More homes, more competition: Autumn's changing property market explained 🍂
#CAVENDISHEXPERTS! The logical choice for Lettings, Sales and Property Management in Nottingham | Cavendish Residential | One Fletcher Gate NG1 1QS | 0115 941 0656 | www.cavendishproperty.co.uk
Rightmove House Price Index – August 2026: Key Market Insights (with a Nottingham lens) 🔍 To download Rightmove's article itself, click here.
Summary 🏠
💠 The average asking price of a newly listed UK home has fallen by 2.0% this month to £364,999.
💠 That represents a monthly adjustment of £7,360.
💠 Asking prices are now 1.0% lower than this time last year.
💠 August normally sees asking prices soften, although this year's 2.0% movement is larger than the ten-year August average of 1.3%.
💠 The number of homes available for sale is at a 12-year high for this time of year.
💠 Buyers have plenty of choice.
💠 Sellers are competing harder for attention.
💠 Coming to market at the right level matters more than simply choosing the highest possible asking price.
💠 Correct positioning from day one gives a property a stronger chance of generating early interest.
Why asking prices have adjusted this summer ☀️
💠 August is traditionally a quieter month.
💠 School holidays, travel and other summer distractions naturally reduce the number of active buyers at certain points in the month.
💠 At the same time, the amount of property available remains high.
💠 More choice allows buyers to compare properties carefully.
💠 Sellers therefore need to compete on value as well as presentation.
💠 Rightmove says many new sellers appear to be responding by entering the market at more competitive asking prices.
💠 That can improve the probability of securing a buyer rather than relying on reductions later.
A very different picture across the country 📍
🔹 One of the strongest themes in this month's report is how much national averages hide regional differences.
🔹 Asking prices across northern England are 1.5% higher than a year ago.
🔹 Southern England is 1.8% lower year-on-year.
🔹 The North West is currently the strongest English region at +1.9% annually.
🔹 London has experienced the largest annual movement at -3.1%.
🔹 The Midlands sits much closer to broadly stable territory.
For Nottingham and the East Midlands
💠 The East Midlands average asking price currently stands at £288,536.
💠 Asking prices are 1.0% lower than last month.
💠 They are also 1.0% lower than this time last year.
💠 The average property is taking approximately 67 days to find a buyer.
💠 This remains significantly quicker than London, where the regional average is 73 days.
These figures reinforce why Nottingham sellers should pay attention to local evidence rather than national headlines alone.
Buyer activity shows signs of improving 📈
🔸 There is also some encouragement within the latest figures.
🔸 Buyer demand has increased by 5% since 20 July, despite activity remaining below last year's unusually strong level.
🔸 This year's summer market has faced additional distractions.
🔸 Rightmove believes the recent improvement could help create stronger momentum as we move towards autumn.
🔸 Autumn is traditionally an important period for the housing market as buyers return from summer holidays and focus again on moving plans.
Mortgage costs remain an important factor 💷
💠 The average two-year fixed mortgage rate is currently 5.09%, compared with 4.95% last month.
💠 That continues to influence buyer affordability.
💠 Lenders remain highly competitive.
💠 Rightmove's mortgage expert believes there may be scope for some rates to move lower in the coming weeks.
💠 Buyers therefore continue to monitor both property prices and monthly mortgage costs carefully when deciding what they can afford.
What this means for Nottingham sellers
🔸 The August figures reinforce a familiar but increasingly important message.
🔸 Buyers are still moving.
🔸 They also have more choice than they have had for many years.
🔸 Presentation, photography and marketing therefore need to work harder.
🔸 Asking prices need to reflect today's competition rather than historic expectations.
🔸 Sellers who position their property realistically from launch give themselves the strongest chance of generating meaningful early interest.
The Cavendish perspective
🌸 August is traditionally a quieter month, so a seasonal adjustment in asking prices is not unusual.
🌸 What is more important is how individual sellers respond to the conditions around them.
🌸 Today's buyers are informed, comparison-driven and increasingly sensitive to monthly affordability.
🌸 They will still compete for the right home when they believe it represents good value.
🌸 Sellers therefore need to focus on the elements they can control: presentation, access, marketing and price.
🌸 National headlines can provide useful context, but every Nottingham property ultimately competes within its own local market.
Thinking of selling in Nottingham this autumn? Cavendish Residential can help you:
💠 Understand how your property compares with homes currently available.
💠 Review recent comparable evidence in your area.
💠 Develop a pricing and marketing strategy designed to generate genuine interest.
💠 Prepare your home to make the strongest possible first impression.
Thinking of selling in Nottingham? Cavendish Residential can help you:
💠 Understand how your property compares with the homes currently available.
💠 Review recent comparable sales and current buyer demand.
💠 Prepare your property to make the strongest possible first impression.
💠 Develop a pricing and marketing strategy designed to generate genuine early interest.
💠 Navigate negotiations confidently once offers are received.
💠 Guide you through the sales chain to ensure you get SOLD!
For an up-to-date valuation and a clear plan to get your property sold, contact Head Valuer Lisa at lisa.dahl-parsisson@cavendishproperty.co.uk 🤝
📸 Lisa Dahl-Parsisson, Head Valuer and Asset Manager at Cavendish Residential 📸
☎📧🗨
🌟 Instant online valuation (immediate response, 60-70% accurate)... Click here 🌟
🌟 Remote consultant valuation (24-hour response, 80-90% accurate)... Click here 🌟
🌟 Face-to-face visit (time to suit you, 100% accurate)... Email expert valuer lisa.dahl-parsisson@cavendishproperty.co.uk to get started 🌟
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#CAVENDISHEXPERTS! The logical choice for Lettings, Sales and Property Management in Nottingham | Cavendish Residential | One Fletcher Gate NG1 1QS | 0115 941 0656 | www.cavendishproperty.co.uk