January sales bring bargain opportunities for homebuyers, but window is already narrowing as market strengthens

The latest research by Benham and Reeves has shown that 37% of homes currently listed for sale across England have seen an asking price reduction, meaning homebuyers entering the market this January have a strong chance of securing a bargain. However, with market conditions improving since Autumn Budget uncertainty lifted, just 0.8% of price-reduced homes have entered the market since the start of the new year, suggesting that opportunities may become harder to come by as 2026 progresses.

Benham and Reeves analysed current for-sale listings across England, assessing how many homes have been subject to an asking price reduction and how recently those reductions occurred.

The analysis shows that, in total, 337,071 homes are currently listed for sale nationwide, with 125,216 of these having ensured a price cut. This means that more than one in three homes on the market currently offer buyers a potential January Sales bargain.

Regionally, the South East is home to the largest proportion of reduced-price properties, where 39% of all homes listed for sale have been discounted. This is followed closely by the South West at 38.9%, the East of England at 38.4%, and London at 37.9%, demonstrating that price realism has been widespread across the more expensive southern regions of the market.

However, while there is currently a healthy pool of discounted stock available to buyers, further analysis suggests that this trend may already be losing momentum.

Of the 125,216 homes that have seen an asking price reduction, just 1,003 entered the market during the first seven days of 2026. This equates to just 0.8% of all reduced-price listings, indicating that sellers coming to market this year have been far less inclined to adjust their asking price compared to those that listed during much of 2025 without securing a sale, although this doesn’t rule out the chance of them reducing their price at a later date.

Marc von Grundherr, Director of Benham and Reeves, commented:

“2025 was a steady but subdued year for the property market and, as a result, many sellers will have experienced little to no buyer interest, particularly across the more inflated regions of the South and London. So, it’s only natural that a sizeable proportion have resorted to reducing their asking price expectations in order to secure a sale and, as a result, there remains a strong opportunity for buyers to find a discounted property today.

However, we’re already seeing early signs that the tide is beginning to turn. With Autumn Budget uncertainty now firmly behind us, both buyers and sellers have re-entered the market with renewed confidence and those vendors who have listed their home during the opening days of 2026 have been far less willing to budge on price.

It’s still very early days, but with buyer affordability receiving a boost following the December interest rate cut, we expect sellers to hold their nerve over the coming months as market conditions continue to improve. Therefore, buyers hoping to secure a January bargain would be wise to act quickly before these opportunities begin to dry up.”