UK Property Market: Exchanges Down 23% YTD, Sales Up 8.4%
UK property market data shows exchanges are 23% down year-to-date, while gross residential sales are up 8.4% compared to 2024.
Current data from the UK property market reveals a mixed performance for the year to date. The most significant challenge identified is in the volume of exchanges, which are currently running 23% behind the figures recorded during the same period last year. This substantial decline in completed transactions indicates a slowdown in the final stages of the sales process across the sector.
Despite the contraction in exchanges, the market shows resilience in gross residential sales figures. Total residential gross sales are reported to be 3% lower than the levels seen in 2025. However, when compared to the previous year, these sales figures represent an 8.4% increase over 2024 performance, suggesting a year-on-year recovery in overall transaction volume.
The divergence between exchange rates and gross sales highlights a complex market environment where initial sales activity remains stronger than final completions. While the year-on-year comparison shows growth, the significant gap against the prior year’s exchange data points to ongoing friction in the market pipeline. These statistics provide a factual snapshot of the current state of UK property transactions without speculation on future trends.
For UK home buyers and sellers, the current market presents a scenario of increased sales volume compared to last year, yet a notable delay in the rate of final exchanges.