Sales of flats are plummeting in Manchester – Don’t Panic?

January 21, 2019

I’m sure many of us will have repeatedly seen positive news from Manchester regarding the property scene with many headlines based around prices increasing as well as demand. Of course, many other areas across the UK are quite opposite with London leading the way in price falls and the general agreement within the industry is that this trend is likely to continue as the Brexit jigsaw puzzle is trying to be pieced together.

Very recent reports though via the Manchester Evening News website runs with the headline of ‘Is the bubble about to burst?‘.

The story leads with the decline of property sales in the city of which flats sees the steepest downward trend. Of course, Brexit is on the menu for the reasoning behind the sales slump, but surely it is just part of what has happened countless times before in that the ripple effect from declines in the southern parts of England has travelled up north? Affordability must also play its part in the decline of sales?

A 22% drop in sales of flats and maisonettes during the 12 months to August of 2018 (national average was -8% across the UK) was reported compared to the previous 12 months – 2,606 sales compared to 3,359. The effect though has not seen a decline in prices and they continue to rise for the current time in Manchester.

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Breaking Property News 12/5/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Commercial real estate is entering a new era powered by artificial intelligence CRE is now powered by artificial intelligence, automation, smart data, and digital-first workflows. For decades, the industry relied heavily on spreadsheets, disconnected systems, and manual administration. Today, technology is becoming central to…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 11/5/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X. Do You Really Own Your Building’s Data? Commercial real estate is becoming increasingly dependent on digital infrastructure. Every smart sensor, HVAC system, access control platform, tenant app, and connected device inside a building is generating valuable operational data. The critical question many owners still fail…
Read More →
Breaking News

Rental price and average salary tracker – April 2026

Mixed Rental Trends Emerge Across UK as Regional Price Gaps Widen Scotland recorded one of the strongest monthly increases, with average rents rising from £1,123 to £1,167 (+3.9% month-on-month), reinforcing continued upward pressure in the Scottish rental market. Northern Ireland also saw significant growth, with rents increasing from £887 to £920 (+3.7%), alongside a fall…
Read More →
Breaking News

Seller over-expectation still impacting market

Home sellers still overpricing as just two regions see realistic price expectations The latest internal data analysis from House Buyer Bureau has found that just two regions, London and the South East, are currently seeing seller expectations align with market reality, whilst the rest of the country continues to price above market value, contributing to…
Read More →
Breaking News

Fledgling homeowners cut costs by taking on fixer-uppers to achieve dream home

66% of first-time buyers bought a cheaper home because it needed DIY or renovation work done Many choosing a ‘fixer-upper’ were able to buy in their preferred location, add value and put their stamp on it DIY almost mandatory among first-time buyers, with 93% completing at least one project since moving in But three quarters…
Read More →
Breaking News

House Price Index for April 2026 – Thoughts from the Indutry

The latest Halifax House Price Index for April 2026 shows that: – On a monthly basis, house prices remained largely static, down by just -0.1% between March and April 2026. Annually, house prices were up 0.4%, albeit this rate of annual growth had slowed from 0.8% the previous month. As a result, the average house…
Read More →