Stockport-based estate and letting agents Julian Wadden share their insight on the property market.

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Understanding what's really going on in the Heatons property market is key to cutting through the noise and seeing the true picture—both locally and nationally.

Despite the near constant doom and gloom headlines predicting a housing crash since September 2022, the stats tell a very different story. The British property market—and Heatons in particular—is holding up remarkedly well. 

So, let's investigate those property market stats, starting with the life blood of the housing market—new properties coming on to the market. 

Nationally, 444,742 UK properties came onto the market in Q1 2025.  (Q1 = Jan, Feb & March) 

It's interesting when compared to the 444,668 in Q1 2024 and the 407,946 UK properties in Q1 2023. 

New properties coming onto the market are a fundamental bellwether of the property market.  

Why? Well in 2008 when we had a house price crash, the number of properties coming on the market in Q1 was over double that of 2007, this meant supply (number of homes on the market) vastly exceeded demand and consequently as economics dictated, house prices fell. 

(Image - Nub News)

Want an insider's tip to determine the direction of the Heatons property market? 

Start by hopping onto Rightmove and running a search for properties currently for sale in the Heatons. Make a note of that number. Then, run the same search again—but this time, include properties that are marked as 'sold subject to contract' (SSTC). Jot that number down too. The difference between the two gives you how many homes are currently sold stc. 

Now, calculate the ratio: how many homes are available versus how many have sold SSTC. 

If that ratio is climbing month on month, it suggests confidence is returning and the market is picking up pace. If it's falling, demand is cooling and things may be slowing down. 

Want to get even more forensic? Break it down further—by property type and bedroom count. Detached, semi-detached, terraced, apartments … whatever fits your needs as a seller or buyer. 

It's a simple yet powerful way to read the pulse of the local market—and to make sure you act at the right time. 

However, the devil is in the data. Comparing with last year, in Q1 2024, 289,178 were sold stc and in Q1 2023, 276,482 properties sold stc. 

Next, I want to look at what is selling nationally by price band. 

• 34.6% of the properties that came on the market in Q1 2025 were in the up to £250k price band, yet 40.6% of the home sales (SSTC) were in this price band.  
•  41.2% of the properties that came on the market in Q1 2025 were in the £250k to £500k price band, and an almost identical 41.1% of the home sales (SSTC) were in this price band.  
•  13.7% of the properties that came on the market in Q1 2025 were in the £500k to £750k price band, yet only 11.3% of the home sales (SSTC) were in this band.  
•  5.3% of the properties that came on the market in Q1 2025 were in the £750k to £1m price band, yet only 3.9% of the home sales (SSTC) were in this band.  
•  5.2% of the properties that came on the market in Q1 2025 were in the £1m + price band, yet only 3.1% of the home sales (SSTC) were in this band.  

The average price of those Heatons properties coming to the market was £391,269. 

The price range/band that saw the most listings was the £350k to £400k range, where 28 Heatons area properties came onto market (followed by the £500k to £600k range, where 27 properties came onto the market). 

Now, looking at sales in the Heatons… 

The average price of those Heatons properties selling was £378,716. 

The price range/band that saw the most sales was the £350k to £400k range, where 27 Heatons area properties were sold (followed by the £250k to £300k range with 23 properties sold subject to contract). 

Although economic turbulence remains, the UK property market is performing better than pre-pandemic activity levels. 

Some of you might have noticed with the national listings and sales figures mentioned above, that the lower priced range of properties are performing better than the higher priced properties.

For example, just over a third (34.6%) of UK listings were £250k or below, yet that price band accounted for just over four out of ten house sales (40.6%).

Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale, in the £2m+ price range, even though the numbers are very small, the difference is quite startling, 1.26% of listings were £2m+, but only 0.52% of sales agreed were in the same range. 

So, what does this all mean for Heatons homeowners wanting to sell in this market?  

Realistic pricing when you put your house on the market is everything! 

(Image - Nub News)

In comparison, there were… 

• 198,682 price reductions in Q1 2024, on the 633,417 properties on the market. 
• 243,602 price reductions in Q1 2023, on the 590,481 properties on the market. 
• 119,068 price reductions in Q1 2022, on the 424,796 properties on the market.  

Yes, higher mortgage rates and broader economic uncertainty remain challenging—but for many Heatons buyers who were pushed to the sidelines during the intense bidding wars of 2021 and 2022, today's slower-paced market offers time to breathe, plan, and strategise as we head into the traditionally busy post-Easter season. 

There's still healthy demand for well-presented homes, but if your asking price is out of sync with the current market, attracting serious buyers becomes harder. 

As estate agents, we've got a broader toolkit: recent sold prices, £ per square foot, cmparable homes, and crucially—an understanding ofwhois in the market right now foryourtype of home. 

If the price needs adjusting, it's better to do so quickly. And if you want to stand out, make sure your home looks likebetter value for moneythan the alternatives. 

If you're planning to trade up, now could be a smart time. Let us not forget UK house prices are 15.1% cheaper today in real terms (i.e. after inflation) than three years ago. 

Not in a rush to sell? Becoming a landlord might be a route worth exploring—happy to chat about that too. Just bear in mind: if prices do soften over the next 12–18 months, it may take a few years to return to last year's levels. 

If you'd like an informal, no pressure chat about your options, I'm always happy to pop round and give you the facts—no guff, just straight talking. Then you can decide what's best for you and your family. 

And as always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter.