Estate agents across the UK have been hitting the ground running in 2023, resulting in a surge in home sales.
According to GetAgent.co.uk, an estate agent comparison site, the number of properties sold subject to contract has increased by 5% so far this year compared to the end of 2022.
The analysis of current property market listings found that 289,347 properties are currently sold subject to contract, representing an increase of 5.1% in market activity.
The boost becomes even more apparent when compared to March 2022 when the number of homes marked as sold subject to contract had fallen by 6% compared to December 2021.
Estate agents have been working the hardest in Wiltshire and West Sussex, which have seen a 44% and 42% increase respectively in the number of homes sold subject to contract. Other counties that have seen a notable uptick in market activity include Warwickshire, West Yorkshire, the West Midlands, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk and Surrey.
However, Bedfordshire, London and the Isle of Wight have seen the largest reductions in the number of homes selling compared to the end of 2022.
COO of GetAgent.co.uk, Mal McCallion, said: “While the market has been cooling in recent months, agents up and down the nation have been reporting a strong start to 2023 and it certainly seems as though this initial interest from buyers is now starting to convert, with a higher number of homes being marked as sold subject to contract.”
He added: “A surge in market activity when compared to the latter stages of 2022 bodes well for the year ahead and should bring reassurance to agents that it’s business as usual.”
