Plain-English answers on UK property.
How-to guides, common-question explainers, and translations of what just changed in the market. Sourced, dated, and written for the person actually doing the selling or buying.
Should I tell an estate agent I'm getting other valuations?
Yes. Tell every estate agent you are getting other valuations, because agents expect it, it costs you nothing, and it pushes each of them to back their figure with evidence rather than flattery. Keep two things to yourself: the figures the other agents gave you, and the lowest price you would accept.
Can I get my house valued if I'm not sure I want to sell?
Yes. An estate agent's market appraisal is free, carries no obligation to sell, and is one of the most useful things you can get while you are still deciding. Say upfront that you are weighing it up, ask for the figure in writing with its evidence, and sign nothing on the day.
More homes for sale, fewer buyers: RICS September 2026
On 8 October 2026 RICS reported that more homes came up for sale in September for the first time since mid-2025, while buyer enquiries weakened to a net balance of -22%. If you are thinking of selling, that means more competition for fewer buyers this autumn, so the price you start at matters more than the month you list.
How do I know if an estate agent's valuation is too high?
A valuation is probably too high if the agent cannot show you recent sales of similar homes nearby that support it, or if it sits well above every other agent's figure without a specific reason. In autumn 2026, with Rightmove reporting that only 6 in 10 homes on the market find a buyer, the safest test is to ask for the evidence and compare it with other local agents' figures before you sign.
What should I check in an estate agent contract before I sign?
Before you sign, check five things: the type of agency, the fee and whether it includes VAT, the tie-in and notice period, any withdrawal or extra charges, and how long the agent can claim a fee after you leave. Terms are far easier to change before you sign than after, so take them home and read them properly first.
How do I find out what houses on my street sold for?
In England and Wales you can look up what any home on your street sold for, free, using HM Land Registry's price paid records, which go back to January 1995. Search by postcode or address, then focus on recent sales of homes like yours, because a sold price tells you what a buyer paid then, not what your home is worth today.
Lane homes sell 9% above neighbours. Close homes sell 4.5% below.
Across 2.07 million houses sold in England and Wales since January 2023, a home on a Lane sold for 9% more than houses of the same type, sold in the same year, in the same postcode area, while a home on a Close sold for 4.5% less. That 14-point gap is about sixteen years of house price growth at the 0.8% annual rate Nationwide reported for September 2026.
A Basildon house on a Close sells 4.4% below its neighbours
Across 6,545 house sales in the Basildon borough since January 2023, a home on a Close sold for 4.4% less than houses of the same type, sold in the same year, in the same postcode area, while a home on a Road sold for 7.3% more. For a detached house the gap is wider still: 10.7% below on a Close and 13.2% above on a Road.
What should I fix before selling, and what should I leave?
Fix anything a buyer's surveyor is likely to flag, such as damp, roof and guttering faults, electrical faults and pests, then refresh rather than replace, and leave kitchens, bathrooms, extensions and new appliances alone. Before you spend anything, ask competing local agents what your street actually rewards, because that answer costs nothing.
My house is dated. How much less will it sell for?
A home that needs modernising typically sells for less than a similar updated home on the same street, and one agency study put the gap at about 4.5% on average. The work itself usually costs far more than that gap, which is why most sellers do better selling as it stands than modernising first.
Market appraisal or Red Book valuation: which do I need to sell?
A market appraisal is a free estimate from an estate agent of what your home could sell for. A Red Book valuation is a paid, formal report from an RICS Registered Valuer, and you only need one if a lender, a tax rule or a legal process asks for it.
Should I sell my house or keep it and rent it out?
Sell if you want the money, a clean break and no landlord duties. Keep and let only if you want long-term income and can live with open-ended tenancies and a possible Capital Gains Tax bill when you sell later.
House prices flat in September: what it means if you want to sell
UK house prices were unchanged in September 2026, Lloyds reported on 7 October, with the average home at £298,441 and annual growth at 0.0%. For a would-be seller the average hides a split: the North West rose 3.1% while London fell 1.5%, so your local price matters far more than the headline.
Thinking of downsizing? Where to start and what it costs
Start downsizing by finding out what your current home would realistically sell for, because that one figure decides your budget and how much money you free up. In England, selling at £450,000 and buying at £300,000 leaves about £138,520 after a typical agent fee and stamp duty, before legal and removal costs.
Which estate agents should I invite to value my house?
Invite at least three estate agents who are actively selling homes like yours near you, with a mix of independent and larger firms. Check each one belongs to a redress scheme, look at what they have recently sold nearby, and never shortlist an agent only because they called first.
Mortgage rates just hit 6%. Should I still sell this autumn?
Yes, if you have a real reason to move, because a 6% mortgage market does not stop homes selling; it changes what buyers can pay and how carefully you need to price. On 5 October 2026 Moneyfacts put the average five-year fix at 6.00%, and on our working the same monthly budget now borrows about 10% less than it did in February, so the sellers who do well this autumn are the ones who price to today's buyer rather than last spring's.
What should I do before an estate agent values my house?
Gather a short pack of facts about your home, tidy the rooms an agent will measure and photograph in their head, and decide what you want to ask before anyone arrives. A valuation is only as good as the information behind it, so an hour of preparation helps every agent give you a figure built on your home rather than a guess.
How far ahead should I get my house valued before selling?
Get your first valuations six to nine months before the date you want to move, then a fresh view in the month you list. Rightmove's September 2026 figures show an average of 64 days to find a buyer and a further 150 days to complete, about seven months in all, so a valuation taken late leaves you no time to plan around the number.
How is a house valued for inheritance tax?
A house is valued for inheritance tax at its open market value on the date of death: the price it could reasonably have sold for that day, not what was paid for it and not what you hope to get later. Estate agent valuations are accepted as evidence, but when the estate sits close to a tax threshold a RICS surveyor's valuation is the safer choice, because HMRC can challenge a figure it thinks is too low.
I'll have to sell for less than I paid. What are my options?
You have more options than it feels like, because selling below your purchase price is not the same as being stuck: what decides your next step is whether the sale still clears your mortgage, and what you are moving on to. One in six homes resold within five years in England and Wales now goes for less than the owner paid, so you are far from alone, and if you are buying again you are buying in the same softer market.
We're separating. Should we sell the house now or wait?
There is no single right answer, but there is a right order: agree what the house is worth, find out what each of you can afford alone, and check the tax clocks that start when one of you moves out. Selling sooner is usually the cleaner break, while waiting can make sense when children's schooling or a cheap fixed rate makes keeping the home for a while the better deal.
One in six recently bought homes now resells at a loss
In the first half of 2026, 16.3% of England and Wales homes resold within five years of purchase sold for less than the owner paid, up from 4.5% in 2023 and the highest rate since 2013. That is 7,093 homes in six months and a combined shortfall of about £210 million, concentrated in flats, in homes bought in 2022 and 2023, and in the coastal and East Anglian counties.
In Basildon, one in seven recent buyers now sells at a loss
In the first half of 2026, 21 of 136 Basildon borough homes resold within five years of purchase went for less than the owner paid, 15.4% against 0.9% in 2016 and the highest rate since 2013. Flats and homes bought in 2022 and 2023 carry most of it, and the borough sits mid-table among Essex councils rather than at the bottom.
My buyer wants me to pay towards their costs. Should I?
You are under no obligation to pay towards a buyer's costs, and a request like this is a negotiation, not a demand. Treat it as a price discussion: work out what it is worth to you, compare it with the alternative of reducing the price, and agree nothing until your solicitor has seen it in writing.
House price growth halves to 0.8%. What now for sellers?
On 1 October 2026 Nationwide reported that UK house price growth halved to 0.8% a year in September, down from 1.6% in August, the weakest rate since December 2025. Prices fell 0.2% in the month, so a home priced on summer evidence may now be asking more than buyers will pay.
Should I sell my house first or buy first?
For most movers in a cooling market, selling first, or at least getting an offer accepted on your own home before you commit to a purchase, is the lower-risk order, because it fixes your budget and stops you carrying two homes. Buying first can work if you can afford both for a while, and the main tax cost of doing so is usually refundable if you sell within 36 months.
Mortgage approvals hit their lowest since 2023. What now?
On 29 September 2026 the Bank of England reported 54,900 mortgage approvals for house purchase in August, the fewest since December 2023 and the fourth month in a row below 60,000. Buyers have not vanished, but fewer of them can borrow what they need at today's rates, so a seller's price and the strength of the buyer they accept matter more this autumn than the number of viewings they count.
My house didn't sell last year. Should I try again now?
You are far from alone: Zoopla found that a quarter of homes listed for sale in September 2026 had already been on the market in the past year. Trying again can work well, but only if something real changes this time, and in most second attempts that something is the price, the presentation or the agent.
Mortgage rates rose after I agreed my move. Should I still go?
A rate rise halfway through a move feels alarming, but for most people selling and buying at once it changes the cost of the extra borrowing, not the whole move. Work out what the rise costs you each month, check whether your rate is already protected by a mortgage offer, and decide on the numbers rather than the headlines.
How many viewings does it take to sell a house?
Most UK homes take about seven viewings to sell. Alto's analysis of 307,582 sales agreed between September 2025 and August 2026 found a median of seven completed viewings before an offer was accepted, usually about seven weeks after the first one.
The buyer's first offer is too low. How do I counter it?
A low first offer is the opening of a negotiation, not the final word: Alto found accepted offers averaged £6,000 above the first offer, and 54.8% of sellers ended up accepting more than the first bid. Counter with a clear number, a reason and a deadline, and check the buyer's position before you agree anything.
My estate agent wants me to extend my contract. Should I?
You do not have to extend, and you should not sign on reflex. An extension is a fresh commitment, so agree to one only when the agent has a clear plan for the next few weeks and the new terms leave you free to leave on short notice.
The new 2.5% deposit scheme: what it means if you're selling
On 26 September 2026 the government announced Your First Home, a scheme letting first-time buyers in England buy a new-build home with a 2.5% deposit and a government-backed equity loan of up to 20%. For most people selling an existing home the direct effect is small, because the scheme only covers new builds, and its caps and start date will not be set until the Budget on 28 October.
What happens if my estate agent goes out of business?
Your sale does not depend on your estate agent staying in business. The contract is between you and your buyer, the deposit and completion money travel through the solicitors, and an agent's closure mainly affects marketing, communication and any fee you paid upfront.
Can I switch estate agent while my house is on the market?
Yes, you can switch estate agent while your house is on the market, and plenty of sellers do. The safe way is to check your tie-in and notice periods first, give notice in writing, and keep a list of the buyers your first agent introduced, so you never pay two fees for one sale.
Can my estate agent use AI to edit photos of my house?
Yes, your estate agent can edit photos of your house, including with AI, but the photos must not mislead buyers about the home. Tidying, brightening and labelled virtual staging are generally fine; removing walls, changing room sizes or hiding power lines is not.
A buyer wants to film my house at the viewing. Should I let them?
Usually yes, if they ask first: most buyers film a viewing to show a partner or remember the layout, and it is a sign of genuine interest. It is your home, so set the rule before the first viewing, ask your agent to enforce it, and keep keys, paperwork and family photos out of shot.
How do I know if my estate agent is doing enough?
Judge your agent on evidence, not on feelings: regular viewing feedback, offers confirmed in writing within two working days, a marketing plan they review with you, and a listing that is accurate and complete. If those are in place and interest is still thin, the issue is more often the price than the effort.
My buyer is losing patience with the delays. What should I do?
A buyer who is frustrated is still a buyer, and most delays in a sale are ordinary and fixable. Find out exactly where the hold-up sits, give your buyer a dated plan, and keep your own side of the file moving fast.
What is a digital property logbook, and will I need one?
A digital property logbook is a secure online record of a home's key information that stays with the property and passes from owner to owner. You do not need one to sell today, but the government plans to legislate for logbooks alongside compulsory sales packs before the end of this Parliament.
Lots of views on Rightmove but no viewings. What is wrong?
Plenty of online views with no viewing requests is one of the most common patterns in a sale, and it is fixable. It almost always means buyers are finding your home and then deciding against it on price or presentation, so the answer sits in the listing, not in the house.
Should I get a second opinion on my asking price?
Yes, if your home has been on the market for a few weeks with little interest, a second opinion on the price is a sensible, normal step. It costs nothing to ask, it does not change your current contract, and it tells you whether the price or something else is holding the sale back.
Should I get my sales pack ready before I list my house?
Yes, preparing your legal and property information before you list is one of the most useful things a seller can do in 2026. It is voluntary for now, but the government plans to make a sales pack compulsory, and buyers already say upfront information makes them more confident to offer.
Prices rose in September, but only 6 in 10 homes find a buyer
On 21 September 2026 Rightmove reported that average asking prices rose 0.7% to £367,440, the first monthly rise since May. The catch is the competition: the number of homes for sale is at a 12-year high for the time of year, and on average only 61% of homes that come to market find a buyer.
My buyer wants repairs done before exchange. Should I agree?
Not always, and not without looking at what the survey actually found. A repair request after a survey is a normal stage of a sale, and the fair answer is usually one of three: fix a specific item properly and prove it, adjust the price instead, or say no to items that were obvious at the viewing.
My buyer is still viewing other houses. Should I worry?
Not on its own. In England and Wales nobody is bound until contracts are exchanged, so some buyers keep a back-up in view, and the real test of your buyer is what they have spent and instructed since the offer, not where they spend their Saturdays.
Basildon's 2021 buyers are up £52,800 as their five-year fixes end
Every one of the 3,370 homes bought in the Borough of Basildon in 2021 is worth more today on the local price index, with a typical gain of £52,785, ValuQ analysis of Land Registry sales finds. The exception to the comfort is flats: the typical 2021 Basildon flat is up just £5,388, as five-year fixes from that year end and the Bank of England weighs a rate rise.
Two in five flats bought in 2021 are worth less as fixes end
Nearly two in five flats bought in England and Wales in 2021 are worth less today than their owners paid, according to ValuQ analysis of 1,086,507 Land Registry sales, while fewer than one house in a hundred is. Those 2021 buyers are now coming off five-year fixed rates just as the Bank of England weighs its next rise.
What is the TA6 form, and what changed in 2026?
The TA6 is the Law Society's Property Information Form: the questionnaire a seller in England and Wales fills in so the buyer's solicitor knows about boundaries, disputes, alterations, flood risk, services and anything else that affects the home. Since 30 March 2026 every sale uses the new 6th edition, which is shorter than the 2024 version and allows more 'Not known' answers.
My buyer wants to pay a 5% deposit on exchange. Should I agree?
This is a common request, especially from first-time buyers who have put most of their savings into the mortgage deposit, and agreeing to it is often fine. The safe way to say yes is to accept 5% on the day while your solicitor keeps the contract saying the buyer owes the full 10% if they fail to complete, and to check your own onward purchase does not need the missing money.
My buyer wants to come back and measure up. Should I let them?
Yes, in almost every case: a buyer who wants to measure for sofas, curtains or a kitchen is usually a buyer picturing their life in your home, which is a good sign. Say yes to one arranged, accompanied visit at a time that suits you, and keep an eye on whether the legal side is moving at the same pace.
Rates are rising. Can my buyer's mortgage offer be pulled?
A lender raising its rates does not cancel a mortgage offer it has already issued: the rate written into your buyer's offer stays as it is for as long as the offer is valid. The sales that feel the repricing are the ones where the buyer has not yet applied, so the question that matters is how far through the mortgage process your buyer actually is.
What are swap rates, and why do they push mortgage rates up?
Swap rates are the wholesale cost lenders pay to fix the interest they owe for two or five years, and they are the main number behind the price of a fixed-rate mortgage. That is why the average five-year fix reached 6.00% on 5 October 2026, more than a full percentage point above March, while the Bank of England's Bank Rate has stayed at 3.75% since July.
My buyer is using a Lifetime ISA. Will it delay my sale?
A buyer using a Lifetime ISA rarely delays a sale, as long as their conveyancer requests the money early and the agreed price is £450,000 or less. The rules only bite when the request is left late, the purchase price goes over the cap, or completion drifts beyond the time limits HMRC sets.
House prices now falling in more than 1 in 4 areas of Britain
On 16 September 2026 the official UK House Price Index showed average prices up 1.4% in the year to July, but ValuQ analysis of the same data found prices falling in 97 of 349 local areas in Great Britain, up from 72 a month earlier. The national figure is holding up while the number of places going backwards has jumped.
My buyer wants to wait until after the Budget. What should I do?
A buyer asking to wait until after the Budget on 28 October 2026 is common this autumn and does not mean your sale is failing: 27% of buyers in a September survey said they were pausing for it. The safe response is to agree a firm date, keep both solicitors working through the wait, and judge your buyer by what they have spent rather than what they say.
My buyer pulled out. Can I get my costs back?
Usually not: in England and Wales a buyer can pull out at any point before exchange of contracts without owing the seller anything, unless you both signed a separate agreement such as a reservation agreement. The good news is that most sellers lose less than they fear, because the largest selling costs are only paid when a sale completes.
My buyer pulled out after the survey. Can I see the report?
Losing a buyer after the survey is one of the most common ways a UK sale ends, and it is a setback you can recover from. You have no legal right to see the buyer's survey, but you can ask for it through your agent, and what it found is worth more to your next sale than the weeks you lost.
My cash buyer is messaging me directly. Should I reply?
A buyer who messages you directly is usually keen rather than crooked, and a friendly reply does no harm. The safe rule is to keep the conversation light and send anything about price, money, dates or documents back through your agent and solicitor.
Offers over or guide price: what should I list my house at?
An offers over price tells buyers the figure is your floor, while a guide price tells them it is roughly what you expect, with room to talk. Either way, the label matters far less than whether the number underneath it matches what your home will actually sell for.
Buyer wants to exchange and complete same day. Should I agree?
A same-day exchange and completion is a normal request, and it can work well, but it moves all of the risk onto moving day. Agree only when the buyer has already committed their money, the paperwork is finished and nothing in your own move depends on a contract that is not yet signed; otherwise ask to exchange a few days earlier on the same completion date.
My estate agent asked for my lowest price. Should I tell them?
It is a normal question and a sensible agent asks it, but you do not need to hand over your exact walk-away figure to get a good negotiation. Give your agent a target price and the reasons behind it, instruct them in writing to pass on every offer and never hint to a buyer what you would accept, and keep the final number for yourself.
What is a completion statement when selling a house?
A completion statement is the document your solicitor sends before completion showing exactly where the sale money goes: the sale price, less your mortgage redemption figure, the estate agent's fee, legal costs and any other deductions, with the balance that will be paid to you. Check every line against your paperwork before you approve it, because it is the last chance to catch a mistake before the money moves.
Detached homes sell at a loss 60% more often than semis
Detached houses bought in the 2021 to 2023 boom have been selling below their purchase price 14.9% of the time, against 9.1% for semi-detached homes, according to ValuQ analysis of 78,815 matched Land Registry sales. The gap holds in every region of England and Wales, and it widens sharply above £450,000.
In Basildon, a losing sale costs a detached owner £41,750
When a Basildon detached home bought in the 2021 to 2023 boom sold below its purchase price, the owner gave up a median of £41,750, against £5,000 for a terraced home in the same position. ValuQ matched 496 Basildon sales in Land Registry records, and one in five detached resales went backwards while fewer than one in eleven semis and terraces did.
What's the best day and time to hold house viewings?
Saturday morning is when Britain views homes, and 11am is the single busiest hour of the week. Figures published on 11 September 2026 show the five busiest viewing slots in the country are all on a Saturday, which makes your Saturday diary the most valuable thing you and your agent control.
My buyer wants a reservation agreement. Should I sign?
Being asked for a reservation agreement is usually a good sign, because a buyer who is willing to put money behind their word is a buyer who intends to complete. It is still a legal contract that binds you as tightly as it binds them, so the honest answer is yes in principle and not until your own solicitor has read it in practice.
My deeds don't match my fence. Will that stop my sale?
Almost certainly not, because the plan on your title was never designed to show the exact line of your boundary. Nearly every registered boundary in England and Wales is what the law calls a general boundary, which fixes the rough position on purpose and leaves the precise line undecided.
Buyer demand improved again. Fewer homes are queueing behind it.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors published its August survey on 10 September 2026, and it shows buyer enquiries improving for a fifth month running while the supply of homes lining up behind them is thinning. If you are weighing up an autumn sale, that combination matters more to your timing than the headline price number.
I've had two offers on my house. Which one do I take?
Take the offer most likely to reach completion, not the one with the biggest number on it, because a sale that collapses in November costs you more than the few thousand pounds you were holding out for. The way to judge that is to compare the two buyers on their position, their funding and their timing, and to ask your agent for proof of all three before you decide.
I'm on a cheap fixed rate. Do I lose it if I sell?
Usually not, because most UK residential mortgages can be ported, which means moving your existing rate and lender onto your new home rather than paying it off and starting again. Porting is not automatic though: your lender reassesses your income and the new property, and anything you borrow on top sits on a second rate at today's prices.
Small-deposit lending hit a 2008 high. What it means for sellers
On 8 September 2026 the Bank of England reported that 8.4% of new mortgage lending in the second quarter went to buyers borrowing more than 90% of a property's value, the highest share since the second quarter of 2008. For a seller, that means the pool of people who can afford your home is wider than it was a year ago, and more of those buyers are relying on the lender's valuation to get over the line.
My house sale is dragging on. Where is it actually stuck?
A slow sale is rarely one big failure. It is almost always one stage quietly holding up everything behind it, and research published by Rightmove on 9 September 2026 puts the legal work behind 37% of the biggest hold-ups, more than double the next cause on the list.
We're waiting for probate. How long before we can sell?
Most grants of probate arrive faster than families expect. In the most recent published court figures the median wait from application to grant was about two weeks and the average about five, and the long waits people warn you about are nearly always applications that were stopped for missing information.
Complaints about new homes tripled. What it means if you own one
On 7 September 2026 the New Homes Ombudsman Service reported that formal complaints from new build buyers rose from 593 in 2024/25 to 1,802 in 2025/26, a rise of 204%. If you own a new build and are thinking of selling, two things decide where you stand: the warranty, which attaches to the building, and the complaint window, which runs from the day you bought.
No viewings in the first week. Is that normal?
Yes, a quiet first week is normal, and on its own it tells you almost nothing about whether your house will sell. The average home in Britain took 64 days to find a buyer in September 2026, according to Rightmove, so seven days is roughly the first tenth of a normal search, the part where buyers are still saving the listing rather than booking a visit.
My flat has a Section 20 major works bill. Can I sell?
Yes, you can sell a flat while a Section 20 consultation is running, and leaseholders do it every week. What decides the sale is not the notice itself but who pays the bill, and that is settled by agreement between you and your buyer before exchange, usually through a retention or a price adjustment.
Lloyds says house prices fell. Nationwide says they rose.
On 7 September 2026 Lloyds reported that UK house prices in August were 0.4% lower than a year earlier, the first annual fall its index has recorded since November 2023. Nationwide, measuring the same month, reported prices 1.6% higher, so the two lender indices point in opposite directions for the same month.
My buyer says prices are falling. Should I accept less?
A buyer quoting a falling house price index at you is negotiating, not reporting, and you do not have to answer a national average with a local discount. Ask which homes near you have sold for less, because if the evidence does not exist on your street the argument does not apply to your house.
How long do I give my buyer before I remarket my house?
There is no legal clock, so the honest answer is that you give a buyer as long as they keep making progress and no longer. Judge them on milestones rather than weeks, and if a buyer misses two milestones in a row with no explanation, that is the point to talk to your agent about going back on.
The worst house on the best street is worth a tenth of what it looks like
Buying the cheapest home on your street appears to beat buying the dearest by 15.2 percentage points of price growth, worth about £31,000 on a typical Essex resale. ValuQ measured it on 133,764 resales without letting one sale price do two jobs, and the gap falls to 1.6 points.
Your home gained £5,000 this year. Your buyer can borrow £19,600 less.
The average home in England was worth £5,185 more in June 2026 than a year earlier. In the six months to July, the buyer for that same home lost £19,634 of borrowing power, because quoted mortgage rates climbed while the Bank Rate never moved.
A Basildon buyer's budget fell £22,400 since January. One in five homes went with it.
A Basildon buyer with a £36,000 deposit and £1,775 a month to spend could reach a £360,000 home in January. On July's mortgage rates that same buyer stops at £337,600, and 212 of the homes that sold across the borough last year, one in five of everything they could previously afford, sit in the gap.
A rate rise is back on the table. What it means for sellers
On 17 September 2026 the Bank of England held Bank Rate at 3.75%, but three of its nine policymakers voted for a rise and the Bank warned it stands ready to act, with inflation at 3.1% and forecast to pass 4% early next year. Lenders have already moved, pushing the average two-year fix to 5.73%, so the rate your buyer can get is rising even while Bank Rate stands still.
Should I sell before the Budget on 28 October?
For almost every seller, the answer is that the Budget on 28 October 2026 should not decide when you sell, because you could not complete before it even if you listed today. The useful move is to separate what has actually been announced from what is only being rumoured, and then decide on your own timing.
My buyer is bringing a builder to view again. Should I worry?
A buyer who brings a builder back is spending their own time and usually their own money on your house, which makes them more committed than most, not less. The thing to prepare for is not the visit itself, it is the conversation about numbers that often follows it.
More than a third of auction homes did not sell in July
On 3 September 2026, figures from the Essential Information Group showed that 64.4% of residential lots offered at UK property auctions in July found a buyer, down from 69.6% in July 2025. More than a third of the homes entered into an auction that month came back unsold.
My viewings stopped when the schools went back. Is that normal?
This is one of the most predictable quiet spells in the selling year, and it usually says more about the calendar than about your house. Buyer attention dips in the first weeks of the school term and then returns, so the move in early September is to read the numbers and hold your nerve, not to cut your price.
My solicitor isn't replying. What can I actually do?
Research published on 3 September 2026 found that when a home move is delayed and the mover blames someone, half of them blame the conveyancer, so the silence you are sitting in is a well-worn part of the process. In most cases it means your file is queued behind other files rather than going wrong, and the way to change that is to stop chasing by email and start making written, dated requests to a named person.
Mortgage approvals fell to a two-year low in July
On 1 September 2026 the Bank of England reported that 56,053 mortgages were approved for house purchase in July, the fewest since January 2024 and down from 58,215 in June. Interest in homes has not gone away, but the group of buyers who can borrow enough to act on it has thinned, so the strength of the buyer you accept now matters more than the number of viewings you count.
My buyer has a mortgage in principle. Is that enough?
A mortgage in principle is a good sign and it is worth asking for, but it is not the lender promising money on your home. Treat it as the start of your checks on a buyer rather than the end of them, and the rest of this explains what to check next.
My agent hasn't sent any viewing feedback. What now?
No law sets a deadline for viewing feedback, but if your agent belongs to The Property Ombudsman, its code says they must record feedback and pass it to you within a timescale you have agreed. So the fix is rarely a row: it is agreeing that timescale in writing and then holding them to it.
House prices rose in August. Asking prices fell.
On 1 September 2026, Nationwide reported that UK house prices were up 0.2% on the month and 1.6% higher than a year ago, at an average of £275,465. Two weeks earlier, Rightmove reported the biggest August fall in new asking prices for eight years, down 2.0% to an average of £364,999.
Can I still move by Christmas if I list now?
On the average timeline, no. Rightmove's 21 September 2026 figures put a typical sale at 64 days to find a buyer and a further 150 days to complete, so a home listed today would, on the averages, complete in late April 2027; a Christmas move is still possible, but only for a sale that finds a buyer quickly and has its legal work ready before the offer arrives.
My agent wants best and final offers. Should I?
Best and final offers is a deadline your agent sets for every interested buyer to put forward one last offer by a fixed time. It is worth running when you have two or more buyers who have each shown real commitment, and worth avoiding when you have one keen buyer and a handful of maybes.
Essex homes are being valued on the thinnest sales evidence in 30 years
Fewer than one Essex home in ten sold in 2025 had three recent sales of its own property type in its own postcode to be valued against. In 2007 it was nearly one in four.
Buyer searches are at a 12-month high. Where are the offers?
On 27 August 2026, Zoopla reported that buyer searches across the UK are 7% higher than a year ago, the strongest annual rise in twelve months. Agreed sales are still running 6% below last year, so the interest returning to the market has not yet turned into offers.
My agent wants to hold an open house. Should I say yes?
An open house is a single block of time, usually two or three hours on a weekend, when your agent shows your home to several buyers in succession instead of booking separate appointments. Saying yes is a reasonable decision, and the way you keep control of it is to set the terms before the date goes in the diary.
My buyer's lender is holding money back. What happens now?
A mortgage retention is when your buyer's lender approves the loan but holds back part of it until named repairs have been carried out and signed off. The mortgage has not been refused and the sale is not over, but a cost has landed on the table and you and your buyer now have to decide between you who carries it.
One in seven homes sold within two years goes for less than it cost
Of the 49,996 homes in England and Wales that were bought and then sold again within two years, and completed between April 2023 and March 2026, 14.9% sold for less than the owner paid. Hold the same home for three years or more and that figure falls to 6.5%, and past ten years it is 3.1%.