The property market appears to be in rude health and ready to tackle any concerns of a post-March slump after SDLT nil rate band increases for first time buyers after analysis of stock levels across the country identified an additional 50,000 homes on the market at the end of January 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.
There are an estimated 777,051 homes currently listed for sale, a 7% increase on the first three months of 2024 (727,393). The number of properties for sale hit a peak in Q3 2024 at 846,844, up 16% on Q1, before falling back toward the end of the year.
The figures are produced by GetAgent.co.uk who pull data from the major portals which are then cross-referenced with the Land Registry alongside GetAgent’s own analysis.
Rutland has seen the largest percentage increase in stock in the first month of 2025, up 16% Q1 2024. Cornwall, Isle of Wight and Bristol follow with a 13% increase;and a 12% increase in East Riding of Yorkshire and Devon.
Greater London has the largest number of homes for sale at 107,611, 14% of the total number of homes listed for sale. Kent (39,351) and Essex (38,951) follow at 5% each. Wiltshire, South Yorkshire, Northumberland, Durham and Merseyside all saw negligible increases in stock levels at 1 and 2%. And the City of London and (-1%) and Gloucestershire (-18%) are the only regions to have seen a fall in the number of properties for sale in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024.
Overall stock levels at the start of 2025 mirror the end of 2024 providing encouragement for the positive start to the year to continue.
“2024 was a year of far greater positivity for the property market and we’ve seen a very strong foundation laid for the year ahead, a year that has already started with a bang, as almost 50,000 more home sellers have hit the market during January compared to Q1 of last year.
Co-founder and CEO of GetAgent.co.uk, Colby Short, commented, adding
The heightened levels of market activity being seen already this year suggest that sellers are getting their house in order now, in order to take advantage of increasing levels of buyer confidence, driven by the anticipation of mortgage rates reducing over the course of 2025.”
