If you have been following the property headlines lately, you would be forgiven for feeling a little nervous. Sales are down on last year, and that word "down" tends to get a lot of attention. So let us put it in context. The market is quieter than 2025, but quieter is not the same as broken. Homes are still selling in big numbers across Sawbridgeworth, Bishop's Stortford and the wider Hertfordshire and Essex area. What has really changed is the balance between buyers and sellers, and that changes what you need to do to sell well.

Sales are down on 2025, but look at the wider picture

Here are the agreed sales over the first three weeks of June, year by year:

• 2023: 70,200

• 2024: 77,800

• 2025: 82,800

• 2026: 75,000

So this June saw around 7,800 fewer agreed sales than the same point in 2025, a drop of 10.39%. That is a real fall, and it is fair to say selling takes more care this year than last. But 2025 was the strongest of these four years, so it is a tough yardstick to measure against.

Compare 2026 to the other years and it looks very different. Against 2024 we are only around 2,800 sales behind, just 3.78% lower. Against 2023 we are actually around 4,800 sales ahead, 6.45% higher. Around 75,000 buyers agreeing to purchase a home in just three weeks is not a market in crisis. It is a market that has come off an unusually high peak.

Why has it gone quieter?

A few things seem to be playing a part. The World Cup is one. Past major football tournaments have often lined up with a noticeable pause, as buyers and sellers put decisions on hold for a few weeks. On top of that, wider economic and global uncertainty is making some households take their time before committing to a big move. None of this means demand has gone away. For a lot of people it has simply been delayed.

The regional picture

The slowdown is not spread evenly. London remains the weakest part of the country. Outside the capital the story is steadier: most regions are still ahead of where they were in 2023, and several are broadly level with or slightly ahead of 2024. For us locally, that matters. National headlines are written about averages, and the average hides what is happening on your street.

There is more competition than ever

This is the part sellers really need to take on board. There are now nearly 747,000 homes available for sale across the country, compared with around 605,000 three years ago. So far this year 895,000 homes have come to market, well above the ten-year average of 787,000. Last week alone brought 36,045 new listings, slightly above the average for the time of year.

Meanwhile 24,400 homes were sold subject to contract last week, around 1,750 below the ten-year Week 24 average of 26,200. More homes are coming on, and slightly fewer are being snapped up, which means buyers have plenty to choose from.

Here is the figure that tells the pricing story most clearly. Over the last month, 13.4% of homes on the market cut their asking price, while 14.6% found a buyer. Almost as many sellers reduced their price as agreed a sale. That is what an over-supplied market does to homes that launch too high.

The market is still moving

For all that, this is a long way from a stalled market. So far in 2026, 596,000 homes have been sold subject to contract, 1.3% ahead of the same point in 2024 and above the ten-year average of 550,000. The average home sold last week went for £373,000, or £356 per square foot, both above the year-to-date averages. Timelines are holding steady too: around 76 days from sale agreed to completion, and roughly 120 days from first listing to moving day. Homes are selling, and they are selling at sensible prices. They just need to be presented and priced to earn the buyer's attention.

What this means if you are thinking of moving

The takeaway is simple. Homes are still selling, but buyers have more choice and far less urgency than they did a year ago. That puts three things front and centre:

• Be realistic on your asking price. A confident price launches a sale. An optimistic one usually just helps a similar home nearby sell first.

• Get the presentation right. With this much choice, first impressions decide whether a buyer books a viewing or scrolls past.

• Choose your agent carefully from the very start. The strategy you set on day one shapes the whole campaign. It is hard to recover from a flat launch.

Thinking of selling? Let's get it right from day one

If you are weighing up a move in Sawbridgeworth, Bishop's Stortford or anywhere across our patch, the market is still very much open to you. The difference now is that the price and the strategy have to be right from the outset, not corrected later.

That is exactly where we come in. Book a valuation with Muvin and we will give you an honest view of what your home is worth today, and a clear plan to sell it well. No pressure, no guesswork, just local knowledge you can act on. Visit muvin.co.uk to get started.