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

Zoopla House Price Index Reaction

The latest index from Zoopla shows that: – First-time buyers are targeting homes worth £10,000 more than a year ago, with average prices up 4.3% to £254,750 – nearly 3x the rate of UK house price growth There are 6% fewer first time buyers in the market than this time last year, but those that…
Read More →
Breaking News

First-time buyers target homes worth £10,000 more

Housing market activity is holding up in the face of uncertainty, though with fewer buyers than a year ago the outlook remains finely balanced.   First-time buyers are targeting homes worth £10,000 more than a year ago, with average prices up 4.3% to £254,750 — nearly 3x the rate of UK house price growth There…
Read More →
Home and Living

The garden upgrades that can add the most value

The garden upgrades that can add almost £9K to your home’s value this summer   With summer traditionally one of the busiest periods for the property market, new research from Yopa reveals that adding a garden room or home office could boost the value of the average UK home by almost £9,000 after costs, making it…
Read More →
Breaking News

Property values climb in Q1

The latest Property Market Index Review by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed that the property market lost momentum during the first quarter of 2026, with house prices showing signs of recovery following the previous quarter’s fall.   The Benham and Reeves Market Index Review The Benham and Reeves Property Market Index…
Read More →
Breaking News

Propertymark backs move to commonhold

Propertymark has welcomed proposals from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to phase out the sale of new leasehold flats in England and Wales, while warning that the transition to commonhold must be carefully managed to avoid market disruption and consumer confusion. Responding to the UK Government’s consultation on “Moving to commonhold: banning…
Read More →
Letting Agent Talk

Phasing out leasehold flats is the right thing to do

Propertymark has welcomed UK Government proposals to ban the sale of new leasehold flats and replace them with a commonhold system designed to give homeowners greater control over their properties. Responding to a consultation launched by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Propertymark said the reforms could help tackle many of the long-standing…
Read More →