A NEW interactive tool shows house demand has spiked in much of Gwent.

The reopening of schools coincided with a surge in house hunting.

Buyer interest in homes on the market has soared by 25% in the two months alone since schools reopened.

The has equated to an increased demand in four of Gwent's five council areas.

The biggest spike has been seen in Monmouthshire.

The interactive tool, from Zoopla, shows a 21 per cent increase in demand in the county.

Newport saw the next biggest rise, with nine per cent, while there was a three per cent increase in Torfaen and a two per cent increase in Caerphilly.

However, Blaenau Gwent was one of just four areas across the country to see demand drop.

The fall of four per cent was the joint second highest in Wales, behind only Denbighshire (18 per cent).

First-time buyers and empty-nesters appear to be driving demand for one bedroom and two-bedroom flats.

The biggest rise in interest for homes of this size has been seen in Stockport and Pembrokeshire, where demand has jumped by 164 per cent and 122 per cent respectively since early March.

Flats in these locations, as well as other popular areas which have seen a spike in interest such as East Devon and the New Forest, offer suburban and urban living at a relatively low cost.

Two and three-bedroom properties in areas where prices are below their regional average have seen the largest increase in interest from potential buyers.

While homes of this size remain in strong demand across Great Britain, the seaside resort of Scarborough has seen interest from potential buyers skyrocket 142 per cent.

Although house prices in Scarborough are above the regional average, our data shows that they tend to be larger than in other parts of Yorkshire, meaning buyers get more bang for their buck.