Week 17 looks strong on the surface.
27,674 homes sold stc, the best week for UK house sales in 45 weeks. Buyers are still out there, and sales agreed remain ahead of 2024 year to date.
But the real story is not demand It is supply.
43,421 new listings hit the market this week, well above long term norms and another sign that more homeowners are entering the fight for the same buyers.
That matters because only 53.3% of homes are actually going on to exchange and complete (ie you move home). That means nearly half of the people who put their home up for sale, don’t sell and move.
So yes, buyers are active. But they are selective. The homes priced right, presented right and positioned right are moving. The rest are sitting there helping sell competing properties.
Pricing discipline remains everything as average achieved prices are holding at £345 per sq/ft, up 1.8% year on year, proving buyers will still pay fair money when they see value.
Rents meanwhile continue to soften slightly at £1,778 pcm, below both 2025 and the 2026 year to date average. No crash. No boom. Just a market settling down.
So Week 17 tells us this:
The UK property market is active.
But it is unforgiving.
Because in a market with more choice, buyers do not chase overpriced homes.
They ignore them.