Budget Uncertainty is Over - Time To Plan Your 2026 Move

The Budget is out. The numbers are known. Buyers and Sellers finally have more clarity.

Every year we see the same pattern: activity dips in December as people focus on family, food and festivities… then explodes in January when motivated buyers flood the market armed with new budgets, bonus payments, and a determination to secure their next home before Easter.

The difference between a smooth, profitable sale and a stressful one usually comes down to just four weeks of quiet preparation in December.

What the Autumn Budget delivered in 2026  - will it affect a move for you?

 
The most significant changes was focussed around Stamp-duty and a new Property Tax

• Stamp Duty thresholds are fixed until 2028 – buyers can plan accurately
• Owners of high-value homes are set to be hit with a new Mansion Tax on homes worth £2 million and above.
• From April 2028, owners of properties identified as being valued at over £2million by the Valuation Office (in 2026 prices) will be liable for a recurring annual charge which will be additional to existing council tax liability.
• There will be a surcharge of £2,500 for a property valued in the lowest £2 million to £2.5 million band, rising to £7,500 for a property valued in the highest band of £5 million or more, all uprated by CPI inflation each year.

So if you were thinking of a move in the new year and are looking under £2m – Now could still be the time . . .

Search activity on Rightmove and Zoopla always jumps 60-80% in the first two weeks of January and the best properties (the ones with great photos and realistic prices) sell faster and for the highest prices.

Here’s the winning formula our clients use:

December:

•  Get an up-to-date valuation

•  Have professional photography and floor plans done

•  Agree the marketing plan and price strategy

Christmas:

•  Switch off, enjoy mulled wine and mince pies, safe in the knowledge everything is ready

January:

•  Press “go live” and watch the viewings roll in while everyone else is still choosing their Estate Agent.

If you’re even vaguely thinking of moving in 2026, drop us a message today. A quick valuation now costs nothing and puts you streets ahead of the crowd.

Let’s make 2026 the year you move on your terms – We are ready when you are

December is short, but the advantage you gain lasts all year!

From the team at Sinclair