The December Housing Market Unwrapped
The December housing market is slowing seasonally, with Zoopla and Rightmove data showing fewer buyers but strong Boxing Day demand.
December has a reputation for being the ‘quiet’ month in property.
People are putting up trees, not selling their homes! Solicitors disappear into their festive jumpers.
Buyers go from scrolling Rightmove to scrolling for presents…
Although there may be a more nuanced picture emerging, rather than a dead market, December 2025 is showing:
- An early Christmas slowdown in buyer demand and agreed sales, especially compared with last year
- Price growth is essentially stalling in some areas, not crashing
- A massive pipeline of sales is still working through the system
- And the familiar Boxing Day bounce in online activity is gearing up for another busy January
For homeowners wondering whether to sell now, wait until the new year, or go for a guaranteed fast sale with We Buy Any House, it’s worth unwrapping the numbers.
An Early Christmas Slowdown, A Big Sales Pipeline
Zoopla’s recent commentary on the run-up to Christmas is clear: the seasonal slowdown has arrived early this year.
Their Data Shows:
Demand from home buyers and agreed sales are down compared with a year ago, as buyers hit pause amid mortgage and Budget uncertainty.
Activity and listings have dipped across much of the country, with people focusing more on Christmas and less on moving.
Yet, at the same time, there is a pipeline of around 350,000 homes progressing through the sales process, worth over £100 billion, the biggest pipeline in more than four years.
Zoopla still expects house prices to end the year around 1-1.5% higher than at the start of 2025, and the total number of sales to be the highest since 2022.
In other words, the market isn’t crashing, it’s pausing.
Buyers are more cautious and price-sensitive, but deals are still happening, and there’s already a lot of stock moving through the system.
For sellers, there are two key implications:
- It may take longer to find a new buyer if you go on the open market in December.
- You’re entering a crowded conveyor belt of transactions, a 350,000-strong pipeline, which can take months to complete.
If you need speed or certainty, that matters.
The Boxing Day Bounce
Rightmove’s data shows that Boxing Day is one of the busiest days of the year for property portals, as people use their time off to start planning moves.
Their reports from last year showed:
Record-breaking Boxing Day traffic, with 2024 being the busiest ever for both:
- New properties listed
- Home-hunters searching for properties
- A 26% increase in new homes listed for sale on Boxing Day compared with the year before
- A particularly strong surge in mid-market family homes (3 or 4 beds)
Combine that with Zoopla’s observation that there’s already a big pipeline of sales in progress, and you get:
- A December lull, where existing stock can sit for a bit longer
- A huge Boxing Day bounce, where buyers and sellers both surge back into the market
- A busy January, where competition between sellers ramps up
If you list your property in December and stay on the open market:
- You might wait a bit longer to get viewings before Christmas
- You’ll be competing against a wave of fresh stock from Boxing Day onwards
If you don’t have the luxury of waiting, that’s where a fast, guaranteed sale starts to look more appealing.
What’s Happening to House Prices Right Now?
Beyond the portals, broader indices help show what’s happening with actual sold prices.
Official data for December 2024 from the UK House Price Index showed average prices were 4.6% higher year-on-year, even though they dipped 0.1% between November and December, a much smaller fall than previous year’s 0.8% seasonal drop.
More recently, Halifax reported that in November 2025, UK house prices were flat month-on-month, with annual growth easing to 0.7%, the lowest rate since early 2024, suggesting the market is essentially treading water rather than rising or falling sharply.
Overlap that with Zoopla’s view that buyers are still highly price-sensitive and are pushing back against over-optimistic pricing, and the picture is:
- No dramatic price crash
- Little real-terms growth once inflation and costs are considered
A market where realistic pricing is crucial if you want to secure a buyer in December or January
For sellers under time pressure, there’s a rough trade-off:
- Accept a discount on the open market and hope the sale completes
- Or accept a fair, guaranteed cash offer from a professional buyer, like We Buy Any House, and know exactly where you stand
December 2025: What it all Means for you
Putting Zoopla and Rightmove’s data together, here’s December 2025 in simple terms:
- Fewer buyers are actively chasing homes in the run-up to Christmas compared with last year
- Properties are taking longer to go under offer. Zoopla’s data suggests an average of around 5 to 6 weeks to find a buyer nationally, longer in London
- There is a record-large pipeline of transactions already working through, which means even once you find a buyer, completion can be slow
- Asking prices dip slightly in December, but many homes are still priced above what cautious buyers will pay
- From Boxing Day onwards, online activity surges, but so does competition, as more sellers enter the market
So ask yourself?
- Can you afford to wait weeks just to get an offer?
- Can you afford to sit in a long pipeline of sales that may not complete smoothly?
- Or would you prefer to swap uncertainty for certainty with a direct, cash buying route?
We Buy Any House vs The December Open Market
Here’s how the festive open market compares with using a company like We Buy Any House in December.
On the open market in December
- You may need to drop your asking price to attract cautious buyers
- You’re relying on buyers who might pull out if their mortgage offer changes or they get jittery about the economy
- Your sale becomes part of that 350,000-strong pipeline, exposed to chain breaks and solicitor delays
- You’re juggling viewings around Christmas, dealing with tidying, staging and last minute visits
- Completion might drift into late winter or spring, especially if surveys raise issues
With We Buy Any House in December
- You get a free, no-obligation cash offer, based on real market data
- No mortgage, no chain, no ‘subject to selling’ complications
- No estate agent or legal fees, we cover standard legal costs
- You avoid being stuck in the long pipeline of traditional transactions
- You can choose a completion date that suits you, often in as little as 7 days
- You don’t need to worry about Christmas decorations, clutter or minor repairs, we buy as-is
For many homeowners, particularly those facing financial pressure, relocation, separation, probate or landlord stress, the guaranteed route can be the difference between a sleepless Christmas and a calm start to the new year.
Who Might Benefit Most From a Fast Festive Sale?
Using the December market backdrop, here’s who a fast sale is particularly well suited to.
Homeowners Facing Financial Pressure
With living costs still elevated and mortgages only slowly easing, some owners need to reduce debt, avoid arrears or stop repossession action. A traditional sale that drags into spring is often too slow.
A guaranteed cash sale can:
- Clear the mortgage
- Free up equity
- Stop the stress from spiralling into the new year
Sellers Relocating in January and February
If you’ve got a job starting in the new year, you may not have time to:
- List in December
- Wait weeks for viewings
- Sit in a slow chain until March
A fast sale lets you synchronise your move with your new role, rather than living in limbo.
Landlords who’ve had enough
With evolving regulations, energy standards, and tax changes, some landlords are deciding that December is the time to exit the market and de-risk.
A fast sale means:
- No waiting for tenants to leave
- No long period of double costs
- No risk of a buyer demanding refurbishment before completion
Inherited or probate properties
Dealing with an inherited home over Christmas is emotionally draining.
A direct sale can:
- Simplify the process between beneficiaries
- Avoid disputes about who organises repairs or viewings
- Bring closure before or soon after the new year
How to Think About Pricing in the December Market
If you’re still considering an estate agent sale, Zoopla and Rightmove’s data provides some helpful pricing lessons:
Don’t Chase Last Year’s Boom
Buyers are more cautious and price-sensitive now. Overpricing could leave your home sitting on the market while better-priced properties move.
Expect Seasonal Discounting
A slight December dip in asking prices is normal. There was a 1.7% fall last December, which shows that sellers end up trimming expectations to secure pre-Christmas interest.
Remember the Competition Wave
If you go live before Boxing Day, your listing will compete with a surge of fresh properties. You may need to be sharper on the price and presentation than you would in a quieter month.
Factor in Your Total Cost of Waiting
Another 3-6 months of:
- Mortgage payments
- Council tax
- Insurance
- Utilities
- Maintenance
It can easily outweigh a modest discount for a fast, guaranteed sale.
A Simple December Framework
Here’s a quick way to think about your options:
- If you have plenty of time, a good financial cushion and don’t mind viewings or uncertainty in the open market in December, riding into the Boxing Day bounce, could work for you.
- If you need to move within weeks, want to avoid chain risk or are anxious about finances and delays, a guaranteed cash offer from We Buy Any House is likely to be the calmer route.
- If you’re on the fence, get both. A realistic valuation from an estate agent and a no-obligation cash offer from We Buy Any House. Compare net proceeds after fees, timeframes and stress.
A Chance to Act?
Zoopla and Rightmove’s data tell a clear December story:
The UK housing market is slowing seasonally and a little earlier than usual
Buyers are more cautious but still active, especially around Boxing Day
Prices are not collapsing, but growth has almost stalled in many areas
A massive existing pipeline of sales means traditional transactions can still take months to complete
For homeowners, the question isn’t ‘Is the market dead?’, it’s:
“How much uncertainty and waiting am I comfortable with?”
If your answer is “not much”, then a fast, guaranteed, chain-free sale might be the most valuable gift you give yourself this Christmas.
Thinking of selling this December?
Get in touch with We Buy Any House for a free, no-obligation cash offer. We can often complete in as little as 7 days, so you can head into the new year with clarity, not questions.