Changing buyer behaviour signals new phase for Yorkshire housing market
Estate agents across Yorkshire are reporting a noticeable lift in confidence as 2026 gathers pace, with buyers becoming more decisive, sellers adjusting expectations and activity building ahead of the key spring selling season.
From first-time buyers to higher net worth purchasers, agents say momentum is improving after a prolonged period of caution, driven by stabilising mortgage rates, stronger affordability and a growing pool of homes for sale.
Ben Pridden, agency director at Hewetson & Johnson in York, says confidence has clearly returned at the upper end of the market. “Activity this year appears to show a marked change in confidence with high net worth buyers looking at homes again and deals are being brokered,” he says.
“People cannot put their lives on hold indefinitely – the common perception is perhaps things are less bad than they anticipated.”
That sentiment is echoed elsewhere in the region. David Cooper, director at Redbrik Estate Agents, says buyers in south-west Sheffield are increasingly selective but ready to act on the right property. “We are seeing a very clear trend towards buyers gravitating to homes presented in the best condition, with minimal work required,” he says.
“Elevated renovation and build costs are making purchasers far more cautious about taking on projects, so turnkey properties are commanding the strongest interest and the most competitive bidding.”
He adds that first-time buyer homes up to around £325,000 remain particularly popular, especially in established neighbourhoods close to amenities and green space. Demand is also holding firm for larger family homes.
“We are seeing sustained demand for well-proportioned three and four-bedroom family houses in the £400,000 to £650,000 bracket, particularly those within catchment for well-regarded schools,” he says.
In other parts of Yorkshire, realism on pricing is proving key. James Watts, managing director at Robert Watts Estate Agents in Bradford, says sellers need to remain grounded.
“New listings continue to be strong but asking prices have to be realistic otherwise houses are becoming stagnant, particularly at the higher end of the market, which is £400,000 and above in our areas.”
According to James, the strongest demand remains below £250,000, where traditional three-bedroom terraced and semi-detached houses continue to sell well to first-time buyers and second-time movers.
The agent feedback comes against a backdrop of rising supply and steady price growth across Yorkshire and the Humber. Figures from Zoopla show that February was on track to record the highest number of newly listed homes in a decade across the UK, with six per cent more properties coming to market nationally in the four weeks to February 15 compared with last year.
In Yorkshire, it says house prices are up 2.1 per cent year-on-year, slightly above the UK average, with stronger growth in more affordable areas such as Barnsley, Bradford and Leeds.
Zoopla also says falling mortgage rates and eased lending criteria mean around 40 per cent of homes for sale locally are now cheaper to buy with a mortgage than to rent, assuming a 20 per cent deposit.
Britain’s biggest building society, Nationwide, reports that the average UK house price increased by 0.3 per cent month-on-month in February to £273,176.
Meanwhile, data from Rightmove shows the average asking price across Britain stood at £368,019 in February, down just £12 month-on-month after January’s record increase of nearly £10,000. While asking prices were flat in February, Rightmove said 2026 is still the strongest start to a year since 2020, with prices up 2.8 per cent since December.
Colleen Babcock, property expert at Rightmove, says sellers are taking a more cautious approach as competition increases and the market remains price-sensitive.
She adds that while activity has picked up since Christmas, buying levels are not as strong as this time last year, when many were rushing to beat stamp duty changes.
Wider market indicators suggest conditions are gradually stabilising. Research from Savills estimates the total value of the UK’s housing stock now stands at £9.18 trillion, up £136bn in 2025. Although growth has slowed compared with previous years, Savills says the north of England has contributed a disproportionate share of gains since 2022.
The latest official figures from the Office for National Statistics show that average UK house prices rose 2.4 per cent annually in December 2025, while rental inflation eased to its lowest level since March 2022.