Industry insights

UK Housing Market: Best Time to Sell a House

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Deciding the best time to sell a property is pivotal in the ever-fluctuating UK housing market. This decision can significantly impact the sale price, the speed at which the sale is completed, and the overall experience of the selling process. With factors like location, interest rates, and the expertise of estate agents playing critical roles, sellers are often left wondering when precisely the opportune time to make their move.

This blog will determine the best time to sell a house. We’ll explore how supply and demand in the housing market can drastically influence sale outcomes and why certain times of the year see homes flying off the market faster than others. Additionally, we will provide insights into how location-specific trends, such as those in Richmond, Twickenham, Putney, Mortlake, and Sheen, can offer predictive value for sellers in those areas. By the end of this piece, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to pinpoint the most advantageous time to list your property, ensuring a smoother and more rewarding selling experience.

Understanding the Best Time to Sell

Impact of Weather on Property Sales

You can’t live in the UK and be unaware of how much the weather impacts our daily decisions, especially this summer. Therefore, weather patterns significantly influence buyer and seller behaviours, with colder months seeing a reduction in market activity akin to a winter slumber. Conversely, the market springs to life with the warmer weather, paralleling nature’s revival. Notably, properties with features that cater to seasonal conditions, such as good insulation in winter or attractive gardens for the spring and summer, can sell faster. For those in Southwest London, including areas like Richmond and Twickenham, August emerges as the best month to sell, aligning with these seasonal trends.

When Homes Sell Fastest

In the vibrant UK housing market, understanding when homes sell fastest can significantly influence the timing of your listing. The period from late winter to early spring sees a noticeable uptick in buyer interest as people begin to plan for a move before the summer. For instance, in recent years, Rightmove has witnessed ever increasing online browsing over the Christmas period. This period is especially crucial for those looking to capitalise on the seasonal influx of buyers returning from holidays and preparing for the new school year.

Spring and Early Summer

In the UK, the housing market’s activity ebbs and flows with the seasons, influencing both the speed of sales and the achievable selling price. Spring often marks a high point, with properties moving quickly as gardens bloom and daylight extends, creating an appealing viewing environment. We see a similar uptick in early autumn as buyers return from summer holidays keen to settle before the new school year. However, the market slows in late Autumn and winter, particularly around Christmas when people are preoccupied with the festivities.

Properties listed in May, June, July and early August benefit from the peak in buyer engagement, coinciding with the warmer weather and longer days, enhancing the appeal of viewings.

Factors Influencing Quick Sales

Several factors contribute to the quick sale of homes. At Parkgate Estate Agents, we know an effective marketing strategy, including high-quality photography and virtual tours, plays a pivotal role in attracting buyers quickly. Additionally, properties that are priced competitively and offer flexible viewing times tend to receive offers more swiftly. With our support, we can align your selling strategy with our market insights to enhance your chances of a quick and profitable home sale.

Supply and Demand in the Housing Market

The Role of Supply and Demand

In the intricate dance of the housing market, supply and demand play pivotal roles in shaping prices and availability. Demand-side factors such as mortgage rates, population growth, real income levels, and the desire for more space, particularly noticeable during the COVID-19 pandemic, have profound impacts. For instance, we observed a rise in house prices in London as more people sought properties with home offices and gardens, while apartment prices dropped due to decreased demand.

On the supply side, factors include land availability, profitability, and regulatory hurdles. Challenges such as inflation in construction materials and labour shortages can drive up building costs, squeezing developers’ profit margins unless these costs are passed on to buyers. This often results in a reduced incentive to supply new homes, exacerbating supply constraints.

Effect on Prices

The interplay between supply and demand determines the equilibrium price in the housing market, where transactions occur. A low supply or housing inventory, combined with high demand, typically increases property prices and may trigger buyer bidding wars. Conversely, house prices tend to fall in a weak economy with an oversupply of properties and low demand, albeit desirable areas such as Richmond, Putney and surrounding locations experience less fluctuations than most of the UK.

Conclusion

Navigating the intricacies of the UK housing market requires a strategic approach to timing, particularly when considering selling a property. As we’ve explored, seasonal trends significantly impact both the speed at which a home sells and the price it commands. Notably, homes in Richmond, Twickenham, Putney, Mortlake, and Sheen stand to benefit considerably when listed in August, capitalising on peak demand. This insight is crucial for sellers in these areas, underscoring the importance of local market dynamics in maximising returns from a property sale.

Furthermore, the broader implications of supply and demand dynamics on the housing market cannot be overstated. With buyer and seller behaviours deeply influenced by many factors, including economic conditions and seasonal changes, pinpointing the optimal moment to sell can significantly enhance the selling experience.

For homeowners in Southwest London and beyond, contact our award-winning team today as we will support you in understanding these patterns, as planning accordingly can lead to a more expedient and profitable transaction, emphasising the pivotal role of informed decision-making in the ever-evolving real estate landscape.

Contact the team today for more information.

Emre OvacıkEmre Ovacık
08:38 01 Sep 23
Very responsive, informative and always kind people. We didn't have much time, but they helped us with creating some time in their agenda and squeezing us in. We rented our place just in time, thanks to them.
Branka ObradovicBranka Obradovic
12:21 22 Feb 23
Parkgate has been my agent of choice for a number of years now and has secured good tenants for my properties. They are hard working, respond in a timely manner and best of all are always friendly rather than aggressive or overbearing, which is the case with many of their competitors.
Jorge RodriguezJorge Rodriguez
15:01 02 Feb 23
Excellent service throughout.We rented a property that they manage for 4 years.Parkgate team is very professional and approachable. Way better than dealing with a big agency, they offer a more personal approach, always available and willing to solve any issues.From the tenancy agreement to handing the property back, it has been a real pleasure working with them.
Catherine BrownCatherine Brown
12:16 30 Aug 22
I have had an eight year relationship with Parkgate, in fact they originally sold my flat to me 12 years ago in Putney. Their service and professionalism is unrivalled. They managed the leasing of my flat from 2014 and assisted me to negotiate the successful sale just now in 2022. Chris has been there throughout with an open door and no request too trivial to assist. Klaudia negotiated my sale and worked with amazing tenacity throughout. I would not hesitate to recommend Parkgate to anyone in the Putney/Richmond area, they know their stuff.
Ali ChampkinsAli Champkins
10:16 31 Jan 22
We have had a wonderful experience with Parkgate and would highly recommend them. Chris was brilliant on the valuation - what we liked is he was totally honest about our chances of selling and gave us the positives and negatives about our property (such as facing a council estate!). Other agents tend to just gush over the good bits which is great, but actually not that helpful.The selling process was great - we were given good feedback from the viewings and got the price we wanted within about 8 weeks.We really have nothing but praise for Klaudia and Chris, it's been really enjoyable, easy and stress free and we will be recommending Parkgate to all our friends in the area and our building.***** Thank you! *****
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