UK's most popular cities: Bristol takes top spot as most searched for city by house-hunters outside of London

Bristol has beaten some of the largest cities in the UK, including Manchester and Birmingham, to be named as the most searched for city among home buyers outside of London, according to a new report released by Rightmove today.

A consistent contender for the top spot, Bristol's popularity continues to rise among home buyers and renters due to its creative, small city-feel, vibrant cultural scene and relative affordability.

With the average asking price of a home standing at £316,000— more than £283,000 below the London average— strong demand from buyers far outstrips the number of new homes being built in the city.

This has led to greater property price rises than in other UK locations. “In the last year the price of property coming to market in Bristol has risen by 2.3 per cent, well above the national average of 0.8 per cent,” says Miles Shipside, Rightmove director and housing market analyst.

“Though this is good news for those already on the property ladder, it makes it harder for first-time buyers to get onto it,” adds Shipside.

Electrification of the Great Western rail line between London and South Wales has been expensive and delayed, but the £5 billion project launched last month — with some disruption over the Christmas period — promising direct, non-stop 68-minute trains from Bristol Parkway to London Paddington.

Estate agents believe the faster journeys will appeal to buyers not ready to give up city life, even if they are priced out of London.

Adam Sandford, 29, general manager of co-working space Runway East, relocated to Bristol from London last year with his partner Lottie.

“The city is beautiful, there’s so much Georgian architecture and during the summer there’s something on everyday, such as St Pauls Carnival which is like a smaller Notting Hill.”

“We really like it, it’s small enough you can walk everywhere – though it’s mainly uphill – and it’s got a really bohemian vibe.

“We’re hoping to buy at some point, we’ve had a few viewings. You can definitely get more for your money than in London, but it's still less than in other parts of the UK.”

Second and third on property portal Rightmove’s list of most searched for UK cities outside of London are York and Glasgow respectively.

Two hours’ train journey from London, York is popular with occasional London commuters who buy into the city’s good schools and quality of life; while Glasgow is one of the cheapest cities in the UK for living costs.

Edinburgh, in fourth place, is the UK's second most-visited city after London, with four million international tourists a year.

This powerhouse city was also recently revealed as top of 32 cities worldwide for affordability and lifestyle for cash-strapped millennials.