Homes in the HR3 postcode, located in Hay on Wye, sold quickest in 2022, according to a report by GetAgent.

The comparison site’s analysis showed the Hereford location’s properties taking just 32 days on average to complete – a third of the time it takes the average UK house to sell.

Several Welsh regions ranked in the top 10 quickest selling areas, with Anglesey following in second position taking 34 days, and three postcodes in the country of Ceredigion taking less than 60 days to sell, placing them in fifth, eighth and joint ninth positions.

Further south of England, London postcode EC1R ranked in third place overall, with homes being snapped up in just 41 days on average. Kingsbridge postcode TQ7 in Devon also had an average sale period of just 44 days.

Ranking at the bottom of the top 20 quickest destinations were postcodes in locations such as Bakewell (in the Peak District) and Liverpool City Centre – both of which ranked in joint 20th position with an average sell time of 69 days.

Colby Short, co-founder and CEO of GetAgent commented: “Living in a particular postcode can add thousands to your home’s value, whether that’s due to having prestigious schools (with catchment areas notoriously hard to get into) or even good transport links for commuters.

“Surprisingly, while you might assume that homes closer to the capital would fetch higher asking prices, our research actually shows that it’s countryside destinations that are topping the list of expensive postcodes.

“As we’ve seen a more hybrid way of working come into play over the past couple of years, it’s clear to see that there’s demand for homes in the countryside, and even remote areas of the UK, as people leave the city life for space further afield.”