RICS UK Residential Market Survey (June 2026) - Precise
09 July 2026
Emily Hollands, Group Head of Intermediary Sales and Distribution at Precise, commented:
“Today’s RICS data pointing to an improvement in buyer sentiment is encouraging and reflects something we are starting to see more broadly, where residential buyers are becoming more willing to make decisions, even in a market that is still far from straightforward.
After months of firmly negative readings on new enquiries and agreed sales, any sign of improvement is welcome. It suggests buyers are increasingly prepared to navigate higher borrowing costs in order to meet their housing needs. For many, waiting for conditions to be perfect is no longer the plan, particularly as expectations adjust to a higher-rate environment.
One figure that deserves particular attention is the time from listing to completion, which hit 21.5 weeks in May; the longest on record. Even as lenders continue to reprice downwards, with some cutting rates multiple times in recent weeks, the process itself is becoming one of the biggest barriers to buyers completing with confidence. That points to a structural challenge within the homebuying process, rather than a purely affordability-driven issue.
The regional picture remains important context here. Buyers in London and the South continue to face the most acute affordability pressures, while those in the North, Scotland and Northern Ireland are operating in a meaningfully different market. For residential borrowers, understanding what is achievable in their specific market as opposed to just the national headline is essential, and that is exactly the conversation brokers should be having with clients right now.
The real test is whether improving sentiment translates into more buyers taking the next step, and brokers are central to that: helping buyers understand what products are available, what they can afford today and how to move forward with confidence, rather than waiting indefinitely for conditions that may not materialise.”
