2025 housing market busier than 2024 insists buoyant Rightmove 

2025 housing market busier than 2024 insists buoyant Rightmove 


Todays other news
The new analysis comes from Knight Frank...
The activist group wants far more tenant power than given...
Many lenders decline properties with this foam - making them...
The briefing, held this week, aimed to bring letting agents...

Rightmove claims there’s been a record number of early-bird new sellers coming to market from Boxing Day and into January.

And the portal claims this shows pent-up demand to move. 

The number of new properties coming to market is 11% ahead of the same period at the start of last year, while the average number of homes for sale per estate agency branch is currently at the highest for this time of year in 10 years. 

High buyer choice has contributed to increases in buyer enquiries and sales agreed compared to a year ago, but also means fierce seller competition to attract these new year buyers. 

The portal says sellers may find that they have been too optimistic on their initial pricing and get left on the shelf in favour of more competitively priced neighbours.

“We’ve also seen a strong start to the year in new seller asking prices, though given the higher-than-anticipated seller competition, we would expect this to slow down over the next few months” cautions Rightmove’s new  spokesperson, Colleen Babcock.  

“The record number of sellers we’re seeing is a double-edged sword. It’s encouraging to see so many sellers with the confidence to come to market, providing buyers with fresh choice. 

“However, with lots of homes for buyers to consider, sellers will need to work even harder to stand out from the crowd and attract a buyer. 

“This could be with a tempting asking price, standout home features, immaculate presentation of the home, or a combination of all of these. It’s vital that in a competitive market, sellers take on the recommendations of their agent, particularly when it comes to setting a realistic price.” 

The portal adds that buyer activity is also starting the year encouragingly, as many festivity-distracted buyers return to make their move happen. 

Since Boxing Day, the number of buyers contacting estate agents about homes for sale is up by 9% on the same period last year. The combination of good choice and healthy buyer demand has kept the sales trend positive, with the number of sales being agreed between buyers and sellers now 11% ahead of this time last year. 

Rightmove has also recorded its busiest start to a year for prospective home-movers applying for a Mortgage in Principle to understand what they may be able to borrow from a lender, which is evidence of future buyer intent. 

All of these very early lead indicators at the start of this year point to a busier 2025. Rightmove forecasts a larger number of transactions this year of 1.15 million, and an average asking price increase of +4%.

Share this article ...

Join the conversation: Login and have your say

Want to comment on this story? Our focus is on providing a platform for you to share your insights and views and we welcome contributions. All comments are screened using specialist software and may be reviewed by our editorial team before publication. Landlord Today reserves the right to edit, withhold or delete comments that violate our guidelines, including those that harass, degrade, or intimidate others. Users who post such content may be banned from commenting.
By commenting, you agree to our Commenting Terms of Use.
Subscribe to comments
Notify of
1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Recommended for you
Related Articles
The claim comes from PropTech firm Goodlord, using some Rightmove...
Affordability remains an issue despite the strong start to 2025's...
Glasgow council is on the warpath over the city's empty...
The current licensing system was to have expired later this...
The tenant was in hospital when he was evicted illegally...
The controversial proposal is backed by the Welsh Government...
Growing arrears, falling yields and new laws make 2025 a...
Recommended for you
Latest Features
A survey which spoke with 3,500 landlords, tenants and agents...
Does the Scottish situation resonate with landlords in the rest...
There's been an increase in reports of mould in homes...
Sponsored Content
1
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x

Send to a friend

In order to send this article to a friend you must first login. Click on the button below to login or sign up.

No one likes pop-ups ...
But while you're here