UK Property Market Stats Show - Week 34 2026 - Ep. 2625

The UK Property Market Is Not Struggling. So Why Does It Feel Like It Is? The latest property market figures tell a rather different story to the mood you sometimes hear on the high street. Sellers are still coming to market in healthy numbers, sales activity remains ahead of pre-Covid levels, and there is no shortage of people who still want to move home. The market is functioning, but with considerably more choice available to buyers, the rules of the game have changed. That extra choice means buyers can afford to be selective, and that puts far greater pressure on asking prices. The strongest evidence is what happens to the homes that actually find buyers. Around eight in ten successful sellers who have come to market this year have achieved a sale without needing to reduce their asking price. In other words, the issue is not necessarily a lack of buyers, but whether the price is compelling enough to make them act. And that raises the question every homeowner thinking of selling should be asking. If properties are still selling in significant numbers, why do some homes disappear quickly while others sit on the market for months? The answer may have far less to do with the property market itself than most sellers realise. This week, Simon Gates joins Christopher Watkin to look at Week 34 of the UK property market (week ending 30th August 2026.), picking apart the latest figures to see how the market is really performing. They then head to Oldham in the North West, where the data is put to work to discover which estate agents are actually delivering for their sellers, before turning their attention to the town’s lettings market as well. 🟩   Listings Week 34 .. 33.4k new listings this week, (31.8k last week). Weekly 2026 average : 36.3k.  10 year week 34 average : 33.2k  Year to Date 1.231m new listings YTD   Same as 2025 YTD (1.232m) 2.7% ahead of 2024 YTD (1.199m) 10.5% ahead of 2023 YTD (1084m) 10% higher than the 2017–19 average YTD (1.119m).       Decade average 1.125m 🟩  UK Gross Resi Sales Week 34.. 23.2k homes sold stc this week 33 (23.4k last week)   10 year week 34 average : 24.7k 2026 weekly average : 24.5k. Year to Date for house sales  832k UK homes sold stc YTD 6.8% lower than 2025 YTD (893k) 1.1% lower to 2024 YTD (842k) 11% higher than 2023 YTD (750k) 5.7% higher above pre Covid 2017-19 years (789k). Decade average - 833k YTD 🟩 UK Net Resi Sales YTD  (Net Sales being Gross Sales less Sale Fall Thrus).  Week 34 17.7k Net Sales (17.7k last week)  10 year Week 34 average: 18.3k. Weekly average for 2026: 19k.  Year to Date 645k UK net home sales YTD  5.4% lower than 2025 (682k),  0.7% lower than 2024 (649k),  14% ahead of 2023 (566k) 3.9% above the 2017/18/19 average (621k).      🟩   Exchanges & Withdrawals •           79.5k Exchanges in July 2026 (August figures to follow). •          75.6k Withdrawals in July 2026  •           Therefore, in July 2026, only 51.3% of homes that left agents’ books exchanged & completed in July (the rest - 49% withdrew, unsold) •     57.6% is the 7 year average exchange to listings ratio (which includes the crazy years post lockdown 18 months).  🟥 Want more in-depth analysis on these stats ?? Watch this week’s episode (week 34) of the ‘UK Property Market Stats Show’ with Simon Gates on YouTube here … https://youtu.be/5RebgIlD9Jc