New build homebuyer activity set to spike as busiest time of the year approaches

December 5, 2019
new build homes essex uk

The latest research by new homes specialist, Stone Real Estate, has revealed that the level of new build properties being sold accelerates as we head into December, while sales across the regular market drop a gear in the run-up to Christmas.

Stone Real Estate looked at the number of transactions across each area of the market over the last five years, what percentage of total transactions they accounted for in each year, and how this compared to the previous months.

The research shows that on average over the last five years, the number of new build transactions in December accounts for 11.9% of total new build transactions for the year. In contrast, the number of existing homes sold during the last month of the year accounted for just 8.2% of all sales on average.

What’s more, December is the only other month of the year where new build sales hit double-digits as a percentage of total yearly sales along with June, with both months consistently ranking as the busiest in the new build calendar over the last five years.

There is also a clear trend whereby the number of new-build sales falls considerably following the June peak and then slowly gains momentum heading towards Christmas. On the other hand, existing property sales tend to see a gradual decline from August and September heading into the festive season.

Founder and CEO of Stone Real Estate, Michael Stone, commented:

“The new build sector doesn’t come under the same seasonal strain when it comes to sales transactions when compared to the existing sector. This is largely because new build sales involve one buyer and on the other side of the coin you have a professional entity that continues to work right up until the Christmas break to get a sale over the line.

This should be the case with any good estate agent, however, as there is no lengthy chain to deal with or any of the other complications that can come with an existing property sale, the process is all the quicker. As a result, when the December rush to complete before or just after Christmas hits, the new build sector is much better placed to facilitate a greater number of sales despite the shorter time frame.

One common misconception is that Christmas is a great time to find a homebuyer bargain and while true to an extent, historically new build house prices tend to stand firm, and in many cases sit higher than many previous months in the year. That said, developers will often include some festive incentives to persuade homebuyers to take the plunge and this, of course, all helps favourably towards their end of year figures.”

Five Year Look
Sector
December Sales as a Percentage of Annual Sales
New Build Average
11.90%
Existing Average
8.20%
Date/Month
New Build Sales as % of All Yearly Sales
Existing Sales as % of All Yearly Sales
2014
2014-01-01
5.1%
7.4%
2014-02-01
6.1%
7.2%
2014-03-01
8.3%
7.3%
2014-04-01
7.3%
7.8%
2014-05-01
8.3%
8.5%
2014-06-01
13.4%
8.4%
2014-07-01
7.2%
9.4%
2014-08-01
7.6%
9.8%
2014-09-01
8.3%
8.6%
2014-10-01
8.5%
9.5%
2014-11-01
7.9%
8.1%
2014-12-01
12.0%
8.1%
2015
2015-01-01
4.6%
6.5%
2015-02-01
5.3%
6.5%
2015-03-01
8.4%
7.2%
2015-04-01
7.6%
7.0%
2015-05-01
8.9%
8.0%
2015-06-01
14.1%
8.6%
2015-07-01
8.0%
10.3%
2015-08-01
7.8%
9.3%
2015-09-01
8.9%
8.9%
2015-10-01
8.4%
10.0%
2015-11-01
7.5%
9.0%
2015-12-01
10.5%
8.8%
2016
2016-01-01
4.5%
7.0%
2016-02-01
5.1%
7.5%
2016-03-01
9.2%
13.6%
2016-04-01
7.4%
5.8%
2016-05-01
7.5%
6.7%
2016-06-01
12.5%
7.8%
2016-07-01
7.3%
9.0%
2016-08-01
7.5%
9.1%
2016-09-01
8.8%
8.6%
2016-10-01
8.4%
8.0%
2016-11-01
8.7%
8.3%
2016-12-01
13.2%
8.4%
2017
2017-01-01
5.0%
6.7%
2017-02-01
5.7%
7.0%
2017-03-01
9.3%
8.4%
2017-04-01
7.1%
7.2%
2017-05-01
8.2%
7.9%
2017-06-01
13.2%
9.2%
2017-07-01
6.9%
9.0%
2017-08-01
6.9%
9.7%
2017-09-01
8.6%
9.0%
2017-10-01
8.1%
8.9%
2017-11-01
8.6%
8.8%
2017-12-01
12.3%
8.2%
2018
2018-01-01
5.2%
7.0%
2018-02-01
6.2%
6.9%
2018-03-01
9.0%
7.9%
2018-04-01
6.9%
7.0%
2018-05-01
7.7%
8.1%
2018-06-01
13.9%
8.7%
2018-07-01
6.9%
9.0%
2018-08-01
7.4%
10.4%
2018-09-01
8.1%
8.2%
2018-10-01
8.2%
9.2%
2018-11-01
8.8%
9.8%
2018-12-01
11.7%
7.7%

Properganda PR

National and local media coverage for property businesses. Journo quotes delivered in minutes.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Homesellers face months of delays

The latest market analysis from House Buyer Bureau has revealed that home sellers in some parts of the country are facing Local Authority search waiting times of more than 90 days, with growing legal bottlenecks increasingly putting transactions at risk before they reach the finish line.   House Buyer Bureau analysed the latest Local Authority…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 14/5/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   The art of getting noticed as a recruiter in a world noisy with AI Why personal branding, humour and sharp messaging cuts through all – meet Daniel Fisher MREC Cert RP As a two times editor, journalist, author, analyst and consultant I get to…
Read More →
can you drink tap water
Letting Agent Talk

What tenants really want from a HMO in 2026

By Allison Thompson, Chief Lettings Officer, Leaders part of LRG   Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), also referred to as multi-lets or room rentals, have come a long way in the past couple of decades. Once thought of as very much at the bottom of the accommodation pile, with a reputation for being sub-standard, many…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Rethinking Property Transactions Starts with Communication

By Cara Stanbridge, Head of Relationship Management at Nova Legal   Across the UK property market, transactions are in turmoil. Ongoing economic pressures are impacting house prices, mortgage deals, and overall demand, reflecting the uncertainty nationwide. In fact, a recent study found that for those who are taking the plunge to buy or sell this year,…
Read More →
Breaking News

B2L mortgage costs climb 64% in a decade

The latest research from London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed that the average monthly cost of a buy-to-let mortgage has climbed by as much as 64% over the last decade, as landlords continue to face mounting financial pressure alongside sweeping reforms introduced via the Renters’ Rights Act.   Benham and Reeves…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 13/5/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Renters’ Rights Act: What Estate Agents Need to Understand About the Tenant Impact   Author Andrew Stanton Editor EAN   The Renters’ Rights Act represents the biggest structural shift to the private rented sector in decades, and while much of the conversation has focused…
Read More →