The July property market shows mixed results, with positive movement for the North West and an evolving rental market
With the summer holidays generally being considered the worst time to sell a home, all eyes will be on the latest monthly reports to assess just how well the UK property market is performing.
However, while seasonal conditions have contributed to a slight monthly drop in property sales in some areas, the regional picture is more complex.
The overall trend is that the UK property market remains cautiously optimistic, with sales agreed, the number of buyers approaching the market, and house prices all increasing year-on-year.
According to Rightmove’s House Price Index (1), the current number of sales being agreed is 5% higher than at this time last year.
Furthermore, the number of potential future buyers contacting estate agents about homes for sale is 6% higher during the same period.
However, while the report also suggests that house prices are increasing, it notes that house prices are now just 0.1% higher than they were a year ago.
This matches data from Dataloft (2), which suggests that house prices are broadly expected to mirror those of 2024.
At the same time, lower mortgage rates and wage rises have outpaced both house prices and inflation, which has contributed to the surge in buyer inquiries as affordability improves.
This positive outlook comes despite some spurious industry reactions to the RICS UK Residential Market Survey July 2025 (3), describing a ‘flatlining market’ or worse.
Although RICS reported a net balance of -6% for New Buyer Enquiries for July (down from +4% in June), alarmist headlines do not properly account for seasonal norms, regional variations or the longer-term performance of the market.
A closer inspection of the data reveals that while some regions have seen a decline in buyer enquiries, responders for London, the North West, Scotland and Northern Ireland all reported a rise in buyer activity.
The North West has shown particular buoyancy with coincidentally high homebuyer demand throughout 2025.
Furthermore, a net balance of +8% of contributors to the report anticipate an increase in sales activity throughout the year, while +9% of respondents noted an increase in new listings coming to market.
This is much more in line with wider industry reporting and suggests that headlines purporting a ‘flatlining’ property market are greatly exaggerated.
The North West property market continues to outperform much of the rest of the UK, with major performance indicators such as regional prices all showing upward trends.
While House Prices are one important indicator, other considerations, such as New Buyer Enquiries, New Vendor Instructions, and Newly Agreed Sales, are arguably equally important in assessing overall market activity.
Respondents to RICS have continued to report Net Balance increases in all of these areas, suggesting that the regional market is in rude health.
This outlook is further reinforced by Rightmove, which notes that overall, the historical sold prices in the North West over the last year were 2% up on the previous year and 3% up on the 2022 peak of £248,248 (4).
The overall message is that even during the traditionally quieter summer months, the property market across the North West is more active than ever.
There’s never been a better time for vendors to find the right buyer for their home, and the competition is heating up.
Edward Mellor has helped clients to sell property for over 40 years. We sell more property locally than our nearest competitors (5), which is why we are the trusted name in home sales across Tameside, Stockport, Cheshire, and Greater Manchester.
To book a free property valuation and start your property journey, simply contact us using the link below.
While the property market is performing well overall, the rental market is less certain.
According to Rightmove, there are now 15% more rental homes available compared to this time last year, with the North East leading the charge with a 33% increase in available properties.
At the same time, tenant demand has dropped by 10% compared to last year, meaning that there is greater competition for landlords to make a return on their investments.
While rents are growing, demand from tenants is falling, including across the North West and other areas, which have seen significant upward movement in property sales.
This is partially attributed to higher levels of rent running into more affordable mortgages, meaning that some renters are deciding to buy their own home rather than continuing to pay inflated rental prices.
Landlords are also feeling the strain of an evolving rental market, with some deciding to exit the rental space altogether.
The government’s Renters’ Rights Bill is expected to gain Royal Assent in late 2025 and contains significant changes to rental rules.
Likewise, proposed changes to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) regulations have meant that some landlords have opted to sell their properties, rather than investing in renovations to meet higher energy performance standards.
This has triggered an increase in former rental homes becoming available for sale, particularly at auction throughout 2025.
Despite a ‘perfect storm’ of circumstances causing significant upheaval in the rental market, conditions are expected to normalise into a more stable landscape once economic conditions stabilise and the impact of new rental rules becomes apparent.
Data from Rightmove (6) suggests that the North West has seen ongoing growth in rents in recent months.
Rochdale, for example, has seen rents jump +17% to £959, while Stockport is up +15% to £1,206.
According to Dataloft, this amounts to a 5% annual growth of rents across Edward Mellor’s core markets (7).
54% of homes let in the past 12 months were flats, achieving an average rental value of £970 per month. Houses achieved an average rent of £1,180 per month.
With flats dominating the rental market across the North West, there is strong evidence that demand for these properties will continue well into the future.
For example, a recent report from Colliers named Manchester as one of the UK’s top major cities for residential investment, with one of the largest student populations in the country.
Likewise, apartments and flats are popular with young families and professionals, and with Manchester also cited as one of the UK’s most active cities for business start-ups, the demographic demand for rental properties is likely to remain strong across the city and its surrounding commuter towns.
These conditions have generated a highly active property market for Northern England, as landlords and first-time buyers compete for available housing stock.
Despite a number of challenges, the North West property market remains highly active compared to much of the rest of the UK.
Whether you are buying or selling property, now is the time to act to capitalise on an invested market.
With over 40 years of experience in helping clients to buy and sell property across Tameside, Stockport, Cheshire, and Greater Manchester, Edward Mellor are ready to support you at every stage of your property journey.
Whether you are looking to move home, secure a buy-to-let investment or sell a property for the best possible price, our local teams are waiting to hear from you.
We also run the North West’s leading monthly online property auction, meaning that we can facilitate using the fastest method available to vendors.
To discuss your property journey in detail and take the first steps toward a successful transaction, contact our friendly, local experts using the link below.
1 – https://www.rightmove.co.uk/news/house-price-index/
2 – Source: Dataloft by PriceHubble., Land Registry, MHCLG
3- RICS UK Residential Market Survey July 2025
4- https://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/north-west.html
5- Source: Rightmove data from 11.01.25 to 11.07.25 on houses sold (subject to contract) in the Edward Mellor Limited SK6 Branch
core trading area.
6- https://www.rightmove.co.uk/news/articles/property-news/rental-price-tracker-jul25/
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