September traditionally brings more activity as buyers and sellers return from summer holidays and restart moving plans. According to Rightmove<\/strong>, several heatwaves and the World Cup contributed to an unusually quiet summer, leaving room for a stronger seasonal rebound when activity resumed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The property website has also recorded the expected increase in home-moving activity between August and September. Buyer demand, though, remains 9% below the same period last year as affordability continues to limit what many households can spend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mortgage costs are adding to that pressure. The average two-year fixed mortgage<\/strong> rate is now 5.29%, up from 5.09% last month and 4.25% before the war in Iran began. According to Financial Reporter<\/a>\u2019s account of the Rightmove figures, the average monthly payment on a new mortgage is around \u00a3180 higher than it was before the war started at the end of February.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bank of England kept interest rates unchanged at 3.75% last week, while fixed mortgage rates have continued to rise amid increases in swap rates, which are used in mortgage pricing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n New property listings are flat month on month and 3% lower than a year ago. At the same time, the number of agreed sales <\/strong>is 9% below last year, even though the overall number of homes available for sale has reached a 12-year high for this point in the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The crowded market is producing markedly different outcomes around Britain. Rightmove data shows that a home currently listed for sale has, on average, a 61% chance of finding a buyer. In 2021, that figure stood at 74%, when demand was higher and supply more limited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regional differences are substantial. According to Rightmove, 91% of homes for sale in Scotland <\/strong>are finding a buyer, partly because of the country\u2019s different buying and selling practices. The equivalent figure is 71% in the North West of England and 56% in the South East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n London stands out at the other end of the range, where only 42% of homes listed for sale are finding a buyer. Rightmove said affordability <\/a>is more stretched in the capital and there is a larger imbalance between supply and demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/09\/UK-housing-activity-rebounds-as-mortgage-costs-rise-and-buyer-demand-stays-weak-\u00a9Shutterstock-1200x727.jpg\")
Sellers Face Sharp Regional Differences in Their Chances of Finding a Buyer<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n