The UK housing market has been quite a safe place during the last few years. Activity has been robust for everything from buying, to selling, to renting. The current period is for all the activity to slow down and take a breather. This is a typical period for slow down and the market is possibly gearing up for a strong January. Those looking to make a move on a house or other new property to call home should realise this period is possibly the calm before the storm and that January could be quite active indeed.

The first month of the year is usually a time for the market to get back on its feet and start becoming active again. The New Year has begun, houses are being placed back in circulation, and many are starting their search for a new property on a fresh note.

The beginning of the New Year follows a period in which many suspend their search for a new property or simply decide the weeks after the year comes to a close will be much more favourable for that type of activity to take place. They then come back after the New Year and find many more listings to choose from with much more committed sellers overall.

Elliot Castle of We Buy Any Home recently commented on the issue of selling property, saying: “Many home owners and potential buyers give up on the process of buying / selling in the lead up to Christmas as the market slows down considerably. As a result, January is typically an incredibly busy month because those looking to buy and sell want to make a fresh start with the process.”