Caroline Murray

In fact, according to Rightmove, 45% more homes were added to its listings on 28 March 2024 – just before the Easter weekend – than the previous Thursday.

Spring offers many advantages when it comes to selling your home and attracting buyers:

• The weather – it’s getting milder, and more people are prepared to venture out and go house hunting.
• Houses look their best when gardens are springing into life.
• The clocks go forward: longer days mean more time for house hunting and viewing.
• There are more buyers in the market.
• Families often have their eye on getting into a new home in time for the new school year after the summer holidays.

Caroline Murray, head of Graysons’ conveyancing team says:

“We are very busy at present and are seeing an increase in new sellers and buyers.  Sellers are certainly being smart with their prices and slower rises appear to be keeping the market lively.  Buyers also appear optimistic that interest rates are on the way down, following the first interest rate cut of the year in February and two or three more expected. We are always busier around the Easter period, and expectations are that it won’t be any different this year.”  

Sales market made strong start

The sales market appears to have made a stronger start than in 2024, with Rightmove saying that January saw 13% more properties coming to the market than in the same month in 2024. Buyer demand was 8% higher and 15% more sales were agreed than in January 2024.  Rightmove doesn’t expect any major drop off despite the increase in stamp duty.

Zoopla also says that January buyer demand was 13% higher than in January 2024. 10% more homes were for sale and 12% more sales agreed.

Property prices are still increasing modestly, with predictions of 2 – 4% for the year.

Various organisations measure house prices, and their methods and results vary.  Some of those that have released figures this year are:

• Rightmove saw an increase of 1.7% in January – the biggest increase in prices at the start of the year since 2020, slowing to 0.5% in February.
• Halifax saw a monthly increase of 0.7% in January
• Zoopla shows no increase in average house prices in January 2025 over December 2024, but an annual increase of 1.9%.

Average house prices

Equally, those organisations that produce average house prices vary in methodology and results.  Several organisations keep track of house prices.  Only some have produced figures for 2025 so far.  They include:

• Rightmove says the average house price in the UK in February 2025 is £367,994 and the average in Yorkshire and Humberside at £251,583.
• Zoopla shows the average house price in February 2025 as £267,500.
• Halifax shows a record high average house price of £299,138.
• The UK House Price Index is provided by the Land Registry. It is published quarterly. The average price as at January 2025 and published on 26 March 2025 is £269,000.

Let Graysons help you with your property move this spring

So, if you are a seller, looking to take advantage of the Easter surge in buyers, or a buyer looking to start your house purchase, contact our property experts now.  We will give you a competitive quotation and can start the ball rolling, so you are ready to move quickly when the transaction is agreed. Or you can get an instant quotation using our calculator at www.graysons.co.uk/conveyancing-quote. You can also find out more about buying or selling your home on our web pages.

Author: Caroline Murray, partner and head of conveyancing.