The UK property market headlines are preaching doom and gloom. In some markets, especially certain parts of London, things are tough, yet London isn't the be all and end all. Data from the third week of September reveals what actually happened in the market, from new listings and price reductions to sales agreed, fall-throughs and exchanges.
New Listings and Sales Agreed in Week 37
There were 35.9k new listings in week 37, compared to 36.7k the previous week. The weekly 2026 average stands at 36k, while the 10-year week 37 average is 35.6k. Year to date, 1.336m new listings have come to market, which is 0.5% below 2025 YTD (1.342m) but 2.4% higher than 2024 YTD (1.305m) and 10% higher than 2023 YTD (1.21m).
UK gross residential sales saw 22.8k homes sold subject to contract (SSTC) in week 37, down from 23k last week. The 10-year week 37 average is 25.2k, and the 2026 weekly average is 24.2k. Year to date, 897k UK homes have been sold SSTC, which is 7.4% lower than 2025 YTD (969k) and 1.9% lower than 2024 YTD (914k).
Net Sales, Exchanges and Withdrawals
Net sales (gross sales less sale fall-throughs) were 17.1k in week 37, down from 17.7k last week. The 10-year week 37 average is 19.1k, and the weekly average for 2026 is 18.7k. Year to date, 692k UK net home sales have been recorded, which is 6.2% lower than 2025 (739k) and 1.4% lower than 2024 (703k).
In August 2026, there were 78.4k exchanges and 63.7k withdrawals. This means just 55.2% of homes that left agents' books exchanged and completed in July; the rest (44.8%) withdrew unsold. The 7-year average exchange-to-listings ratio is 57.6%.
Price Reductions and Sell-Through Rates
There were 28.1k price reductions this week on 742k UK homes for sale. In August, 11.1% of UK homes for sale were reduced, down from 13.7% in July. The 2026 YTD average is 12.8%, versus the 6-year long-term average of 10.9%.
The difference between the asking price of listings and the asking price of homes that go SSTC was 24.5% in week 37, compared to the long-term 10-year average of 16% to 17%. The average listing asking price was £453k, while the average sale agreed asking price was £363k.
The sell-through rate in August '26 was 13.3%, compared to 14.2% in July '26 and 13.8% in June '26. The pre-Covid average is 15.5%. The fall-through rate in week 37 was 24.9%, close to the decade average of 24.5%. In August 2026, 4.9% of homes sold SSTC fell through, compared to the 2026 YTD average of 5.1% and the 10-year average of 5.7%.
Stock Levels, House Prices and Rental Data
There were 742k homes on the market on 1st September '26, down from 767k the month before but up from 736k 12 months ago. The sales pipeline held 479k homes on 1st September 2026, lower than 508k a year earlier.
In August '26, agreed sales averaged £338.41 per sq.ft, 0.3% higher than 12 months ago (£337.28) and 9.5% higher than 5 years ago (£308.91). The £/sqft at sale agreed matches the HM Land Registry Index with 98% accuracy, 5 months in advance.
The average rent in week 37 was £1,806 pcm, up from £1,766 pcm in September 2026 and £1,791 pcm in September 2025. UK rental stock available on 1st September 2026 was 302k, down from 357k a year earlier. New rental properties coming onto the market in August 2026 totalled 120,100, up from 115,584 in August 2025.
The show also focuses on Shrewsbury, examining local estate and letting agents not just by how many homes they list, but by who gives homeowners the strongest chance of moving, who achieves better prices, and who is gaining ground locally. The analysis aims to offer estate agents ideas on proving their own value.
