Buyer demand bounces back after May heatwave
New real-time analysis from the UK’s largest property platform Rightmove reveals that buyer demand has bounced back after a temporary dip due to the May heatwave during the school holidays
Starting on May 22nd, buyer demand dropped by 8% over the course of the heatwave week, as potential buyers held off from booking viewings to either soak in or take shelter from the heat
Buyer demand started to rise again from 1st June as temperatures eased, with demand surpassing pre-heatwave levels on the 6th June
Rightmove’s real-time data, with millions of data points, captures the impact of cultural and external events on the property market
The number of buyer enquiries is still lower than last year, but remains stable in line with the trends we’ve seen so far in 2026
New real-time analysis from the UK’s largest property platform Rightmove reveals that buyer demand has bounced back after a temporary dip in May due to the unprecedented heatwave that coincided with half term.
Beginning the analysis on May 22nd at the start of the heatwave, buyer demand dropped by an unseasonal 8% over the course of the next week, as potential buyers temporarily held off from booking viewings to either soak in or take shelter from the heat.
Buyer demand started to rise again from 1st June as temperatures eased and potential buyers began booking in more viewings.
On 6th June, buyer demand surpassed pre-heatwave levels with normal, seasonal trends resuming.
The number of potential buyers sending enquiries to agents about homes for sale is still lower than at this time last year, but remains stable in line with the trends we’ve seen so far in 2026.
Rightmove’s real-time data, with millions of data points driven by the UK’s largest and most engaged home-moving audience, regularly captures the impact of cultural and external events on the property market.
Earlier this year, Rightmove reported a spike in searches on its platform for Corfu as the series Amanda & Alan’s Greek Job, starring Amanda Holden & Alan Carr, brought home-searchers to the Greek island.
Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert says:
“It’s not unusual for short-term external events like a heatwave or school holidays to have a temporary impact on home-moving activity, and this time we had both at the same time, so it isn’t surprising that some buyers paused their searches or delayed viewings for a few days. What’s more telling is how quickly demand tends to bounce back, as we’re now seeing, with underlying market activity remaining consistent with what we’ve seen in 2026 so far.
“We regularly see patterns like this in our real-time data, whether it’s seasonal shifts, major events like the World Cup coming up, or even cultural moments influencing behaviour, which is a reminder as to the scale of the Rightmove platform.”
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