DEMAND for family homes in 'picturesque' Weymouth has skyrocketed by whopping 115 per cent since March - the biggest increase in the South West and the second biggest nationally.

New market research from property website Zoopla has revealed the extent that the post-lockdown return to school has boosted the property market - and Weymouth in particular has seen a significant increase in demand for two and three bedroomed homes.

According to the firm's data, demand for this type of property has increased at a higher rate than any other area in England with the exception of Scarborough - the Yorkshire seaside resort saw a 142 per cent rise.

The local boom follows a national increase in demand for two and three bedroom homes in areas that are relatively less expensive than the regional average - although with the recent high demand, property prices in Weymouth could soon rise.

Currently, average prices in Weymouth and Portland for a two or three bed property currently stand at £235,000, 15 per cent below the regional average in the South West.

Properties currently for sale in Weymouth include a Victorian two-bed terraced house for sale for £237,000.

Dorset Echo: It's no surprise people are flocking to WeymouthIt's no surprise people are flocking to Weymouth

It comes amid a national property boom: according to Zoopla buyer demand across the country has increased by 25 per cent in the two months since schools reopened in March, compared to the previous two months.

Aside from schools reopening, the increase in demand is said to have been amplified by the announcement of the extension of the stamp duty holiday to the end of September and the rapid progress of the vaccine roll-out.

Gráinne Gilmore, head of research at Zoopla, said: “The reopening of schools in early March was a key moment for the residential property market, alongside the extension of the stamp duty holiday, with buyer demand rising by some 25 per cent in March and April compared to the first two months of the year.

“The data signals that in more affordable areas buyer interest is rising for two and three bed houses. On the other hand, buyer demand is rising at the highest rates for four and five bed houses in the areas where these homes are typically larger than the average - signalling that a need for additional space is a factor driving interest in this segment of the market.”

There has been a steady rise in property prices in Dorset. Land Registry figures show that average house prices for the county were £311,895 in January - a 1.2 per cent increase on December 2020.

And during 2020, the average sale price of property in Dorset rose by £22,000 – putting the area 15th among the South West’s 32 local authorities for annual growth.