As 2026 rolls on, the residential property market finds itself at an important juncture. Following several years marked by fluctuating activity, shifting consumer sentiment and operational pressure across the transaction pipeline, one priority is now shared across professionals: the need for greater certainty in property transactions.
This theme sits at the centre of Landmark’s latest webinar, Residential property market: Key trends that will shape 2026, and the accompanying cross‑market report, An industry aligned: Moving towards certainty. Together, they draw on insights from our property trends data, transaction milestone data and the latest market and consumer research, offering a comprehensive view of the market’s trajectory and the practical steps needed to improve transaction outcomes.
A mixed picture for the property market in 2025
The market in England and Wales experienced a mixed picture throughout 2025. Listing activity remained comparatively resilient in the first half of the year before softening in the second half as uncertainty surrounding potential fiscal changes in the lead up to the Autumn Budget tempered momentum. SSTC volumes mirrored this pattern, with Q4 highlighting the sensitivity of the market to wider economic sentiment.
Conveyancing activity reflected similar fluctuations. The completion surge driven by the Stamp Duty (SDLT) deadline – and subsequent dip – followed by the autumn slowdown illustrated the operational unpredictability many conveyancing firms had to absorb over the course of the year. These fluctuations did not halt the market, but they made the process less predictable for both professionals and consumers alike.
Understanding the expectation gap
One of the clearest findings from the new report is the gap between consumer expectations and the reality of transaction times. While the average instruction‑to‑completion figure stands at 123 days (17.6 weeks), the latest consumer ideal is actually 6.78 weeks.
This gap has a direct impact on satisfaction, communication pressure and fall‑through risk. Yet, as our panellists discussed, consumers are increasingly open to reform. Not only are they willing to instruct a conveyancer earlier for faster outcomes, but they are also open to paying agents and conveyancers upfront for services that promote transparency, speed and efficiency.
Scotland provides a stable comparative model
Against the wider backdrop of volatility in England and Wales, Scotland’s market delivered greater consistency in 2025. Modest year‑on‑year increases across listings, Sold Subject to Missives (SSTMs) and completions reflect a more predictable and stable operational environment – one strengthened by established expectations around upfront information.
Discussions during the webinar highlighted that several practical elements of the Scottish model could be adopted within England and Wales without waiting for legislative intervention, such as surfacing trusted upfront information earlier in the process. Across most key metrics, the Scottish transactional process is more efficient, offering a proven comparative model.
A shared direction for 2026
Across estate agents, conveyancers, lenders and wider stakeholders, one message from the webinar was consistent: the industry is aligned on the need to bring greater certainty of property transactions completing. Early data, improved sequencing, consistent communication and shared responsibility for the consumer education process are central to this premise.
As Rob Gurney, Managing Director at Ochresoft, put it: “If the average home seller doesn’t know that there are benefits from instructing their lawyer at the point of listing or even earlier, then they’re not going to. They need to be told. My plea to the industry is: let’s try and educate the home-moving public of the virtues of getting a lawyer instructed earlier.”
To explore these trends in depth, including detailed analysis from our panel and a walkthrough of the data that shaped last year and informs 2026, you can now watch the webinar on‑demand. It is designed for professionals across the property, legal and lending sectors who are seeking a clearer understanding of the forces shaping the residential property market in 2026.
Alongside the webinar, the full cross‑market report – An industry aligned: Moving towards certainty – is also available to download. Together, they provide data proof points and a consolidated view of consumer expectations, operational performance and the actions that can help the industry deliver more certain, confident transactions this year.
Widespread “wait-and-see” approach to home-moving in Q4 2025 leaves market on pause.
Our Q4 2025 Property Trends Report indicates that speculation around the Autumn Budget slowed residential market activity in the final quarter of the year. In England and Wales, listings and completions dropped 7% and 6% year‑on‑year, while SSTC and search orders saw steeper falls of 17% and 19%. Mortgage valuations also slowed, though remortgaging remained steady.
Scotland performed comparatively well despite similar uncertainty. Listings dipped in October and November, recovering in December as demand resurfaced. Search activity remained muted, but SSTM volumes stabilised by year‑end. The nationwide picture suggests delays rather than loss of demand. Expectations of further rate cuts and continued price adjustments could help unlock more activity in 2026.
Other headline findings from Q4 2025 include:
- Listings volumes were down 7% compared to Q4 ‘24 volumes.
- In Scotland, listings were up 5% in Q4 ‘25 vs Q4 ‘24.
- SSTC volumes were down 17% year-on-year in Q4 ‘25.
- SSTM levels in Scotland were down 9% in Q4 ‘25 vs Q4 ‘24.
- Completion volumes in Q4 ’25 were down 6% compared to Q4 ‘24.
- In Scotland, completions were down 3% in Q4 ‘25 vs Q4 ‘24.
Download the report for the latest trends affecting the residential sector in Q4 2025.
UK property market enters ‘suspended animation’ amid Autumn Budget speculation
Our Q3 2025 Property Trends Report reveals that the UK housing market entered a period of ‘suspended animation’ during the third quarter of the year, with uncertainty over potential property tax changes in the run-up to the Autumn Budget causing the market to adopt a holding pattern.
Across England and Wales, there was a 1% drop in new property listings year-on-year. Sales agreed (SSTC) were 6% lower than in Q3 2024, while completion and search order volumes tracked in line with 2024 levels. Mortgage valuation numbers held steady, but remortgaging continued to drive much of the market activity.
Other key findings from Q3 2025 include:
- Listings volumes were down 1% vs Q3 ‘24 volumes.
- In Scotland, listings were down 4% in Q3 ‘25 vs Q3 ‘24.
- SSTC volumes in Q3 ‘25 were down 6% compared to Q3 ‘24 volumes.
- SSTM levels in Scotland were up 4% in Q3 ‘25 vs Q3 ‘24.
- Completion volumes were up 1% in Q3 ‘25 compared to Q3 ’24.
- In Scotland, completions were up 10% in Q3 ‘25 vs Q3 ‘24.
Download the report for the latest trends affecting the residential sector in Q3 2025.
Landmark’s Q2 2025 Residential Property Trends Report is now available. This report features the latest data on residential property transactions, including listings, SSTC/SSTM figures, search orders and completions.
Our data reveals muted market momentum following a stamp duty-fuelled surge in March. Completions cooled in Q2 compared to 2024 levels – veering from a 79% year-on-year uplift in March to a 32% dip in April.
Listings volumes were up 5% on 2024 levels, indicating a continued strong intent to move. However, affordability continues to constrain demand from progressing.
The market in Scotland remained consistently stable with stronger market momentum translating into listings volumes that were up 14% on Q2 2024. Meanwhile, volumes of Sold Subject to Missives (SSTM) and completions tracked in line with last year’s volumes.
Other key findings from Q2 2025 include:
- Listings volumes in England and Wales were up 5% in Q2 ‘25 compared to Q2 ‘24. In Scotland, listings were up 14% in Q2 ’25 vs Q2 ‘24.
- In England and Wales, SSTC volumes in Q2 ‘25 were down 7% vs Q2 ‘24. SSTM levels in Scotland were down 3% compared to Q2 ‘24.
- Completion volumes in England and Wales were down 20% in Q2 ’25 vs Q2 ’24. In Scotland, completions were up 1% compared to Q2 ‘24.
Download your copy of the Cross Market Activity edition for England, Wales and Scotland, which includes the latest residential property market data and insights for Q2 2025.
Landmark’s Q1 2025 Residential Property Trends Report is now available.
This report, from our parent company Landmark, features the latest data on residential property transactions, including listings, SSTC/SSTM figures, search orders and completions.
Our data for Q1 ‘25 reveals signs of a resilient market and a stable transaction pipeline emerging following the spike in completions ahead of the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) reversal deadline in England and Wales.
Completions rose by 30% over the quarter, with a 71% year-on-year surge in March alone as buyers rushed to complete. Beyond this much-anticipated bubble of activity, underlying indicators point to a more resilient property market heading into Q2.
The Scottish property market continued to hold firm, avoiding any notable market distortion following changes to Land & Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT – the Scottish equivalent of SDLT).
Other key findings from Q1 ‘25 include:
- Listing volumes in England and Wales were comparable to Q1 ‘24, up by just 1%. In Scotland, listing volumes were up 11% for the quarter compared to Q1 ‘24.
- In England and Wales, SSTC volumes were down 9% compared to Q1 ‘24. Conversely, SSTM volumes in Scotland were up 9% vs Q1 ‘24.
- Completions were up 30% in England and Wales (+71% in March alone). In Scotland, completions were up 16% compared to Q1 ‘24.
Download your copy of the Cross Market Activity edition for England, Wales and Scotland, which includes the latest residential property market data and insights for Q1 2025.
Landmark’s Q4 2024 Residential Property Trends Report is now available.
This report features the latest data on residential property transactions, including listings, SSTC/SSTM figures, search orders and completions.
The data for Q4 ‘24 confirms that 2024 achieved a stable but depressed market that lagged behind pre-pandemic levels. However, the continued healthy listings supply illustrates the potential for the market to bounce back quickly should economic conditions improve.
The disparity between supply and demand continued in Q4 ‘24. Listings volumes were up 8% compared to Q4 2019 in England and Wales, while SSTC volumes were down 33%. Seller appetite remains, but affordability constraints are likely hampering progress through the pipeline.
Other key findings from Q4 ‘24 include:
- Listing volumes in England and Wales were up 8% in Q4 ‘24 vs Q4 ‘19. In Scotland, listing volumes were up 5% in Q4 ‘24 vs Q4 ‘19.
- In England and Wales, SSTC volumes in Q4 ‘24 were down 33% compared to Q4 ‘19 volumes. SSTM levels in Scotland were only down 5% in Q4 ‘24 vs Q4 ‘19.
- Completions were down 37% in England and Wales in Q4 ‘24 vs Q4 ‘19. In Scotland, completions were down just 13% in Q4 ‘24 vs Q4 ‘19.
Download your copy of the Cross Market Activity edition for England, Wales and Scotland, which includes the latest residential property market data and insights for Q4 2024.
Landmark’s next webinar: Explore property market trends and key themes for 2025
Date: Thursday 23rd January
Time: 11.30am
Duration: 45 minutes
Why Attend?
We’ll bring you the latest findings from Landmark’s property trends data, market research, interactive Q&As, and expert discussions to equip you with actionable strategies and tactics for achieving success in the sector.