Rightmove reports busiest ever Christmas for home movers
It was the busiest ever Christmas for those wanting to move home, with buyer demand soaring compared to the same period last year.
Property platform Rightmove said buyer demand was up 23 per cent compared to last Christmas, when the pandemic discouraged many movers.
The website recorded its highest ever number of new sellers on Boxing Day, with the period between Boxing Day and New Year breaking records for home-mover activity.
The number of new sellers to market was up 21 cent compared to Boxing Day in 2020 while 30 December was the busiest day since May 2021 for requests for home valuations.
Rightmove’s director of property data Tim Bannister said: “Boxing Day traditionally signals the start of activity ramping up as people turn their attention from turkey and trimmings to their plans for 2022.”
Activity is expected to increase at an even stronger pace as people get back into a routine after the Christmas break, Bannister explained.
A new group of sellers may have been held back last year due to the “frantic market” and are now eager to take action, he added, with a high number of prospective buyers searching for their dream home.
Bannister added: “This, coupled with the number of would-be sellers getting in touch with an agent to value their home, suggests more property choice to come for buyers. However, with buyer demand high, we’d recommend getting in touch with a local estate agent to book a viewing as soon as you see a property that could end up being the one for you.”