Should I sell my house now or wait until next year?

When the headlines say prices are soft, it is natural to wonder whether to hold off. The honest answer is that the decision belongs to you and your circumstances, not to a forecast. Here is how to think it through without trying to guess the exact bottom or top of the market.

What is the market doing right now?

It is a buyer's market, which means there are more homes for sale than there are buyers competing for them, so buyers have the upper hand on price. On 15 June 2026 Rightmove reported the average asking price fell 0.6%, about £2,113, the biggest drop for a June in 14 years, leaving asking prices around 0.5% below a year earlier.

The official figures tell the same story more slowly. The ONS UK House Price Index, updated on 17 June 2026, tracks completed sales and lags the asking-price data by a couple of months, so it confirms trends rather than breaking them.

Will prices be higher if I wait until next year?

Possibly a little, but nobody can promise it, and the published forecasts are modest. A forecast is an informed estimate, not a guarantee. Waiting also carries its own costs: another year of mortgage payments, a market that could soften further, and the home you want to buy moving in price too.

How should I actually decide?

1. 1. Start with why you are moving

   A job, more space, downsizing, or a change in circumstances is a stronger reason to act than a price prediction. If the move matters, the market timing matters less.

2. 2. Look at the gap, not just the headline

   If you are selling and buying, what counts is the difference between the two prices. In a flat or falling market, the home you are buying is usually cheaper too, which can make trading up less costly.

3. 3. Check your own area, not the national number

   Prices move very differently by region and by street. Look at recent sold prices where you live before assuming the national figure applies to you.

4. 4. Get current valuations

   A realistic, up-to-date valuation tells you what your home is worth in today's market, which is the market you will actually sell in.

5. 5. Price for the market in front of you

   If you decide to sell now, price to attract today's more cautious buyers. A realistic price sells faster and protects your final figure.

Does selling in a buyer's market mean I lose out?

Not necessarily. You may accept a slightly lower price, but you also buy your next home in the same softer market, and you sell while you hold control of the timing. Sellers who wait for a perfect market often find the home they wanted has risen out of reach by the time they move.

You cannot time the market perfectly. You can choose the moment that fits your life.

Selling starts with your decision and your timeline, not an agent's. ValuQ is a platform that gives UK homeowners free, side-by-side property valuations from competing local estate agents, so you can see what your home is worth today and decide from a position of knowledge.