Selling Smart in the North Devon property market 2026 – It’s a new dawn but will it be a new life for you?
If 2024–2025 felt like a long, awkward pause in the North Devon property market, you’re not imagining it. Mortgage rates climbed, confidence wobbled, and buyers became a lot more… forensic.
But as we step into 2026, and I think something has shifted.
Not a frenzy. Not a boom. But a quiet recalibration — and for sellers who understand it, it’s a huge opportunity. Here’s what I think.
A softer ending to 2025
Nationally, 2025 tiptoed out rather than exited with a flourish.
According to Nationwide, UK house prices rose just 0.6% across the year, with a small dip in December. Hardly headline-grabbing stuff — but crucially, it marks the end of a long period of rate-induced hesitation rather than the start of something ominous.
Forecasts for 2026 now point to modest growth (circa 2–4%), driven less by hype and more by something far more useful: improving affordability.
What this looks like on the ground in North Devon
Here in North Devon, the numbers tell a familiar but often misunderstood story.
- Average sold price (last 12 months): £311,746
- Detached homes (still the heavyweight): ~£419,618
- Sold prices: ~4% down year-on-year
- Still ~9% below the 2022 peak
What we’re seeing isn’t distress — it’s realism. Buyers are no longer paying “because someone else might.”
They’re paying because the price makes sense, the house works, and the lifestyle stacks up.
And when those three align, homes are still selling — quietly, efficiently, and often without too much drama.
Mortgage rates: the silent mood-changer
Mortgage pricing has begun to ease. Not collapse. Not plummet. But soften — enough to change buyer maths and, more importantly, buyer psychology.
Even small reductions in rates expand affordability and unlock buyers who’ve been sitting on the sidelines with spreadsheets and strong opinions.
Crucially for sellers, this doesn’t mean “stick 2022 prices back on and hope.” It means:
- Buyers can now act again — but they’re still value-led
- Correct pricing attracts momentum faster than optimism ever will
- The first 3–4 weeks of marketing matter more than ever
In short: affordability is returning, but patience has not.
Why North Devon still holds its appeal
Zoom out slightly and Devon as a whole continues to outperform expectations. Regional centres have shown notable resilience, and lifestyle-led markets remain attractive to buyers escaping city pricing without sacrificing quality of life.
North Devon’s edge hasn’t changed:
- Coastline, countryside, community
- Space to live properly, not just exist
- Relative value compared to many southern markets
What has changed is how clearly that story needs to be told. Vague listings with the usual estate agency blurb will drift. Well-positioned homes with a coherent interesting and buyer focussed narrative, will cut through.
The 2026 seller strategies
If you’re considering selling this year, here’s a summary of the strategies that will work:
- Price with intent, not nostalgia
The market remembers 2022. Buyers do too — and they’re not paying it.
- Sell the lifestyle, prove the value
Buyers want to understand how they’ll live there, not just where it is.
Condition, clarity, and confidence separate the movers from the delisters.
- Stay alert to rate movements
Small mortgage shifts can create very real bursts of demand. Timing matters again.
So… is 2026 a good year to sell in North Devon?
For the right homes, priced sensibly, presented properly, and marketed with a bit of backbone and intelligence — yes.
This isn’t a market for ‘finger-crossing, toe dipping and let’s test the market with a higher price’.
It’s a market for sellers who understand that momentum is created through intelligent strategies, not wished into existence with fingers crossed and eyes closed.
If you’d like an honest, market-led view of where your home sits in today’s North Devon property market — not last decade’s, or last year’s — that’s exactly the conversation we should be having.
If you want to chat about your situation, just get in touch, I am always happy to help.
P.S. I’m offering a no-obligation 15-minute Pricing & Strategy Check-In if it helps.
All the best
Nic Chbat – Director
Call me on 01271 410108 or drop me an email at nic@matchproperty.co.uk with the subject ’15 minute check in’. I’ll come straight back to you.