Latest: September property market report

September offers people a fresh start to rival the New Year. Routines return to normal, cosy season is on the horizon and, traditionally, the property market picks up pace. Was this true in 2026?

The best place to start is the latest Rightmove House Price Index. Its September edition revealed sellers are back to feeling bullish about property values. Asking prices increased for the first time since May. Newly listed homes now have an asking price 0.7% more than in August – equivalent to £2,441 extra.

Buyers can be choosy

Sellers are growing in number too. The number of homes for sale is at a 12-year high for this time of year, says the portal. Buyers do have some catching up to do, with purchaser demand 9% behind where it was this time last year. High mortgage rates are creating caution, with budgets carefully considered.

Pricing and location matter

This success of your sale in the current market depends on two things. The first is how realistic you are with your asking price. Rightmove’s data shows 74% of homes that have successfully sold this year didn’t need a price reduction – their launch price was accurate from day one. Taming seller ambition with the reality of what buyers can afford remains the mantra. The other sales success factor is where in the UK you’re on the market. 

Scotland, which operates a different selling system with mandatory Home Reports, ‘offers over’ and strict deadlines, is enjoying runaway success. Here, 91% of homes for sale are currently finding a buyer.

The North West is also faring well, with 71% of homes for sale snapped up. The percentage dips the further you head south. Only 56% of available properties in the South East find a buyer and that figure drops to 42% in London. 

TwentyEA’s latest Property & Homemover report focuses on another sales metric – time to exchange. Once again, Scotland leads the pack, thanks to its ‘upfront information’ approach. Here 71.8% of sales reach exchange within three months.

The North East is the quickest region in England, with 58.4% of property transactions reaching exchange within three months. Yorkshire and The Humber was close behind, with more than half of sales (55.6%) exchanging within three months. The figure in Wales was 53.2%. The slowest UK region was Outer London, where only 31.1% of sales exchanged within three months.

Database sign up imminent

Landlords in England found out when they’ll be able to join the new landlords’ database – a mandatory requirement set out in the Renters’ Rights Act. The roll out begins this December 2026, with a phased implementation.

Landlords in the West Midlands will be first, with their sign-up window open from 15th December to 14th March 2026. All landlords must be signed up by 14th November 2027. To note, joining the new database isn’t something an agent can do on a landlord’s behalf.

Coming and going

The effect of the Renters’ Rights Act is being constantly monitored. The Deposit Protection services’ twice-yearly survey of landlords and tenants casts new light on behaviour. It found 36% of landlords don't plan to increase or decrease their portfolios in the next one to two years – down from 41%.

Conversely, the number of landlords  intending to sell some or all of their portfolio rose from 53% to 56%. When it came to tenants, the results revealed they have quickly adjusted to the end of fixed-term tenancies. Only 29% had the need or desire to move into a new rental property – down from 33%.

If you would like to know more about your local property market, please get in touch.