Why Pricing Realistically Is The Only Strategy That Works Right Now

There is a paradox sitting at the heart of the current property market. The number of homes available to buy has risen to 758,000 as of November 2026, up from 742,000 a year earlier and well above the 664,000 recorded in November 2023. More choice for buyers sounds like a healthy sign. The trouble is that buyers are not showing up in the numbers needed to clear that stock. Zoopla forecasts around 100,000 fewer transactions in 2026 than in 2025, and HMRC monthly figures confirm that completions have been softening. More homes, fewer sales: that is the reality sellers are walking into.

What Rising Stock Actually Means for You as a Seller

When supply outpaces demand, buyers gain the upper hand. They can afford to view several properties before making an offer, take their time, and push back on price. Your home is competing not just with the two or three similar properties that were available a year ago, but with a noticeably larger pool. That means presentation matters more, pricing matters more, and the agent you choose matters more.

Time on market tends to lengthen in these conditions. A property that sits unsold for six or eight weeks starts to look stale, and buyers begin to wonder what is wrong with it even if the answer is simply that it was priced too high at launch. Getting the price right at the start is far more effective than chasing the market down with reductions later.

The Reduction Rate Is Telling You Something

In October 2026, 13.7% of homes on the market had their asking prices cut. The seven-year average for that figure sits at around 11%. That gap is not huge in percentage point terms, but it represents a significant number of sellers who listed with optimism, did not get the response they expected, and had to adjust. Reductions can work, but they signal to buyers that the seller misjudged the market, which sometimes encourages lower offers rather than the hoped-for surge of interest.

The lesson is straightforward. Asking prices anchored to peak-pandemic values from 2021 or 2022 are not supported by what buyers are actually paying today. Your solicitor or surveyor can point you to Land Registry completed sales data; your agent should be doing the same. Comparable recent sales in your street or neighbourhood are the only honest guide to where your price should sit.

Questions to Answer Honestly Before You List

Before you instruct an agent, work through these questions carefully:

• Do I have to sell now? If your move is not time-critical, waiting for the spring market, when buyer activity traditionally picks up, or for a potential interest rate reduction, may put you in a stronger position. There is no shame in holding off if the timing works against you.
• Is my asking price supported by recent comparable sales? Not by what you paid, not by what your neighbour got in 2022, but by what similar homes in your road have sold for in the last three to six months.
• Am I prepared to negotiate? In a buyer-friendly market, the first offer you receive may come in below asking price. Deciding in advance how far you are willing to move avoids emotional decisions under pressure.
• Is the property presented well? De-cluttering, touching up paintwork, tidying the garden, and removing personal items that make it hard for buyers to picture themselves living there all make a measurable difference to first impressions.

If You Must Sell Now, Follow a Practical Checklist

For sellers who cannot wait, the approach needs to be disciplined from the start.

• Get three valuations from local agents with a track record of actually selling (not just listing) properties like yours. Ask each agent to show you the comparable evidence behind their figure.
• Choose the agent whose valuation is grounded in data, not the one who flatters you with the highest number. Overvaluing to win instructions is a common tactic that costs sellers time and money.
• Invest in professional photography. The majority of buyers start their search online, and poor photographs will cost you viewings before anyone has set foot in your home.
• Be prepared to accept a realistic offer. A clean sale at a fair price is worth more than months of uncertainty chasing a figure the market will not support.
• Speak to your solicitor early to get your paperwork in order, so you can move quickly once a buyer is found.

The Practical Takeaway

Rising stock and falling transactions are not a catastrophe for sellers, but they do require a clear-eyed approach. Price realistically, present well, pick an agent with genuine local knowledge, and be honest with yourself about whether now is the right time to move. If you would like to talk through your options, our team is happy to give you a straightforward assessment with no obligation.