- Property supply increased in 83.7% of UK towns and cities in February
- New listings in London inched up just 4.7% last month, less than half the UK increase
- Warwick saw listings rise 76.2%, while in Edinburgh and Hastings supply was up 59.7% and 54.6% respectively
- Bootle experienced a 12.6% fall in new listings, while supply fell 12.4% in Guildford
London, 8 March 2017 — The number of new properties listed across the country was up 13.3% in February compared to January. According to the latest Property Supply Index from online estate agents HouseSimple.com, sellers are showing signs of waking from their winter slumber, as we enter a traditionally busy period for the property market.
The UK saw property supply increase in 83.7% of towns and cities in February. In Warwick, the number of new listings rose 76.2%, while in Edinburgh and Carlisle property listings were up 59.7% and 54.6% respectively.
To compile the Supply Index, HouseSimple looks at data from more than 500,000 listed properties* to track the number of new properties marketed every month in more than 100 major towns and cities across the UK and all London boroughs.
The following table shows the UK towns and cities that experienced the biggest increases in new property listings in February versus January:
| Town/City | Region | % rise in new listings in February vs. January |
| Warwick | West Midlands | 76.2% |
| Edinburgh | Scotland | 59.7% |
| Carlisle | North West | 54.6% |
| Lancaster | North West | 48.1% |
| High Wycombe | South East | 42.2% |
| Darlington | North East | 40.8% |
| Grimsby | Yorkshire and the Humber | 40.0% |
| Chester | North West | 39.5% |
| Hartlepool | North East | 39.1% |
| Stockton on Tees | North East | 37.7% |
However, some parts of the country did see property supply fall last month. In Bootle, for example, the number of new property listings fell 12.6%, while Guildford and Salford saw supply drop 12.4% and 8.5% respectively.
The following table shows the UK towns and cities that experienced the biggest decreases in new property listings in February versus January:
| Town/City | Region | % rise in new listings in February vs. January |
| Bootle | North West | -12.6% |
| Guildford | South East | -12.4% |
| Salford | North West | -8.5% |
| Chelmsford | East | -7.9% |
| Nuneaton | West Midlands | -7.5% |
| Ipswich | East | -5.4% |
| Hastings | South East | -4.5% |
| Nottingham | East Midlands | -3.3% |
| Bolton | North West | -3.0% |
| Colchester | East | -2.1% |
In London, supply was up just 4.7% in February, less than half that across the whole of the UK, although some areas did see some sizeable rises in listings. For example, Kensington and Chelsea experienced an uplift of 23.1%, while Lambeth saw property supply increase 20.4% last month.
The following table shows the London boroughs that experienced the biggest increases in new property listings in February versus January:
| London Borough | % rise in new listings in February vs. January |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 23.1% |
| Lambeth | 20.4% |
| Haringey | 19.4% |
| Hounslow | 18.2% |
| City of Westminster | 17.1% |
| Havering | 13.8% |
| Tower Hamlets | 13.6% |
| Wandsworth | 11.6% |
| Hackney | 9.7% |
| Sutton | 9.6% |
Alex Gosling, CEO of online estate agents HouseSimple.com, comments: “The market needs a boost in supply and it’s encouraging to see that new listings are up in February, albeit that we would typically expect numbers to rise in the coming months as sellers list their properties in time for the Spring market.
“What’s more encouraging is that new stock levels are higher than October 2016 and only slightly short of September 2016, both traditionally strong months for the property market. Now we need to see buoyant listings figures in March and April because the buyers are definitely there, and thanks to the continued competitive mortgage deals still on offer, they are committed to purchasing.”