Despite falling rents in the capital, London is no longer the most searched-for place to live on Rightmove.
Thanks to the way the pandemic has changed what people want from their careers and life in general, including greater access to nature, London has been overtaken by Cornwall.
The picturesque Cornish seaside towns of Looe and Truro have become especially popular on Rightmove, the BBC reports.
London is still the second most searched-for place to live to the UK, but Cornwall's neighbouring county Devon is close behind in third. Another county in southwest England, Dorset, is now the 10th most searched-for location.
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The cities of Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Sheffield and York also appear in the top ten, but according to Rightmove, the prevailing trend in the UK is a shift from city living to rural life.
“The standout trends over the past year have been increased demand for countryside and coastal living, more people making the dream of a detached home a reality, and the increased appeal of a garden,” said Tim Bannister, the director of property data at Rightmove.
“The huge population of London means that, traditionally, it’s the most searched-for location. The evolution for many from balancing their laptop on the end of a bed last March to making an office a permanent addition to a home has led to a need for even bigger homes than before.”
Data released by Rightmove in January revealed that a similar pattern has emerged in London. Rents are dropping most rapidly in traditionally expensive, more central areas of the city as people search for larger properties and more green space in suburban areas of south and east London.