Those selling up in the capital favoured Dartford in Kent as their top destination, followed by Wokingham in Berkshire and Epping Forest in Essex. 

Meanwhile, Londoners made up the highest share of first-time buyers in St Albans. This demographic also flocked to the leafy suburbs of Elmbridge in Surrey and joined home movers in Dartford. A record 40pc of first-time buyers left the capital to get on the property ladder this year, according to Hamptons. 

The average London leaver purchased 34.7 miles away, largely in southern England, suggesting that movers were still keen to maintain links with the capital.

London-based investors, who alongside second home owners made up 19pc of buyers outside the capital, chased higher yields further away from the capital. Almost a third of these buyers purchased their buy-to-let in the North, where tenant demand has boomed this year and lower house prices offer greater opportunity to turn a profit.