The October Property Market Slips… But Don’t Be Fooled
The number of UK homes sold subject to contract in October 2025 slipped 2.6% compared with October 2024, falling from 114,275 to 111,314. It is the kind of statistic that grabs attention, and some will no doubt use it as proof that the market is softening.
London carried most of the decline, down 11.7% overall. When London is split down, Inner London dropped 14.1% and Outer London 8.9%. However, as number of house sales in London only represents a small portion of the national home sales, meaning that even sharp London falls barely dent overall UK figures. (Inner London house sales went from 7,065 in October 2024 to 6,070 sales in October 2025 and Outer London went from 5,031 house sales in October 2024 to 4,620 in October 2025.)
The wider market, meanwhile, remains impressively resilient. While volumes are fractionally down on last year, 2024 was itself a standout year with unusually strong spring and summer sales. What we are seeing now is a natural easing, not a reversal.
Also, we need to put things in context, because back in October 2023, only 86,916 homes were sold STC across the UK, and in 2022, the figure was 84,416. That means October 2025 still outperformed both those years by more than 24k additional sales, which is hardly the sign of a struggling market.
Regional performance (lowest to highest):
London –11.7%
South East –4.5%
South West –3.9%
East Anglia –3.1%
East Midlands –2.4%
North East –1.4%
North West –1.4%
Northern Ireland –1.4%
West Midlands +0.1%
Yorkshire & the Humber +1.5%
Wales +1.7%
Scotland +4.8%
The takeaway? The market hasn’t stumbled, it’s simply taken a breather.
If you’re planning a move in 2026 and want to know how saleable your Frome home is in local market, I'd be happy to have a quiet, no-obligation appraisal to help you understand where you stand.
