Popping the Asking Price Bubble

Where in the Uk Can Buyers Snap Up Property Bargains and Where Properties Go for a Premium Above Asking Price

 

New research from fast selling property company, Upstix has uncovered the UK’s most surprising postcodes for snapping up a property at bargain prices this year, highlighting a widening gap between sellers’ expectations and the reality of what buyers are willing to pay.

Based on the latest listed vs. sold* property data from Upstix, analysis reveals where sellers are achieving close to, or even more than, their asking price, and where homes are struggling to meet optimistic valuations, leading to steep discounts.

Homes selling below asking: London leads in lost value

Across the UK, the average gap between listed and sold prices is between 1.7% and 3.7%, with London showing the biggest disparity. Properties in the capital were listed at an average of £824,861 but ultimately sold for £794,233 — a difference of £30,628, or 3.71% less than asking price. This suggests ongoing affordability pressures and more cautious buyer behaviour in a region where high-value homes dominate the market.

The South West and South East also see above-average discounts of 2.86% and 2.70%, respectively, while Yorkshire & the Humber sees the smallest average reduction, with sellers accepting just 1.76% less than asking price.

Fred Jones CEO at Upstix said: This data tells the real story of UK house prices. While some sellers are still achieving strong results, others may need to adjust expectations to reflect local demand and changing buyer priorities.

The UKs deepest property discounts Top 10 postcodes

Some sellers are having to negotiate far more than others. In NE68 (Northumberland), buyers are securing properties for nearly 30% less than the asking price, making it the biggest discount area in the UK. Similarly, in SY12 (Shropshire), buyers are getting homes for 20.15% below list price.

 

Postcode Region Avg Listed Price Avg Sale Price % Discount
NE68 North East & Cumbria £450,995 £317,612 29.58%
SY12 West Midlands £372,531 £297,477 20.15%
IP12 East of England £492,633 £412,372 16.29%
TQ8 South West £842,271 £718,514 14.69%
W1U London £1,503,674 £1,303,664 13.30%
LE15 East Midlands £471,584 £411,592 12.72%
W1K London £7,020,750 £6,129,001 12.70%
TN20 South East £699,355 £619,645 11.40%
CM22 East of England £597,014 £532,029 10.88%
PL23 South West £517,980 £462,102 10.79%

 

Where homes are selling above asking price

At the other end of the spectrum, a small but significant number of postcodes are still seeing intense competition. BD1 (Bradford) leads the way, where homes are fetching 27.21% more than their listing price.

Postcode Region Avg Listed Price Avg Sale Price % Above Asking
BD1 Yorkshire & the Humber £44,611 £56,751 27.21%
PO4 South East £296,949 £338,028 13.83%
TS1 North East & Cumbria £69,021 £75,317 9.12%
NE62 North East & Cumbria £146,435 £158,633 8.33%
L34 North West £230,828 £249,936 8.28%
S4 Yorkshire & the Humber £98,574 £103,745 5.25%
WD7 East of England £955,742 £1,005,616 5.22%
WV1 West Midlands £155,905 £164,009 5.20%
B19 West Midlands £183,850 £192,784 4.86%
S3 Yorkshire & the Humber £152,701 £159,732 4.60%

 

The most accurately priced markets

Upstix’s analysis also reveals where asking prices are perfectly aligned with what buyers are willing to pay. In postcodes like M12 (Manchester) and DN39 (North Lincolnshire), sale prices are almost identical to asking.

Postcode Region Avg Listed Price Avg Sale Price % Difference
M12 North West £195,311 £195,320 0.00%
DN39 Yorkshire & the Humber £255,201 £255,214 -0.01%
TS3 North East & Cumbria £81,652 £81,635 0.02%
NR25 East of England £507,504 £507,662 -0.03%
NE24 North East & Cumbria £151,137 £151,072 0.04%
NE37 North East & Cumbria £116,520 £116,467 0.05%
HU9 Yorkshire & the Humber £111,503 £111,436 0.06%
PL2 South West £202,426 £202,288 0.07%
RM10 East of England £354,878 £354,634 0.07%
B11 West Midlands £191,808 £191,950 -0.07%

 

Fred Jones, CEO of Upstix, continued: “Selling your property is a big step for anyone and getting from beginning to end doesnt always go as smoothly as youd like. Sometimes, as our data highlights, your asking price is simply that an ask and buyers are not willing to match it.

Its easy to get lured by an over-optimistic valuation when it comes to selling your home. But its often these overvaluations that cause problems, like a lack of interested buyers and long listing times, which in the end means you have to reduce your asking price anyway.

Its important for sellers to take a realistic view of what price you can achieve for your home, and adapt the listing price accordingly, particularly if you’re not willing to wait months and months to get an offer. For many people, speed is key, and an instant home buyer can offer a great alternative to the more traditional home selling process. With Upstix you know what you get and when you will get it. We are essential for planning your next move and being stress free and especially useful in variety of use cases such as probate, settling into the best school catchments, a divorce, securing an onwards move, financial distress or quite simply, selling quickly”.

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