January Market Review | Buyer Demand & Market Activity Accelerates
Towards the end of last month, house-buying demand resumed in earnest. At the start of 2026, Rightmove reported a record number of post-Christmas visits to its platform, its traffic rising by +93% between the 25th and 26th December. In the five days leading up to New Year, it said that enquiries were up by +67%.
Supply has also been increasing; Zoopla recently reported the highest number of homes for sale since 2018. This combination of rising supply and demand suggests that the home-buyers’ market will be unusually busy in the first quarter of the year at least. In its latest house price index, Rightmove reported the strongest January increase in its 25-year history, and the largest rise for any month since 2015.
This comes as further evidence that market conditions are improving. Real terms earnings are rising, mortgage rates are falling and the uncertainty of the Autumn Budget is well behind us. Moreover, affordable prices in many UK regions, together with still-strong rental demand, have translated into very impressive yields. All of which helps to explain a wave of new investor interest, which has manifested as a notable rise in buy-to-let mortgage applications.
Darren Bennett
Managing Director
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