Wales recorded the steepest decline in sales agreed at -12%, followed by the East Midlands (-11%), East of England (-10%) and South West (-10%). London (-9%) and the West Midlands (-8%) also fell above the national average. Northern regions and Scotland saw more modest decreases of between 3% and 6%, where supply constraints and smaller mortgage payment increases have provided some support to activity.
The West Midlands recorded the sharpest annual drop in buyer demand at -30%, closely followed by the North East at -29%.
| Housing market lead indicators – 4 weeks to 21 June 2026 v same in 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region/country | Buyer demand | Stock of homes for sale | Flow of new homes for sale | Sales agreed |
| East Midlands | -22% | 4% | -5% | -11% |
| East of England | -15% | 5% | 5% | -10% |
| London | -12% | 9% | -4% | -9% |
| North East | -29% | 3% | -9% | -3% |
| North West | -15% | -4% | -7% | -6% |
| Scotland | -18% | -4% | -5% | -4% |
| South East | -15% | 4% | -2% | -7% |
| South West | -17% | 4% | -3% | -10% |
| Wales | -19% | -7% | -8% | -12% |
| West Midlands | -30% | 3% | 2% | -8% |
| Yorkshire & Humber | -16% | 1% | 5% | -5% |
| UK | -15% | 2% | -2% | -7% |
| Source: Zoopla | ||||
Two- and three-bedroom houses are selling at a pace broadly consistent with last year. One- and two-bedroom flats remain the weakest market segment: more than two-thirds of those listed in 2026 are yet to sell. Zoopla attributes this to the concentration of first-time buyers in this segment, who are disproportionately affected by higher purchase costs. In London, first-time buyers also face stamp duty liabilities equivalent to around 3% of the purchase price, compared with less than 1% in northern England.
The 5% average mortgage rate recorded in April added approximately £125 per month to the average mortgage payment, equivalent to £1,500 a year. The regional variation is significant: London buyers have seen monthly repayments rise by around £244 (£2,900 a year), while buyers in the North East have seen an increase of approximately £69 a month (£830 a year).