Under Offer Index, January 2026
In this latest edition of the OnTheMarket Under Offer Index, we track where UK (excluding Northern Ireland) properties for sale and rent received an offer the fastest and where it took the longest to reach an acceptable offer.
The final quarter of 2025 may have seen the UK property market ease off the accelerator, with buyers pausing ahead of the Autumn Budget and activity naturally slowing over the festive period, but that didn’t stop some locations from powering ahead.
Out latest Under Offer Index reveals where homes moved fastest in Q4, based on the number of days it took for a property to reach Sold Subject to Contract (SSTC) or let agreed.
UK sales market
Wigan takes the crown
Leading the way nationally was Wigan, which climbed six places in comparison to Q3, to become the fastest-moving sales market in the UK. Properties there reaches SSTC in an average of 50 days. In the same period in 2024, northampton was the fastest property market the the same average of 50 days.
Close behind Wigan were Norwich (51 days) and Burnley (52 days), followed by Luton in fourth place, reaching SSTC in 54 days. Aldershot and Swindon tied for 5th place, both taking 56 days.
In comparison to Q4 in 2024, only three locations remain in the top 10. Norwich rose from sixth to second while Sheffield rose one place to eighth and Manchest stayed at number 10.
London Sales market
Outer boroughs lead the way
Across the capital, Waltham Forest and Bexley emerged as London’s fastest-moving sales markets, with properties taking an average of 58 days to reach SSTC. They were followed by Hacnek, Barking & Dagenham and Havering, all taking an average of 60 days.
Most of the top 10 in Q4 2025 are familiar, with six London boroughs previously appearing in the list in the same time period in 2024. While the order has changed, Bexley, Newham, Havering, Kingston-upon-Thames, the City of London and Redbridge have remained among the fastest-moving sales markets.
In contrast, central London bottoms out the index. Lambeth saw the slowest-moving sales market in London, with properties taking an average of 73 days to reach SSTC. Westminster, Southwark and Wandsworth were close behind at 71 days.
UK rental market
Rental demand stays strong in key regional markets
In the rental market, Burnley once again stood out, with properties reaching let agreed in an average of just 19 days, making it the fastest in the country and significantly quicker than its equal in the previous year, when Plymouth took 23 days to reach let agreed in 2024.
Strong demand was also evident in Plymouth (24 days), Exeter (25 days) and Gloucester (26 days). Wirthing, Newcastle and Aldershot followed closely behind with each averaging 27 days on the market.
The top 10 stayed fairly stable in comparison to the same period in 2024, with seven towns and cities remaining. Plymouth fell one spot from first to second while Exeter rose from ninth to third. Newcastle fell two places to number six and Aldershot dropped from third to seventh. Birkenhead, Southampton and Wakefield also fell a couple of spots to reach their current places.
Meanwhile, Basildon recorded the slowest rental times in Q4 at 47 days, followed by Slough and Blackburn (46 days). Huddersfield (45 days) and Milton Keynes (43 days) completed the bottom five.
London rental market
Speed varies widely by borough
In the London rental market, Bexley once again topped the table, with properties let in an average of 35 days. Merton, Bromley and Lewisham followed closely at 38 days while Sutton averaged 39 days.
The London rental market sees the smallest changes in comparison to Q4 2024. Eight of the top ten spots have remained in this list, one year later, including Bexley which remained at number one. Bromley and Merton both rose higher in the list, now taking second and third spots respectively. Meanwhile, Suttons, Waltham Forest, Barking & Dagenham, Lambeth and Havering have all fallen slightly but remain within the fastest-moving markets.
At the other end of the scale, Kensington & Chelsea recorded the longest times on the market at 51 days, followed by Richmond-upon-Thames (50 days) and Westminster (49 days). Hounslow (48 days) and Barnet (46 days) completed the bottom five.
Comment
Commenting on London’s performance and Q4 business results:
“Q4 was always going to be a more measured period for the London market, with buyers taking stock ahead of the Autumn Budget and activity naturally easing as the year drew to a close. That said, what this data highlights very clearly is the continued divergence within the capital itself.
“Outer London boroughs have remained far more fluid, with more realistic pricing and stronger affordability helping to keep transactions moving, even during a traditionally quiter quarter. In contrast, prime and central London locations have seen longer transaction times, particularly on the side of international buyers, rather than a lack of underlying demand.
“From our perspective, Q4 was less about a slowdown and more about a recalibration. Buyers were still active, but increasingly selective, and where sellers aligned with market conditions, homes continued to transact in good time. As we moved into 2026, that underlying demand has remained in place, positioning the London market well for a steadier year ahead.”
Methodology
Data for average time under offer and let agreed from October to December 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.
Please note: between this edition and the last edition of our Under Offer Index, we have changed the way we measure the average time taken to SSTC or let agreed which may alter historical data.
If you have any questions about the way we reach these figures or would like to see historical data, please contact acollins@onthemarket.com.
