The North West property market continues to show resilience in 2026, but performance is becoming more localised.
Across Stockport, Tameside, and Greater Manchester, affordability, connectivity and sustained buyer demand are supporting stronger-than-average pricing.
By contrast, Stockton Heath and Northwich remain premium, lifestyle-led markets where values are holding firm, but movement is expectedly more measured.
For Stockport, Tameside, and Greater Manchester, the average achieved sale price for homes over the past 12 months stands at £246,503, compared with £209,115 across the wider North West. (1)
Over the same period, house values are up 5.1%, ahead of the North West average of 3.1% and well above the England and Wales figure of 0.8%.
Transaction levels have softened nationally, but the decline has been less severe locally, with 6,411 sales in our core areas over the past 12 months, down 10.4% year on year, compared with falls of 14.3% across the North West and 15.6% nationally.
Looking at current pricing by property type:
Across every property type, Edward Mellor’s core areas are trading above the wider North West averages.
Semi-detached homes are around 22% above the regional benchmark, terraced homes nearly 39% above, and flats around 17% higher, underlining the continued appeal of these well-connected local markets.
This remains encouraging for sellers. Even in a more competitive market, well-priced homes in the right locations are continuing to attract attention and achieve strong outcomes.
If you are thinking of selling, pricing strategy matters more than ever.
Rightmove’s March data shows a market with more stock, more choice for buyers and the longest time to secure a buyer at this point in the year since 2013, reinforcing the importance of getting the asking price right from launch.
In current conditions, overpricing is far more likely to lead to stagnation, rather than a better final result.
Homes that come to market at the right level and present well from day one are still attracting strong interest. (2)
This is why an accurate property valuation matters. If you are thinking of selling your home, contact our friendly, professional local teams to book a free property valuation today.
The wider housing market remains stable, but confidence is more fragile than it was at the start of the year.
However, regional variations continue to impact the market, with a clear divide between Northern and Southern regions.
RICS observes in its March 2026 Residential Market Survey (3) that new buyer enquiries have weakened, while agreed sale volumes have also stalled. As a result, near-term sales expectations have cooled for most regions.
This situation is reversed for the North West, where regional prices, new buyer enquiries and newly agreed sales remain positive over a three-month average.
Rightmove struck a similar note, describing conditions as “steady rather than strong”, with asking prices rising seasonally but sellers facing an eleven-year high level of available stock and buyers becoming more price-sensitive.
Affordability remains a major dividing line. Rightmove notes that the North West is leading the country for annual asking price growth at 2.6%, even while the average two-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 4.51% as lenders responded to geopolitical uncertainty.
These figures suggest that while uncertainty remains a major force for buyers across much of the UK, the North West’s reputation as an attractive destination with accessible house prices has helped the region to remain active for both buyers and sellers.
For sellers across the region, the picture is positive, but understandably nuanced.
Buyers remain active, but they are more selective. According to Rightmove, national sales agreed are still only 2% behind the strong market of this time last year and 5% ahead of 2024.
North West is currently the strongest-performing English region for annual asking price growth, with prices up 2.6% year on year and 1.2% month on month, taking the regional average asking price to £270,656.
Homes are also taking an average of 66 days to secure a buyer in the region, which is quicker than London (80 days) and the South West (81 days), showing that demand is still there where homes are priced correctly and presented well.
Respondents to RICS noted good levels of enquiries leading to agreed sales, sales pipelines holding up well, and a market still being driven more by rate expectations than geopolitics, even though caution around inflation and borrowing costs is clearly increasing.
In practical terms, that creates three clear conditions:
Overall, the North West remains one of the more resilient parts of the market, particularly where homes offer value, good transport links and family appeal.
Stockton Heath and Northwich continue to behave differently from the wider North West market.
These locations sit at a higher price point and are shaped less by affordability and more by lifestyle, schooling, environment and long-term owner-occupier demand.
As a result, they are not seeing the same pace of growth as more affordability-driven areas, but they are continuing to show resilience.
Across the Cheshire core market (including Stockton Heath and Northwich), the average achieved sale price over the past 12 months stands at £327,292, compared with £237,527 across the East Midlands benchmark and £282,096 across England and Wales.
Values are up 1.6% over the year, ahead of both the East Midlands (0.9%) and England and Wales (0.8%). Transaction levels have also held up relatively well, with 1,033 sales over the past 12 months, down 4.1%, a much smaller fall than the 14.2% decline across the East Midlands and 15.6% nationally.
Current average prices are:
Detached homes in particular command a major premium, sitting about 52% above the East Midlands comparator and more than 21% above the England and Wales average. Semi-detached homes are around 41% above the East Midlands benchmark. Even terraced homes remain materially ahead of regional comparators.
This points to a market where quality and location are doing more of the heavy lifting than affordability alone.
For sellers with homes in move-in-ready condition in desirable areas, this represents an excellent opportunity to sell for a good price, provided their properties are marketed to the right buyers.
This is a more considered market. Higher values tend to mean longer decision-making cycles, more negotiation, and greater emphasis on presentation, finish and specification.
Buyers in these areas are typically more needs-led and lifestyle-led, which can make the market feel slower than urban commuter locations, but often also more stable.
That is reflected in the data. Pricing growth is positive rather than aggressive, with transaction volumes that have held up better than many comparator markets.
Premium homes are still achieving sales where vendors remain realistic.
The local market remains healthy, but sellers need to be closely aligned with conditions.
Buyers have more choice, price sensitivity is elevated, and the agents getting the best results are those who are positioning homes correctly from the outset. In a premium market like Stockton Heath and Northwich, that matters even more.
Well-positioned homes continue to sell. Overpriced homes are far more likely to sit still.
Across the North West, two distinct stories are now emerging.
Edward Mellor’s core areas continue to outperform on pricing thanks to relative affordability, strong local demand and good links into Greater Manchester. Stockton Heath and Northwich, meanwhile, continue to deliver premium values and greater stability, though with slower, more deliberate movement.
Across both markets, the same themes now apply:
In other words, this is still a market where good results are being achieved, but the key to success is setting realistic pricing expectations and reaching out to the most suitable buyers.
Whether you are buying, selling or investing, understanding the local market is key to making the right move.
With over 40 years of experience serving the local community, Edward Mellor continues to be a trusted name in helping people to buy and sell property across Manchester and the North West.
Our in-house mortgage, insurance and surveying services mean that we can offer a comprehensive homebuying experience for clients old and new, so don’t hesitate to contact us today.
Sources
1- Data provided by Dataloft, from PriceHubble.
2 – Rightmove House Price Index – March 2026
3 – RICS UK Residential Market Survey – March 2026
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