While buyers and sellers continue to navigate a challenging landscape, activity is supported by those with a clear reason to move.

In the pages that follow, we explore the key trends shaping the market and what they mean for buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants over the months ahead.

While the wider policy backdrop appears relatively stable, proposed reforms to the buying and selling process could bring meaningful change to the residential sales market. Lucian Cook examines what these proposals could mean for buyers and sellers, and whether they could create a more efficient and transparent market.

Lucian also explores one of the most important decisions sellers face: how to price their property. Drawing on market-wide data of sales above £1 million, he highlights the importance of getting pricing right from the outset.

For those in the rental market, 2026 may transpire to have been a pivotal year. Following the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act, Jessica Tomlinson examines the initial impacts for landlords across the country.

Elsewhere, Frances McDonald explores buyer and seller sentiment, alongside trends across the UK’s prime residential markets. One of the most encouraging findings is that the market remains resilient, with committed buyers continuing to transact and budgets proving more robust than many expected. However, against a backdrop of global uncertainty, living costs and mortgage rates are likely to remain elevated as we move towards 2027.

Waiting for certainty can mean waiting forever. Meanwhile, life goes on, and it is our families, careers and personal finances that ultimately drive moving decisions. Whatever your position, I hope this report provides useful insight as you consider your next move.

Read each section below:

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_{Read the articles within Prime UK Residential – Autumn/Winter 2026 below}