Property Market Update | June 2026
June has brought a familiar shift in pace. Spring energy tends to ease as the school holidays approach, and this year that seasonal softening has arrived a little earlier than usual. The heatwave has played its part: buyers distracted by summer plans, the World Cup in the background, and a general sense that decisions can wait until September. It happens every year. The key is understanding what it means for your own plans, rather than reading too much into the headlines.
What the numbers say
Average asking prices fell 0.6% in June, according to Rightmove, bringing the national average to £376,191. That's the largest June dip recorded in 14 years, and while it sounds significant, it largely reflects sellers adjusting to attract buyers during a quieter month rather than a structural shift in values.
Stock levels are at their highest since 2015. More homes on the market means more choice for buyers, but it also means the gap between well-presented homes and average ones is wider than ever. Presentation and pricing discipline matter more now than they have for years.
Homes priced correctly are still selling quickly. Rightmove data shows that properties which didn't need a price reduction found a buyer in an average of 36 days. Those that did need one took 127 days. The difference is stark, and the lesson is consistent.
Two-year fixed mortgage rates sit at around 4.53% at 60% LTV, with five-year fixes averaging 5.63%. Rates have edged slightly lower month on month, which is a modest improvement for buyer affordability. The Bank of England base rate is currently 3.75%, with the next decision due this week.
Transaction levels remain broadly stable. Sales agreed were down around 6% year on year nationally, but virtually in line with 2024 and meaningfully ahead of 2023. Buyers are still moving, they're just being more considered about it.
If you're thinking of selling
The honest read for sellers right now is that this is a market where the quality of your preparation separates the results. Homes that arrive on the market well presented, correctly priced and with photography and marketing that genuinely does justice to the property are still attracting strong interest. Those that don't are sitting. The summer window is shorter than spring, but there is still meaningful buyer activity, particularly among families who want to be settled before the new school year. If you've been thinking about timing your sale for autumn, it's worth starting conversations now. Preparation takes time, and September buyers who want to move before Christmas don't hang around.
If you're buying
This is a genuinely good moment to be searching. Stock levels are the highest they've been in over a decade, which means real choice, and sellers are more open to considered offers than they were twelve months ago. The cost of borrowing is still a factor, but rates have been edging in the right direction and there are some well-priced opportunities in the market right now, particularly among properties that have been sitting longer than they should.
Our read
A quieter June doesn't worry us. Every summer has one, and the autumn market tends to reward the sellers who've used the time well. What we're seeing on the ground across Surrey and Kent is a market that rewards quality, whether that's the quality of a home's presentation, the quality of the advice behind the pricing, or the quality of the relationship between agent and seller. The numbers tell one story. What we're finding is that the right homes, handled with genuine care, are still moving. That hasn't changed.
