The start of the year is one of the key points where people seriously consider selling up and buying a new home. There's something about this time - whether it's part of a new year's resolution or simply taking the trigger of a new year and all it promises to do something new and different - that makes it an important part of the year for the housing market.
And this expectation is borne out in the latest figures and research by online property portal Zoopla.
Buyer demand trends for 2026
At the beginning of 2025, buyer demand was particularly strong, triggered by the dual effect of the ending of stamp duty relief for first-time buyers and favourable mortgage rates. With the aforementioned uncertainty created by the speculation regarding the autumn budget, buyer interest was cautious and waned significantly over the year.
Zoopla's data shows that buyer demand has bounced back at the start of 2026 but is still tracking at 10% lower than the same point in 2025, although it still remains stronger than was the case at certain points over the last decade.
Zoopla anticipates that the housing market will remain strong and will continue to strengthen throughout the year for both sellers and buyers.
Expert analysis: pricing strategy is key
As Richard Donnell, Executive Director at Zoopla, commented on the research:
"After a sluggish end to 2025 it is positive to see a strong rebound in buyer demand over the first weeks of the year across all parts of the country.
Growing numbers of homes for sale is evidence of a strong underlying appetite to move home for many households.
Market conditions vary widely across the UK, and sellers looking to move home in 2026 need to take this into account when planning their home move.
Across much of southern England, there is a much greater choice of homes for sale. Buyers are price-sensitive and have more choice, so achieving the best result depends on setting a competitive asking price and attracting early interest.
Homes priced too high often take longer to sell and at the risk of achieving a lower price. It is important that homeowners price carefully and seek the advice of agents to plan the right strategy for their home sale.
Across the rest of the country there is a degree of scarcity, but sellers need to remain realistic over pricing.
The market is stable rather than booming. Buyers are active but careful, which means pricing correctly from the outset is crucial.
Homes that are well-presented and realistically priced continue to sell, while those priced optimistically will take longer and may need price reductions to attract interest."
Planning your property move in 2026
If you are thinking of selling or buying - or even remortgaging to take advantage of different mortgage products or to release some of the accrued equity - you'll want a quality conveyancing service that helps you look after your expenditure.
Our conveyancers at Homeward Legal will start work on your plans as soon as you agree to the quotation and appoint them to represent you. We provide a quote that will not change - what you are quoted is what you pay for standard conveyancing process, which means you can effectively budget for your conveyancing needs.
In addition, to protect the homebuyer further, Homeward Legal operates a 'no completion, no fee' promise, which ensures that, should the purchase or sale not go through as planned to completion status, no payment is required.
Call to get your conveyancing quote started, or get a quick quote online.