Reading time: 1 minutes

Are we shifting to a buyers’ market as more homes are reduced in price?

After two years of being a red-hot sellers’ market, it looks like the UK housing market is shifting back to becoming a buyers’ market.

Words by: Nic Hopkirk

Senior Editor

Over the spring and summer this year, an increasing number of homes for sale underwent  price reductions.

And there has been a clear upward trend in the proportion of listings which have had asking prices reduced by 5% or more.

Pandemic house price boost adds to affordability troubles

Our latest data shows 6.1% of homes for sale have been reduced in price this year, the highest level since before the pandemic, although re-pricing is a common seasonal trend as we enter the autumn market.

HPI September 2022: asking prices adjusted

After two years of being a red-hot sellers’ market, it looks like the UK housing market is shifting back to becoming a buyers’ market.

Rising mortgage rates set to reduce buying power by 28%

However, these price adjustments are to be expected as the market transitions from one where demand greatly exceeded supply to one where buyer demand is reducing. 

The reductions don't mean we're about to see big price falls, but they do suggest house price growth will start to slow at the end of this year and into next.

That means anyone looking to sell their home this autumn and winter - or next year - will need to make sure their house is priced at the right level to ensure a sale.

Are the latest stamp duty cuts enough to combat rising mortgage rates?

And while demand for homes will weaken, we still expect ongoing pandemic and cost-of-living pressures to stimulate homeowners to want to move, while being more cautious on pricing.


We try to make sure that the information here is accurate at the time of publishing. But the property market moves fast and some information may now be out of date. Zoopla Property Group accepts no responsibility or liability for any decisions you make based on the information provided.

Sold house prices provided by Land Registry/Registers of Scotland. © Crown copyright 2025. Our website is completely free for you to use but we may receive a commission from some of the companies we link to on the site.

Zoopla Limited is an appointed representative of Uswitch Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 312850) to provide the mortgage calculator tool and incorporated with company registration number 06074771 and registered office at The Cooperage, 5 Copper Row, London SE1 2LH. Uswitch Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under firm reference number 312850.

Zoopla.co.uk is not a mortgage intermediary and makes introductions to Mojo Mortgages to provide mortgage solutions. Zoopla.co.uk and Mojo Mortgages are part of the same group of companies. Zoopla may receive an introduction fee from Mojo Mortgages on completion of successful mortgage applications. This fee is based on a percentage of your loan amount. Mojo is a trading style of Life's Great Limited which is registered in England and Wales (06246376) and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and is on the Financial Services Register (478215). Mojo's registered office is The Cooperage, 5 Copper Row, London, SE1 2LH. To contact Mojo by phone, please call 0333 123 0012.