The Market Is Speaking. Are We Finally Listening?

A few days ago I shared a post about pricing, strategy and the uncomfortable truth that too many homes are being launched at figures that the market simply won't support.

As expected, it divided opinion.

Some agreed wholeheartedly. Others felt it was overly critical of the industry.

The reality is that none of us need to rely on opinion. The data is now saying exactly the same thing.

According to the latest Rightmove House Price Index released on 15 June 2026, the average asking price of property coming to market fell by 0.6% in June, the largest June price drop recorded in fourteen years. Prices are now 0.5% lower than they were a year ago.

That doesn't mean the market has crashed.

It doesn't mean buyers have disappeared.

What it does mean is that the balance of power has shifted.

Buyers Have Choice Again

Rightmove highlights that the number of homes available for sale remains at historically high levels for this time of year, creating increased competition between sellers. Buyers are taking longer to make decisions, comparing more properties and becoming increasingly selective.

In simple terms, buyers no longer need to chase.

They can wait.

They can negotiate.

They can move on to the next property if they feel a seller is unrealistic.

That changes everything.

The Cost Of Overpricing

One section of the report stood out more than any other.

Rightmove's property expert, Colleen Babcock, notes that sellers who are over-optimistic on pricing and later need to reduce often find it difficult to regain momentum. She goes on to say that setting a competitive asking price from day one is increasingly important in today's market.

This is something I have been saying for years.

Reduce, reduce, reduce is not a strategy.

It is often the consequence of not understanding the market properly at launch.

The best results are usually achieved when a property enters the market at a level that creates interest immediately. Competition drives offers. Offers drive confidence. Confidence drives results.

Too often we see the opposite.

A property is launched at an aspirational figure.

Weeks pass.

Viewings are limited.

The first reduction arrives.

Then another.

Then another.

Eventually the property sells for less than it might have achieved had it been positioned correctly from the outset.

The Statistics That Matter

Rightmove also reports that more than one third of newly listed homes never go on to sell.

That statistic should concern every seller.

Because for most people, selling a home is not about appearing on Rightmove.

It is about moving.

If your strategy prioritises winning an instruction over achieving a sale, the client ultimately loses.

Good Agents Still Thrive In Markets Like This

Ironically, markets like the one we are entering are where great agents really earn their fee.

When prices are rising rapidly, almost everyone looks clever.

When buyers become selective, stock levels rise and competition increases, accurate pricing, honest advice, presentation, negotiation and communication become critical.

This is where experience matters.

This is where straight talking matters.

And this is where trust matters.

My Take

I built an agency on the belief that honesty with clients should always come before winning business.

That approach occasionally lost instructions.

It also meant we sold a lot of houses.

The latest Rightmove figures are not telling us that the market is broken.

They are telling us that buyers are becoming more discerning and sellers need better advice.

For agents, the challenge is simple:

Are we valuing homes to win instructions, or valuing them to sell?

Because the market always tells the truth eventually.

For those who have followed my recent commentary on the property market, you'll know I have always believed that honest advice matters more than telling people what they want to hear.

If you're a homeowner, developer, investor or agency owner facing an important property decision and would value an independent view, I offer private consultancy appointments across the UK and Switzerland.

No sales pitch. No agenda. Just straight-talking advice based on over twenty years of experience in property, agency, development and investment.

Feel free to get in touch for a confidential discussion.

Source: Rightmove House Price Index, 15 June 2026.