Savills research shows that UK sellers who overprice and then cut their asking price take over four times longer to secure a sale than those who price correctly from the start. A property priced right sells in 28 days; one price cut extends the timeline to 100 days, and two cuts push it to nearly five and a half months. Lucian Cook, residential research director at Savills, warns that the more a property is mispriced, the more protracted the sale becomes, with each cut averaging a 4.4 per cent reduction. Homes above £1mn require deeper cuts—averaging 8.5 per cent—and linger longer on the market.

Jonathan Hopper, chief executive of Garrington Property Finders, notes a shift to a buyers’ market in 2026, with fewer buyers chasing more listings. He cautions that agents who “test the market” with bullish valuations risk longer marketing periods and higher costs. Regional differences are stark: 39 per cent of sales in south‑east England need a cut versus 28 per cent in the north‑west, while Scotland’s mandatory home‑report system keeps cuts to 13 per cent.

Transparency from portals such as Rightmove and Zoopla lets buyers track price history, making modest cuts ineffective unless they move a listing into a lower price band. Andrew Perratt, head of Savills UK residential, advises pricing slightly low to spark competitive bids, creating a sealed‑bid scenario that often yields a better final price.