North Devon buyers act like it’s a ‘buyers market’ ! Make this work to your advantage.
Buyers are acting like it’s a buyers market…because it is! If there’s one house and ten buyers, sellers call the shots. If there are ten houses and one buyer, the buyer does. Buyers can be choosy right now because they have more choice. Sellers are competing for their attention! Or at least they should be.
Most sellers still think the market is “quiet” or has stalled. That’s understandable for some. But let me be blunt: the market isn’t just ‘slow’ — it’s just that most sellers aren’t in a good position to sell and the window of opportunity is getting tighter. If you’re serious about selling in 2026, your decision isn’t if you act — it’s how and when you act.
The majority of our clients who are or have taken our positioning and marketing advice are the ones who have sold or are getting viewings and offers as we speak.
But don’t just take my word for it…Rightmove’s latest seller guide — supported by actual market data — confirms what we’re seeing on the ground: the first part of the year is statistically the most productive period to list.
Listing activity and completion success rates for homes put up for sale in February and March are stronger than virtually any other time of year.
Translation? There is a ‘best time’ to sell. And that window isn’t waiting around.
So the ‘Right Time’ Isn’t Some Mystical Calendar Date — It’s Now
Rightmove data shows that early Q1 — especially February — repeatedly outperforms other seasons for successful sales and speed of sale. That’s not seasonal folklore; it’s actual numbers. And in a market where buyers are more thoughtful and choosy than they’ve been for years, so early traction is gold dust.
But…here’s a twist most agents won’t tell you: just launching yourself on Rightmove doesn’t count as “taking advantage of the market.” Timing without strategy and positioning means you could still just be a sitting duck, swimming around in circles.
It’s still clearly a buyers’ market — so don’t be shocked when they act like it, make this work to your advantage.
Buyers aren’t desperate — they’re considerate, demanding and careful. Choices still outstrip demand in many segments of the market. There are houses to see, neighbourhood options to weigh up, and bargain hunters who think they’re in a position of power.
So give them what they ‘think’ they want.
Sellers who think just turning up and slapping any old asking price on Rightmove will prosper are setting themselves up to fail.
Presentation and Marketing hold the Key — Not Luck!
Here’s where your typical agent will fall on their sword and pretend there’s nothing you can do about “market conditions”.
That’s not true. We see the same patterns every year:
- Properties that are priced like they belong in 2021 get ignored.
- Homes with weak photography, lifeless copy, or scattershot marketing never get any traction.
- Listings with thoughtful storytelling, selective staging, and sharp pricing get viewed, debated, offered on and sold — even in a cautious market.
That’s not hype — that’s actual behaviour we can measure. A house with substance and clarity will generate interest from buyers who are ready to engage and act — not just window shop.
And there are plenty of examples of homes that aren’t getting any interest, zero, zilch, nada!
If You’re Waiting For Some Magical “Better Market” — You’ve Already Lost
Our advice is not to delay if you need to sell — the early months in the year are statistically favourable. And forecasts from broader indices actually show modest price growth is likely in 2026.
But here’s the point: that forecast is not a reason to sit on your ambitions and wait for some mythical “best season.” Conditions can tighten or loosen faster than a bank switches mortgage criteria. No one knew the boom post Covid was coming even when we were in the thick of it many couldn’t see the wood for the trees.
Why? Because the market moved quickly and competition was strong on many homes but not all homes were selling. Some were still too expensive and too poorly presented to attract attention.
Right now is a great time to buy and most sellers are also buyers so it’s a two headed opportunity. The sellers that will buy well are the ones that can sell well. If you turn up to a viewing as a proceedable buyer with an offer in your hand from a buyer on your home, you will be in a strongest position to secure the home you want.
And the sooner you get into that position the better. Once spring turns into Easter then summer, the quality of buyer enquiries drops — even if viewings tick up. Your buyers will become browsers making it harder for your to become an under-offer competitor.
Swift But Thoughtful Is The Only Strategy That Works
Let’s be clear — I’m not telling you to rush blindly. There is smart speed and stupid haste:
Smart speed means:
- Pricing with precision — not hope.
- Marketing with identity, not inertia.
- Preparing your home’s story before it sees the light of day.
Stupid haste means:
- Listing with half-baked photos.
- Slapping on a price that assumes the market will meet your expectations.
- Thinking “now’s the time” is all you need to succeed.
If you want your property to sell well — not just be ‘on the market’— you need both timing and strategy aligned.
The Bottom Line
The moment is now.
Approach with intention, precision, and pace, and the next two months can decide not just whether you sell — but how well you sell AND crucially, how well you buy!
Time is of the essence — but execution is the difference between success and failure.
Get Moving!
All the best
Nic Chbat – Director
Need some advice! Call me on 01271 410108 or drop me an email at nic@matchproperty.co.uk . I’ll come straight back to you.
P.S. You can also find our why your sale needs more than Rightmove to sell – FIND OUT HERE