The property market has arrived at spring in a more balanced position than most people expected twelve months ago.

Supply of homes for sale is up 19 per cent on this time last year. Mortgage rates have dropped to their lowest level in three years. And buyers in the £600,000 and above market are active, motivated and comparing carefully before they commit.

That last point is the one worth paying attention to.

This is not the 2021 market. Buyers are not scrambling. They are choosing. And that shift changes everything about how to move well in 2026.

What The National Picture Tells Us

Across the UK, the data points clearly in one direction. There are more homes for sale right now than at any point in the last eleven years, with supply up 19 per cent year on year in markets like ours.

At the same time, buyer demand is healthy. It is tracking well above pre-pandemic levels, even if it is slightly behind the unusually strong start to 2025, when stamp duty deadlines created a short-term rush.

Mortgage rates have dropped to around 4.28 per cent, compared to nearly 5 per cent a year ago. The Bank of England base rate has been cut, and further reductions are expected before the end of 2026. For buyers doing the maths, that difference is real.

Prices are broadly flat in southern England. Savills forecasts around 2 per cent growth nationally for the full year. This is not a falling market. It is a steady, considered one.

What A Balanced Market Actually Means In Practice

When buyers have more to choose from, they take their time. They visit twice. They read the survey. They compare three or four homes before they decide. And when they find one that genuinely fits their life, they act.

The homes that are sitting tend to share the same characteristic: they were priced optimistically at launch, attracted limited early interest, and are now dealing with the perception that something is wrong. That perception is hard to shift.

The homes that are selling, and there are many, share a different characteristic. They are priced honestly, presented beautifully, and launched with intention.

What this means specifically for the £600,000 and above market in West Berkshire

At this price point, buyers are not making impulsive decisions. They are making considered lifestyle choices. School catchments, village feel, room to grow, a kitchen that genuinely works for family life, and a home that feels ready to move into.

These buyers have usually sold or are in a position to proceed. They have done their research. They know what they are comparing you against. In that environment, every element of the launch matters: the photography, the price, the way the home presents in person, and the feeling a buyer gets the moment they walk through the door.

You get one first impression. In a market with 19 per cent more supply than last year, buyers who are not convinced on the first visit rarely return.

For sellers: what this means for you

If you are thinking about selling in 2026, the most valuable thing you can do right now is take the time to prepare honestly.

Not every home needs a full renovation before going to market. But every home benefits from a clear-eyed conversation about what is helping and what is getting in the way. That might mean light decoration, decluttering, a thorough clean and a few styling touches that help buyers see the space at its best. Or it might mean revisiting the pricing conversation with current data rather than last year’s expectations.

Homes that launch with clarity are achieving strong results in West Berkshire. Homes that test the top of the range without preparation are losing momentum they rarely recover.

Preparation is not a nice to have. Right now, it is the strategy.

For buyers: what this means for you

If you are buying in the £600,000 and above range in West Berkshire this spring, you are in one of the most comfortable positions the market has offered in years.

More choice, better mortgage rates, and no pressure to rush. But the homes worth having still move. A well-positioned family home in the right school catchment, with a proper garden and a layout that genuinely works, does not sit on the market for weeks. When those homes appear, buyers who are financially prepared and clear on their priorities are the ones who secure them.

Know your numbers before you start viewing in earnest. Know what you cannot compromise on. And when you find the right home, be ready to act.

Looking ahead

Spring is historically the most active selling window of the year. If you are considering a move and have not yet had an honest conversation about where your home sits in today’s market, now is a good time to begin that conversation.

I am always happy to talk through what a move might look like for you, with no pressure and no obligation.

Aggie
Emmett Bloom
Property with personality, and a personal touch