Week 24 shows a UK property market that remains active, but increasingly rewards realistic sellers and quietly punishes those who launch at the wrong price.
A total of 24.4k homes sold STC last week, around 1,750 below the 10-year Week 24 average of 26.2k. That is not a market collapse, but it does show that buyers are taking their time and becoming more selective. Meanwhile, 36k new properties came to the market, slightly above the decade average for the week.
That has pushed the number of UK homes listed so far this year to 895k, substantially above the 10-year average of 787k. There are now 747k homes available for sale, compared with around 605k three years ago. Buyers have considerably more choice, and sellers are competing harder for their attention.
The clearest warning is hidden in the pricing figures. During the last month, 13.4% of homes reduced their asking price, while 14.6% secured a buyer. In other words, almost as many sellers are cutting their expectations as agreeing a sale.
Yet the wider market remains resilient. So far in 2026, 596k homes have sold STC, 1.3% more than at the same point in 2024 and comfortably ahead of the 10-year Week 24 average of 550k. The average home sold STC last week at £373k, or £356 per sq ft, both above their year-to-date averages. However, agreeing a sale is only part of the journey. It still takes around 76 days from sale agreed to completion, or approximately 120 days from first listing to moving day.
The Bolton market is moving. Buyers are buying. Sellers are selling. But with more homes competing for fewer weekly sales, pricing your property optimistically is becoming one of the quickest ways to help your neighbour sell theirs.
