Your Spring 2026 Property Market Update
Our latest market reports are here – click the links to find out more.
Growing confidence across the North West and West Midlands
The property market across the North West and West Midlands is showing encouraging signs of recovery as 2026 gets underway. Improving mortgage conditions, steady price growth and renewed buyer confidence are helping to drive activity across both regions.
Following a quieter period during higher interest rates, the UK housing market is gradually returning to more typical levels. Mortgage approvals have increased and borrowing costs have begun to ease, with many new mortgage products now sitting around 4–4.5%. This improvement in affordability is helping more buyers return to the market, particularly first-time buyers and those who postponed moving during the past two years.
Strength in the West Midlands
The West Midlands continues to demonstrate solid market activity, particularly across Staffordshire. Stafford remains one of the most active markets in the area, with approximately 2.8% of private housing stock changing hands, reflecting healthy levels of movement.
Average property prices in Stafford currently stand at around £246,000, offering strong value compared with many parts of the UK while still providing excellent schools, green spaces and convenient transport links. Nearby areas such as East Staffordshire and Lichfield have also seen notable price growth, highlighting continued demand for homes across the region.
Family houses and well-located homes close to amenities and schools remain especially sought after.
Strong demand across the North West
The North West property market is also performing well, particularly in Cheshire East where demand remains high. Towns such as Nantwich continue to attract buyers due to their lifestyle appeal, historic character and easy access to countryside and major transport connections.
Nantwich has one of the most active housing markets locally, with around 3.2% of homes changing hands and an average property price of approximately £295,000. The wider North West region has experienced steady price growth of around 4–5%, while Cheshire East has outperformed the regional average.
Outlook for 2026
With mortgage rates stabilising and buyer confidence improving, the outlook for both regions remains positive. Market activity is expected to continue strengthening throughout 2026 as more buyers and sellers return.
While price growth is likely to remain moderate, the fundamentals of the market remain strong. For sellers, well-presented and realistically priced homes continue to attract good levels of interest, while buyers are benefiting from slightly improved affordability and a growing choice of properties.
Overall, the North West and West Midlands housing markets are entering the year with renewed momentum, setting the stage for steady and sustainable activity throughout 2026.
