There has been a 6% fall in the number of homes listed this year to secure an offer, new Connells data reveals.

Just over half – at 52% – of properties put on the market in January received an offer within six months, down from 58% at the same time last year.

The share with an offer within the first month also dropped, from 42% in January 2025 to 38% this year.

Sweet spot

Two and three-bedroom homes remain the market’s ‘sweet spot’, with 55% and 53% respectively netting an offer.

Premium five-bedroom homes have seen a sharper slowdown, with the share receiving an offer falling from 59% in 2025 to 41% this year, Connells says.

Eight of Britain’s 10 fastest-moving local housing markets are in the Midlands and North, with Bury topping the table.

Still moving

Aneisha Beveridge, Research Director at Connells Group, says: “The housing market is still moving, but buyers have become more selective about where they spend their money.

“The strongest demand continues to be concentrated in the middle market, particularly among two and three-bedroom homes which appeal to first-time buyers, growing families and households whose moves are often driven by changing circumstances rather than choice alone.”

Tougher environment

She added: “By contrast, higher-value homes face a tougher environment. Mortgage costs remain significantly higher than they were a few years ago, and that impact is felt most in more expensive parts of the country where buyers typically need to borrow more.”

Leasehold homes have seen a sharper slowdown, with the share receiving an offer falling from 57% to 48%.

Scotland remains Britain’s quickest housing market, with 68% of homes launched in January securing an offer within six months.

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