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8th January 2026
Brighton and Hove's
Property Market in the Year Ahead
It's that time of year again when pundits, commentators and
'experts' of all kinds in the media give us the benefit of their wisdom and
cast their eye over the year ahead.
Whether they are using statistics, tea leaves or crystal
balls the task of making predictions for the future is always going to be a
difficult one for them!
However, if you work on the frontline in any job or occupation you are always going to be best placed to have a good idea of what the next twelve months might have in store. So when it comes to the property market it stands to reason an experienced local estate agent will be able to provide the most insight into what might actually happen in the New Year.
Now and then
At Maslen Estate Agents we have more than 25 years of experience selling homes across Brighton and Hove. Over this time we have built up unrivalled levels of experience, skills and local knowledge.
Rightmove data revealed that last year we had more 'sales agreed' than 120 other estate agent offices across twelve different B&H postcode areas, achieving 23.94% more than the second placed agent.
Hopefully this simple statistic goes some way to show we've got a pretty good idea of how our city's property market operates. As well as being important in the here and now, it also helps give us a clear picture of how things will develop over the short and medium term in the coming months.
Trends
In the same way as many other things, the property market is influenced by the bigger economic picture.
When interest rates are high mortgages are more expensive, when wages are stagnant people have less money to spend, when overall confidence is high then the market is more buoyant - it's all fairly obvious how these things have knock-on effects when it comes to selling your home.
There are also seasonal highs and lows that can be predicted and taken into account. Over the summer the market slows and asking prices often dip a little. At the start of the year there's usually a bounce in buyer interest and activity as the festive season is behind us and people put their moving plans back at the top of their list of priorities.
With all this in mind, the obvious conclusion is that there will always be a mix of the predictable and the unexpected when it comes to how the property market is likely to behave over any given year.
2026
Is that an easy 'get-out' from making predictions for 2026? Not at all!
For our local market in Brighton and Hove there are some
things that are fairly 'bankable' predictions. There will always be buyer
demand simply because so many people want to live in our city by the sea. The
rental sector will also maintain a strong and resilient market because of the
sheer number of students and young professionals here.
More than that, the mix of different styles of housing from period homes to brand new apartments, means that all tastes, lifestyles and budgets are catered for.
However, the other easy prediction to make is that if your property is overvalued when it goes to market you will have trouble getting offers!
The demand here may be strong but so is the competition when it comes to selling. Furthermore with interest rates still significantly higher than only a few years ago affordability will still play a huge role in the coming months.
Many commentators are expecting more Bank of England interest rate cuts this year, although it didn't quite pan out the way they said it would last year. These are the kind of areas where differences in predictions mainly occur, although it should be expected that there will be some positive downward movement which will help stimulate the market going forward.
If you'd like to find out more about the property market in Brighton and Hove call 01273 677 001, email [email protected] or pop into our office at 39 Lewes Rd BN2 3HQ to have a chat with us. We'd like to get you moving in 2026!
#movewithMaslen