For decades, the flat was the natural starting point for many first-time home buyers. The first rung of the ladder. The affordable option. The stepping stone to something bigger. For landlords, it was a dependable investment. For first-time buyers, it was often the only way in.

If you are a homeowner or landlord in Stevenage and thinking about selling in the coming months, one question tends to rise above all others. How long is this going to take?

Young people have been locked out of homeownership. Deposits are impossible to save. Mortgage rules are too strict. And ‘Generation Rent’ is now permanent. According to the narrative by the newspapers, younger generation homeownership has collapsed.

There is a growing shift taking place in the Stevenage property market, and it is not one that can be ignored. While much of the national conversation focuses on house prices and interest rates, a quieter yet more revealing metric is beginning to stand out, how long properties are taking to sell.