Buyer demand climbed 5% during the first week of September, well ahead of the 0.4% average increase recorded over the same period in each of the previous five years, according to new real-time data from Rightmove.
The property platform, which draws its analysis from millions of user interactions across the UK's largest property portal, said the uplift was seen across every region of Great Britain. The stronger-than-usual start to the month has provided a welcome jolt after a summer during which buyer demand faced a run of economic, geopolitical and weather-related headwinds.
The improvement has also begun to close the gap with last year's figures. Buyer demand moved from 14% below the same period last year at the end of August to 9% below during the first week of September, a meaningful shift despite the overall deficit persisting.
London and South West lead the regional recovery
London recorded the largest regional increase in buyer demand at +9%, with the South West close behind at +8%. The West Midlands and North East both posted gains of around 7%, while the East Midlands and South East each saw a 6% uplift. The East of England matched the national average at +5%, with the North West at +4%, Wales at +3% and Scotland at +1%.
"The start of September is often a busy time for the housing market as families return from summer breaks and refocus on their moving plans," said Colleen Babcock, Rightmove's property expert.
"This year we've seen buyer demand rise by 5% during the first week of September, compared with an average increase of just 0.4% over the same period during the last five years.
"While buyer demand remains below last year's level, this year's back-to-school bounce is a welcome sign after a summer that brought the usual holiday distractions alongside several spells of exceptionally hot weather. It's encouraging to see buyers getting on with their moving plans and returning to the market as we head into the autumn season.
"However, it is still early in the month; we will be keeping an eye on this over the coming weeks."
Agents report pick-up in viewing activity
Estate agents have also observed the shift. "We're definitely seeing signs of increased buyer activity as people settle back into their usual routines after the summer holidays," said Hollie Whittaker, founder of Block & Brick.
"Viewing requests have started to pick up, and we're seeing more buyers actively continuing their search for their next home now that the kids are back at school.
"We're also seeing daily online views increase across our properties, which is a positive sign that buyers are re-engaging with the market. After a quieter summer period, it's encouraging to see momentum beginning to build again, and we expect buyer activity to continue strengthening as we move further into September."
