NE5, where buyers can still find options that make city living feel realistic rather than stretched.” | Google Photo: Google
2. S6 and S8, Sheffield
“Sheffield deserves a place on the list because it suits the kind of buyer who wants a major urban market but still needs the purchase to feel comfortable on a day-to-day basis. What I like about Sheffield is that it gives buyers choices. Areas such as S6 and S8 show the kind of balance people are looking for between budget, space and everyday practicality. It is the sort of place where a buyer can make the move work without feeling they have pushed themselves too far.” | Google Photo: Google
3. L17 and L25, Liverpool
“Liverpool stands out straight away because it gives buyers a major city market at a price that still feels within reach. Areas such as L25 and L17 show how interest is stretching from stronger residential neighbourhoods to parts of the city where buyers still feel they can get decent value. For me, that is what makes Liverpool so attractive. You have first-time buyers, movers and investors all looking at it for different reasons. When a market appeals on more than one level, it usually has a bit more strength behind it.” | Google Photo: Google
4. M28 and M33, Manchester
“Manchester is different. It is not the bargain option, and buyers know that. They are choosing it because they still see value in paying more for a city with jobs, infrastructure and long-term appeal. What is interesting is where buyers are prepared to compromise. Places such as M33 and M28 show that plenty of them are happy to look beyond the obvious central postcodes if it means more space or a mortgage that feels easier to live with.” | Google Photo: Google
5. LS12 and LS27, Leeds
“Leeds rounds the list off for me because it remains one of the most important northern hubs for buyers who want scale and opportunity but still need the move to stack up financially. It is not the cheapest city in the North, and it is not the fastest-moving, but it continues to attract attention because it offers the sort of depth that many buyers want. Areas such as LS27 and LS12 give you a sense of how people are trying to balance location, price and practicality much more carefully now." | Google Photo: Google