As Summer Draws to a Close... Is the Housing Market Waking Up Again?

As we start edging towards September, it's a question I'm hearing more and more:

"Has the market started picking up again?" The short answer? Yes – slowly, but definitely.

Every year we see the same pattern. The school holidays arrive, families head away, people put moving plans on hold for a few weeks and viewing numbers naturally soften. It's completely normal and certainly not something unique to this year.

What is encouraging, however, is that the signs we're seeing now are very similar to what we've experienced over the last couple of years. As the holidays begin to wind down, enquiries increase, viewing requests start coming back through and buyers who have been sitting on the fence begin making decisions again.

The market has changed – but it hasn't stopped

If we compare today's market to where we were in 2024, it's a very different environment.

Two years ago many buyers were still adjusting to higher mortgage rates after the rapid increases of 2023. Confidence took a knock, affordability became stretched and properties that may have sold within days suddenly took weeks or even months.

Fast forward to today and the market feels much healthier.

We're no longer seeing the frantic bidding wars of the post-pandemic boom, but equally we're not seeing the uncertainty that dominated much of 2023 and early 2024. Buyers have accepted where mortgage rates are, lenders have become increasingly competitive and people have realised that waiting indefinitely rarely works in their favour.

The result is a much more balanced market.

Buyers have more choice than they've had for years

One of the biggest changes over the last 18 months has been the amount of property available.

There is considerably more stock on the market than we became accustomed to during the pandemic years, which means buyers can afford to be more selective.

That's great news if you're looking to buy.

If you're selling, though, it means pricing correctly has never been more important.

The days of putting a property on the market at an ambitious figure and expecting buyers to compete for it are largely behind us. Buyers are well informed, they're comparing properties online and if something is overpriced, they'll simply move on to the next one.

We're finding that realistically priced homes presented well continue to attract strong interest and agree sales, while over-priced properties often end up chasing the market through reductions.

Activity is beginning to build

Recent market data is encouraging.

Buyer searches have started increasing again after the traditional summer slowdown, with activity running ahead of this time last year. Although house price growth has remained fairly modest nationally, there are clear signs that buyers are returning as we approach autumn. (Zoopla)

Historically, September through to November is one of the busiest periods of the property calendar, and there's every reason to believe this year will follow a similar trend.

Children are back at school, routines return to normal and many buyers want to complete a move before Christmas.

What does this mean locally?

Here in Folkestone and the surrounding villages, we're seeing exactly what the national data suggests. Viewing levels have started increasing again, buyer registrations are improving and conversations that paused during August are beginning to restart.

We're also finding that buyers are incredibly well prepared. Most have their mortgage agreed, they've done their homework and when the right property comes to market, they're ready to move quickly.

That means first impressions matter more than ever.

Thinking of selling?

If you're considering a move before the end of the year, now is actually a fantastic time to start preparing. The market isn't about chasing the highest asking price, it's about achieving the best possible sale within today's conditions.

With more competition between sellers, professional marketing, high-quality photography, video tours and accurate pricing make a genuine difference.

At Match Estates, we've always believed in telling vendors the truth rather than simply the highest valuation. Sometimes that's not the easiest conversation to have, but it's usually the

one that gets the best result.

A well-priced property creates competition.

An overpriced property creates reductions.

There's a big difference.

My thoughts

After a quieter few weeks over the school holidays, I'm optimistic about what's ahead.

The market isn't booming, and I don't think it needs to be. Instead, we're seeing something much healthier, a market built on realistic expectations, committed buyers and sensible pricing.

For anyone thinking of moving before Christmas, the next few months could be an excellent opportunity.

As always, if you'd like an honest conversation about your property's value or simply want to understand what's happening in your street rather than just reading the national headlines, I'd be more than happy to help.

Lee Churchyard, Managing Director