Within England, Leeds has seen the highest level of sales volumes since the introduction of stamp duty in July 2020, with a total of 5,355 taking place in the city, according to Yes Homebuyers.
This was followed by Birmingham (5,073) and Cornwall (4,843).
In contrast, the City of London has seen just 40 sales taking place, a drop of 39.4% when compared to a year prior.
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Rutland followed with just 282 sales recorded since July 2020.
In Hackney, 823 homes have sold since last July, but compared with the same period in 2019, this was the largest decline of all areas in England, with 42.6% fewer sales taking place.
Salford saw the largest drop outside of London, with home sales down 37.8% compared to the previous year.
Matthew Cooper, founder and managing director of Yes Homebuyers, said: “There’s no doubt that buyer activity has soared since the stamp duty holiday was introduced and house prices have also climbed considerably as a result.
“However, the national property market is hugely diverse and so expecting to sell fast, and expecting to do so at a higher price, should not be assumed simply because the market is performing well at the top line.
“While some areas are always going to see a lower level of total transactions taking place when compared to larger towns or cities, it’s clear that COVID is continuing to leave a mark.
“Not only is the City of London pretty much six feet under due to the trend of working from home, but many areas are actually seeing fewer sales take place when compared to the previous year.
“This highlights the importance of approaching a sale with a level head. Do your research, price your property appropriately and there’s no reason you can’t find a buyer in any market conditions.”
