A Market That’s Active… But More Competitive

New properties continue to come to market at a healthy pace, which means buyer choice is high.

There are now over 680,000 homes available across the UK, creating a far more competitive environment than many sellers realise.

Buyers haven’t disappeared - far from it.

Sales agreed are still tracking in line with long-term seasonal trends and are running ahead of last year overall. People are still moving, still buying and still making decisions.

But they’re doing so more carefully.

Buyers today are taking their time, comparing options and negotiating where they feel it’s justified.

The Number That Really Matters

Average prices have remained broadly steady in recent months, with the typical UK home sitting around the £360,000 mark, and the average time to secure a buyer at roughly 10 to 11 weeks.

But the most important statistic in today’s market is this:

Only just over half of homes that come onto the market actually go on to sell and complete.

That one figure tells you almost everything about how the market is behaving right now.

This isn’t a market where buyers will stretch to meet unrealistic expectations.

It’s a market where:

• Well-priced homes generate viewings and offers

• Overpriced homes sit and wait

Buyers are active. Mortgage rates are relatively stable. Transactions are happening.

But largely for the homes that get the pricing right from day one.

Because in today’s market, pricing isn’t just important - it is the strategy.

A Bigger Shift Happening Behind the Scenes

Alongside what we’re seeing day-to-day in the market, there’s also a longer-term shift quietly shaping housing across the UK.

Looking at people aged 55 to 64, the way this group lives has changed quite significantly over the past 20 years.

Back in 2002:

• 81.5% of this age group owned their home

• 46.5% owned outright

• 34.7% had a mortgage

Fast forward to today:

• 70.8% now own their home

• 45.9% still own outright (very similar)

• But only 24.9% now have a mortgage

At the same time:

• Private renting has more than doubled (from 4.1% to 10.0%)

• Social renting has increased (from 14.4% to 19.2%)

Why This Matters

This shift largely traces back to the 2005–2010 period, when many would-be buyers struggled to get onto the property ladder due to the credit crunch, tighter lending rules and rising prices.

Those missed opportunities haven’t disappeared - they’ve simply moved forward through time.

And now, 15–20 years later, we’re seeing the impact.

Fewer people bought early, which means:

• More people are still renting later in life

• Fewer are progressing through the traditional housing ladder

• And overall ownership levels in that age group have reduced

What This Means for Sawbridgeworth & Bishop’s Stortford

While these are national trends, they absolutely feed into what we’re seeing locally.

In markets like Sawbridgeworth and Bishop’s Stortford:

• Demand is still there, particularly for well-presented homes

• Buyers are more considered and price-sensitive

• And the gap between homes that sell and homes that don’t is becoming more noticeable

At the same time, changing ownership patterns are subtly influencing:

• Buyer demographics

• Downsizing decisions

• Rental demand

• And long-term housing supply

The Bottom Line

The property market today is active, but selective.

There are plenty of buyers - but also plenty of choice.

And that means success comes down to getting the fundamentals right:

• Accurate pricing

• Strong presentation

• Clear strategy from day one

Homes that get this right are still selling well.

Those that don’t are often sitting on the market, waiting for conditions - or expectations - to change.

If you're wondering how these trends affect your own plans, whether you're thinking of moving now or just keeping an eye on things, a quick conversation can often give you a much clearer picture. Email us on [email protected]