Prices rose in September, but only 6 in 10 homes find a buyer
Published 22 September 2026 · 6 min read · By Evren Ergin
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.
TL;DR
- •Average new asking prices rose 0.7% (£2,441) to £367,440 in September 2026, but are still 0.8% lower than a year ago.
- •Homes for sale are at a 12-year high for the time of year, while buyer enquiries and agreed sales are both 9% down on last September.
- •On average 61% of homes that come to market find a buyer, from 91% in Scotland to 42% in London, against 74% in 2021.
- •The average home takes 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.
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September's price rise is real, and it is mostly the season. Rightmove itself calls it a modest recovery rather than a turning point.
The more useful number for anyone selling this autumn is not the price. It is the share of homes that actually sell.
What did Rightmove report on 21 September?
The Rightmove House Price Index measures the asking prices of homes newly listed by estate agents. It is not a sold-price index; it shows where sellers are pitching, based this month on 125,207 listings put on sale between 9 August and 12 September 2026.
Rightmove House Price Index, September 2026
| Measure | September 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Average new asking price | £367,440 | +0.7% on the month (+£2,441), -0.8% on the year |
| Asking prices since the start of summer | 2.3% lower | After a run of summer falls |
| Homes for sale | 12-year high for the time of year | Average of 65 homes per agent |
| New listings | 3% fewer than a year ago | Flat on August |
| Buyer enquiries | 9% fewer than a year ago | Up on August, as usual in September |
| Sales agreed | 9% fewer than a year ago | |
| Share of homes that find a buyer | 61% | 74% in 2021 |
| Average time to find a buyer | 64 days | Then 150 days to complete |
| Average two-year fix (Rightmove's measure) | 5.29% | Up from 5.09% in August |
Why are only 6 in 10 homes finding a buyer?
The sell-through rate is the share of homes put up for sale that go on to find a buyer. Rightmove puts it at 61% this year, down from 74% in the unusually busy market of 2021.
The reason is arithmetic. More homes are for sale than at any September in 12 years, while fewer buyers are enquiring and fewer sales are being agreed. Rightmove describes the combination as strong evidence of a very price-sensitive market, and mortgage rates rising again this month have tightened what buyers can borrow.
Does it depend on where I live?
Very much. Rightmove's regional figures show a home in Scotland finding a buyer in about a month on average, and a home in London taking well over two months. Scotland's different buying and selling system is part of the reason.
Selling speed and success by region, Rightmove, September 2026
| Region | Average asking price | Change on a year | Days to find a buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | £207,426 | +4.2% | 33 |
| North East | £199,973 | +2.7% | 55 |
| North West | £274,774 | +1.7% | 57 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £259,162 | +0.2% | 64 |
| West Midlands | £298,100 | +1.5% | 64 |
| East Midlands | £289,822 | -0.6% | 70 |
| East of England | £414,809 | -1.0% | 69 |
| Wales | £268,610 | +0.4% | 69 |
| South West | £378,323 | -1.1% | 72 |
| South East | £471,138 | -1.8% | 72 |
| London | £657,775 | -2.6% | 78 |
- Scotland: 91% of homes that come to market find a buyer.
- North West England: 71%.
- South East England: 56%.
- London: 42%, the lowest Rightmove reported.
- Great Britain average: 61%.
When would I move if I listed today?
A sale has two stages: finding a buyer, then the legal work from sale agreed to completion. The table below is a ValuQ calculation that applies Rightmove's two national averages, 64 days and 150 days, to four listing dates this autumn.
ValuQ calculation: completion dates on Rightmove's national averages (64 days to a buyer, then 150 days to complete)
| Listed on | Buyer found, on average | Completion, on average |
|---|---|---|
| 21 September 2026 | 24 November 2026 | 23 April 2027 |
| 1 October 2026 | 4 December 2026 | 3 May 2027 |
| 15 October 2026 | 18 December 2026 | 17 May 2027 |
| 2 November 2026 | 5 January 2027 | 4 June 2027 |
Averages are not destinies. Many sales beat them, and a buyer with nothing to sell can cut the second stage sharply. The point of the table is planning: if a date matters to you, build the timetable from the evidence, not from hope.
In a crowded market the first price is the one that counts. Most homes that sold this year never needed a reduction.
What should I do if I am selling this autumn?
- Price from recent sold prices on your street, not from asking prices. Rightmove found 74% of homes sold so far in 2026 were priced right first time and needed no reduction.
- Judge your competition by the homes a buyer would shortlist alongside yours, not by the national average.
- Have your paperwork and a conveyancer ready before you list, because the 150-day legal stage is where most of the time goes.
- When an offer arrives, ask what the buyer has actually done: mortgage application, solicitor instructed, anything to sell.
- Compare more than one local agent's valuation and the sales evidence behind it before you choose who markets your home.
Common questions about the September figures
Are house prices going up again?
Asking prices rose 0.7% in September 2026, the first rise since May and above the ten-year September average of 0.5%. They remain 0.8% lower than a year earlier and 2.3% below the start of summer, so Rightmove calls it a modest recovery rather than a turning point.
Why does Rightmove say 5.29% when other trackers say mortgage rates are higher?
Different trackers measure different sets of products. Rightmove's average two-year fix was 5.29% in September 2026, up from 5.09%. Moneyfacts, which averages all products on the market, put the two-year fix at 5.73% on 15 September. Both show the same direction: rates rising.
What is a good sell-through rate?
There is no official target. Rightmove's September 2026 figures give 61% as the Great Britain average, 91% in Scotland and 42% in London, and 74% in 2021. Your own agent should be able to tell you the rate for their listings in your area.
Should I wait until spring to sell?
Only if your plans allow it. Waiting does not remove the competition, and on the current averages a home listed in spring would still take around seven months to complete. Decide on your own timetable and the evidence for your street.
Did the Bank of England change interest rates in September?
No. On 17 September 2026 the Bank of England held Bank Rate at 3.75%, with six members voting to hold and three voting for a rise to 4%. Fixed mortgage rates have still risen, because lenders price them from market expectations.
ValuQ gives UK homeowners free, side-by-side property valuations from competing local estate agents. In a market where 4 in 10 homes do not find a buyer, seeing several agents' prices and plans side by side before you commit is how you start with the right one.
Sources
- [1]Rightmove House Price Index, 21 September 2026 · 2026-09-21 · https://www.rightmove.co.uk/news/content/uploads/2026/09/Rightmove-HPI-21st-September.pdf
- [2]Rightmove, House Price Index (September 2026 regional and sector tables) · 2026-09-21 · https://www.rightmove.co.uk/news/house-price-index/
- [3]Property Industry Eye, Asking prices bounce back as estate agents battle 12-year supply high · 2026-09-21 · https://propertyindustryeye.com/asking-prices-bounce-back-as-estate-agents-battle-12-year-supply-high/
- [4]The Negotiator, Asking prices rise for first time in four months, Rightmove reveals · 2026-09-21 · https://thenegotiator.co.uk/news/uk-housing-market-news/asking-prices-rise-for-first-time-in-four-months-rightmove-reveals/
- [5]Property Industry Eye, Property industry reacts to Bank of England's interest rate decision · 2026-09-17 · https://propertyindustryeye.com/breaking-property-industry-reacts-to-bank-of-englands-interest-rate-decision-3/
- [6]IFA Magazine, Second wave of mortgage rate hikes begins before BBR decision (Moneyfacts) · 2026-09-15 · https://ifamagazine.com/second-wave-of-mortgage-rate-hikes/
Terms in this article
Plain-English definitions from the ValuQ property glossary.
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