Livingston properties selling faster than anywhere else in UK

Estate agent Rightmove said its survey, which excluded London, showed that homes in Livingston are being snapped up in 23 days – around a third of the national average selling time of 67 days.

The average asking price in the town was £147,588.

Edinburgh was the second fastest place to sell, with properties going for an average asking price of £242,223 and selling in 34 days.

Miles Shipside, director of Rightmove, said: “Although prices have grown at a muted rate of 1.2 per cent nationally this year, there are a number of local markets where strong demand and short supply has led to pretty heady price rises, especially in areas where homes are relatively more affordable than some of their nearby cities.”

Simon Thomas, owner of RE/MAX estate agents in Livingston, said: “Supply has been quite tight, which has led to buyers finding themselves up against a lot of competition to secure the home they want, which has led to properties selling more quickly than before.”

The Rightmove survey also revealed that Bristol was the most searched-for place for both buyers and renters.

And house asking prices in Sudbury in Suffolk have surged by 13.1 per cent over the past year – more than anywhere else in Britain.