Hybrid working has reinforced the trend. What began as a pandemic-era novelty has settled into a lasting shift, according to Selley, with buyers who might once have confined their search to the commuter belt now widening it considerably, sometimes as far as the North East.
For those considering the same move she made, Selley’s advice is not to assume the process will mirror what they are used to, even within England.
“Stamp duty savings can be more generous than people expect, and it’s worth genuinely researching commuter links rather than assuming they’ll mirror what you’re used to down South — the geography, and the trade-offs, are different,” she explained.
A divide likely to persist
Selley is careful not to overstate the certainty of the trend. Analysis from Robinson & Hall Auctions suggests the North-South divide will continue in the near term, with easing mortgage rates and sustained price growth supporting northern markets, while southern regions continue to face affordability pressures. Much depends, she said, on the Bank of England‘s next moves.
But for all the shifts in rates and regional performance, Selley said the core of her job as a mortgage broker has stayed the same.