High-speed sales in West Drayton: Homes in London's 'hottest neighbourhood' are taking just 37 days to sell

Sitting on the western fringes of the metropolis, just north of Heathrow and nestling against the M4/M25 junction, West Drayton has not been considered London’s most sought after enclave.

But a new analysis shows it is now the most in-demand in the entire capital.

Properties in West Drayton are snapped up in an average of just 37 days after going on the market, three days faster than the next “hottest” neighbourhood, Walthamstow.

Its desirability is thought to be down to relatively modest prices — a four-bedroom detached house costs about £600,000 and a two-bedroom flat around £300,000 — and a station on Crossrail’s Elizabeth line. Homes there sell 109 days quicker than the slowest housing market in London — Knightsbridge.

The top 10 London areas where homes are selling the fastest

(Source: Rightmove)

West Drayton was best known as the home of London’s air traffic control centre — until it moved to Swanwick in Hampshire in 2008. Its most famous sons are Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood and Green Wing actor Julian Rhind-Tutt.

The league table of London’s fastest-moving property markets, compiled by property website Rightmove, is dominated by “unfashionable” but more affordable locations towards the outskirts of the capital such as Chessington, Wallington and Eltham.

By contrast, the markets where “For Sale” boards stay up the longest are in affluent central and western areas.

After Knightsbridge, it takes longest to sell a home in Kensington (121 days), Teddington (111 days) Acton (108 days) and Shepherd’s Bush (108 days).

The 10 London areas where homes are taking the longest to sell

(Source: Rightmove)

The “most searched for” top 10 shows a similar pattern, with the suburbs dominating and Bromley in first place foll owed by Croydon, Dartford, Hornchurch and Sutton.

At the end of a year of feeble or non-existent house price growth for most of London the biggest rises were in Golders Green (seven per cent), Erith (six per cent) and Sidcup (5.5 per cent).