Property Sentiment Index, September 2025
The OnTheMarket Property Sentiment Index explores how house movers are feeling concerning the property market, supported by knowledge from our personal platform. This version exhibits that the general public anticipate each gross sales and rental costs to rise over the following 12 months whereas these planning to purchase, promote or lease stay assured about making their transfer throughout the subsequent three months or, at most, inside a three-to-six-month timeframe.
Moreover, there’s an urge for food for reform throughout the property tax system, with solely 12% wanting the present system to stay in place unchanged. Nonetheless, opinions are cut up relating to selecting a alternative.
Sentiment in the direction of the property market
Gross sales market expectations
When looking forward to the following 12 months, slightly below half of property seekers imagine home costs will improve, a small fall from 51% who mentioned the identical three months in the past, suggesting a slight wavering in confidence within the UK property market. In the meantime, 24% imagine costs will keep the identical, up from 21% within the earlier quarter, and solely 13% anticipate home costs to fall.
Vendor expectations
Amongst these trying to promote a property, 51% of all respondents, 4 in ten (39%) anticipate to obtain an appropriate supply inside three months, whereas the identical proportion imagine this may occur in three to 6 months (38%). Simply over one in ten (13%) predict they’ll settle for a proposal inside six to 9 months and 6% say inside 9 to 12 months.
Purchaser outlook
These trying to purchase a property are usually assured that it received’t take lengthy to discover a house and have a proposal accepted. Equally to the June version, 4 in ten imagine this may occur in three to 6 months, whereas an extra 27% anticipate it to take even much less time. Just below a fifth (17%) anticipate their search to take between six and 9 months.
Monetary confidence
Consumers stay constructive with eight in ten (80%) saying they’re assured of their talents to afford their subsequent property buy. This consists of 52% who’re very assured. In the meantime, 15% really feel not very assured or not assured in any respect and 5% say they don’t know.
New houses
Curiosity in new houses has remained regular amongst property seekers, with 42% prone to think about one as their subsequent property, a change from 46% in June. In the meantime 38% say they’re unlikely, up from 37% in June.
Rental market sentiment
Contemplating rental costs, expectations mirror the dearth of provide and rising demand, as two-thirds (67%) anticipate costs to extend, the same proportion to June’s determine of 65%. In the meantime, 15% imagine rents will keep on the similar degree, whereas solely 5% assume they may fall.
Renter outlook
Regardless of expectations for rents to extend, these trying to lease stay assured of their capability to discover a property and have a proposal accepted rapidly. Half imagine they’ll have a proposal on a rental property accepted inside three months and an extra 30% anticipate it to take between three and 6 months. Fewer than one in ten (9%) imagine it would take six to 9 months (9%), with 5% anticipating 9 to 12 months and 6% foreseeing a wait of over a 12 months.
Present occasions and coverage developments
Housing targets
The federal government continues to face challenges in assembly its goal of 1.5 million new houses, with abilities and sources working low. It comes as no shock, subsequently, that nearly half of respondents say the goal is unlikely to be met. 1 / 4 (26%) say it is vitally unlikely, whereas an extra 21% imagine it to be pretty unlikely. This represents little change in comparison with June’s outcomes of 49%.
Alternatively, 1 / 4 of respondents imagine the federal government is prone to attain its goal of recent houses by the tip of its time period in 2029. Of those, 8% say it is vitally doubtless, whereas 18% imagine it to be pretty doubtless.
Stamp obligation
Because the finish of the Stamp Responsibility vacation in March, there was a lot dialogue about whether or not the property tax system ought to evolve with a spread of concepts floated thus far. Amongst respondents, solely 12% imagine the present system ought to keep in place unchanged. 1 / 4 are in favour of preserving the identical standards however spreading funds over a number of years moderately than requiring them up entrance. In the meantime, the same proportion (21%) assist the newest proposition of introducing a property tax on any property valued over £500,000, with a better charge utilized to properties value over £1 million. Solely 12% say they assist none of those three insurance policies and 30% mentioned they don’t know.
Rates of interest
Firstly of this 12 months, the Financial institution of England’s base charge was set at 4.75% however has since dropped to 4%. In response, 30% of property In response,30% of property seekers say they’ve adjusted their search standards. The commonest change has been in searchers’ worth ranges (13%), whereas 6% have modified the placement of their search and 4% have altered the variety of bedrooms of their potential properties. Some respondents choosing “different” defined they’d determined to lease moderately than purchase.
Trying to the longer term, opinions are blended on what is going to occur to rates of interest. 1 / 4 of property seekers anticipate charges to proceed to fall (26%), whereas simply over a 3rd (35%) imagine they’ll keep on the present degree. Lower than one in 5 (17%) anticipate charges to rise once more. Round 1 / 4 (23%) say they don’t know.
Sentiment Abstract
Whereas confidence within the velocity of transactions stays sturdy amongst patrons, sellers and renters, patrons are additionally feeling optimistic about their capability to boost the funds wanted to buy their subsequent home.
Trying to present occasions, opinions are blended on what the way forward for property tax appears like, with property seekers cut up as as to whether the present system needs to be maintained or reformed. The 12 months’s rates of interest drops have affected the way in which some are trying to find property, as many predict charges to remain on the present degree or drop additional.
We’ll proceed to watch shifts in sentiment and market exercise within the months forward and supply up to date insights in our subsequent version. Preserve studying for insights from OnTheMarket’s knowledge and feedback from brokers across the nation on their experiences over the previous few months.
Insights from the OnTheMarket web site
Key phrases
Our key phrase search instrument helps property seekers refine their search based mostly on particular options they need of their subsequent house.
For patrons, out of doors house is a transparent precedence with gardens that includes in 31% of key phrase searches. Parking can be extremely wanted (17%) together with garages (12%) whereas freehold properties and rural houses atrract related ranges of curiosity (each 7%).
Within the rental market, gardens once more high the listing, showing in 29% of key phrase searches, with parking as soon as once more shut behind at 21%). Renters, nevertheless, have further issues with 11% seek for “pets thought of”, 10% for “payments included” and seven% for “furnished”.
Property varieties
Filtering by property varieties stays on of probably the most broadly used search choices.
Amongst patrons, indifferent homes are the most well-liked alternative (28%), carefully adopted by bungalows (23%). Semi-detached homes make up an extra 17% of searches whereas flats account for 15%.
Renters, however, present a powerful choice for residences, which dominate 55% of filtered searches. Indifferent and semi-detached homes share related demand with 12% every, adopted by bungalows and terraced homes, each with 9% of filtered searches.
New directions
OnTheMarket has usually seen a development in new listings in current months, rising by round 5% every month as much as August. Nonetheless, final month noticed a seasonal dip, with new instruction falling by 15%, a typical development in the course of the summer time as many sellers delay transferring plans whereas they go on vacation or benefit from the climate at house.
Value reductions
The proportion of properties with worth reductions has remained comparatively secure in current months. In August, 11% of listings had been decreased, in contrast with 14% in each June and July. This consistency means that the small shifts following the tip of the Stamp Responsibility vacation are regularly returning to extra acquainted ranges.
Agent insights
“With the November Price range on the horizon and ongoing financial uncertainty, patrons stay cautious and worth delicate. This 12 months we’ve achieved document costs, each on a £ per sq. foot foundation and when it comes to actual values in sure roads, the place all properties have been turn-key.
“Many patrons are extremely knowledgeable, usually utilizing £ per sq. foot as a benchmark earlier than deciding which houses to view. Whereas some are ready to supply, persuading them to enhance their bids will be difficult, as they need reassurance that their buy will nonetheless signify good worth after the Price range or in just a few years’ time.
“With inventory ranges throughout London remaining excessive, bridging the hole between asking worth and achievable sale worth has been key. Smart pricing not solely reduces time available on the market however may also assist safe stronger outcomes. The truth is, we’ve achieved document costs for purchasers who adopted this method.
“Conveyancing is at the moment taking round 6–8 weeks. We strongly suggest that sellers instruct solicitors early and put together documentation prematurely to keep away from delays, which solely add to purchaser uncertainty.”
“What we’re seeing throughout the market are centered patrons eager to get offers over the road, with exchanges and new purchaser registration ranges on par with 2024, regardless of an unsure financial and political panorama. The current determination by the Financial institution of England to carry rates of interest at 4% has demonstrated a concentrate on stability: a pause that enables the market to regulate regularly and with better confidence over the longer-term.
“While costs have adjusted in some native markets, others stay underpinned by excessive demand, creating a very regionalised image. Way of life-led strikes proceed to drive demand in places like Tunbridge Wells, Chester and Colchester, the place long-term worth outweighs short-term volatility. Completions stay sturdy in commuter hubs like Sevenoaks and Hale, reflecting the resilience of micro-markets that provide connectivity, neighborhood and high quality of life. Whereas these decided to finish earlier than Christmas are already deep into their transactions, money patrons now have a precious alternative, with a big selection of properties obtainable to them.
“Homemovers are more and more centered on the tangible realities of at present’s housing panorama. Our current analysis revealed that of the 15% of over 55s who plan to downsize would achieve this throughout the subsequent 12 months if stamp obligation had been eliminated or decreased on their onward buy, reflective of pent-up demand and a potential wave of movers topic to the outcomes of the Autumn Price range.
“As we enter the ultimate quarter of the 12 months, the message is evident; patrons are dedicated however now extra discerning. The precedence for coverage makers should be to supply additional stability that may breed confidence, gasoline transactions, and assist homemovers on their journey.”
“After a surprisingly busy few months of transactional exercise in any respect ranges of the agricultural property company market, the drip feed of potential adjustments to the taxation of each housing and housing transactions has introduced a layer of warning into {the marketplace}.
“On the larger finish of the market – particularly round properties value in extra of £1.5m – there’s extra warning as the opportunity of introducing capital positive factors tax to precept non-public residences has been rumoured to be introduced in November’s Price range.
“Nonetheless, the marketplace for properties value lower than £1.5m is standing up very effectively. Potential reforms to stamp obligation are prone to be unlock exercise amongst patrons, and our New Houses crew are additionally very busy, which bodes effectively for the way forward for home constructing and residential possession.”
Methodology
Between Friday 22 and Saturday 30 August, over 2,500 energetic property seekers who’ve just lately signed up for property alerts or despatched a property enquiry at OnTheMarket participated in our survey. This group represents engaged people at the moment navigating the UK property market. Breaking respondents down into:
- 1331 (50%) are actively in search of a property to purchase
- 1345 (51%) have a property to promote
- 1571 (59%) are actively in search of a property to lease
The place totals don’t add as much as 100%, this is because of rounding.
Information on key phrases, property varieties, new directions and decreased properties is for June to September and is drawn from OnTheMarket’s knowledge compiled from hundreds of property agent branches and housebuilders who listing their properties with OnTheMarket each month.
The info for key phrases and property varieties is expounded to all searches which have used these filters and doesn’t embody info referring to searches with out them.
For all enquiries, please contact Amelia Collins (acollins@onthemarket.com)
Earlier editions of the Property Sentiment Index, in addition to different stories will be discovered on our blog.
