So, what's actually happening with the property market?
Depending on what you've read recently, you could be forgiven for thinking that house prices are rising, falling, recovering, struggling and booming...
all at the same time.
😂
The reality is considerably less dramatic.
Here in Central Bedfordshire, we'd describe the Autumn 2026 market with one word:
Selective.
There are buyers.
Properties are selling.
But buyers have plenty of choice — and they're becoming increasingly particular about what they buy and what they're prepared to pay for it.
For sellers, that means how a property enters the market matters.
A lot.
The first few weeks matter
Imagine a buyer receives an alert.
Your property appears.
They look at the photographs.
The description.
The location.
The floorplan.
And then...
the price.
Within seconds they're comparing your home with everything else their budget could buy.
That's why we don't believe pricing should begin with:
“Let's put it on high and see what happens.”
Testing an unrealistic asking price isn't really testing the market.
You're testing whether somebody is prepared to overpay.
Those are different things.
“But another agent valued it higher…”
This is where sellers can understandably become confused.
Imagine three agents visit your home.
One says:
£425,000
Another says:
£440,000
And another says:
£475,000
It's very tempting to think:
Well obviously we should choose £475,000.
Perhaps £475,000 is absolutely achievable.
But we'd ask one question:
“Show me how you arrived at that number.”
What has actually sold nearby?
What was its condition?
How large was the plot?
What was its position?
What did it eventually sell for rather than simply what was it advertised at?
How long did it take to sell?
Was its asking price reduced?
What other homes will buyers compare yours with today?
And who is the likely buyer?
A valuation should be a conversation supported by evidence — not an audition to see which estate agent can make the homeowner happiest for twenty minutes.
Estate agency fees matter. But so does what you receive for them.
When you're inviting estate agents to value your home, you may receive very different fee quotes.
And understandably, it's tempting to compare them as though you're comparing the price of the same product.
But you're not.
One agent may charge a lower percentage.
Another may charge more.
Some may offer a fixed fee.
The important question isn't simply:
“What percentage do you charge?”
It's:
“What am I actually getting for that fee?”
The cheapest agent isn't automatically the worst.
And the most expensive agent isn't automatically the best.
The fee alone tells you remarkably little about the service you're going to receive.
Ask questions.
Who will take responsibility for your property?
Who conducts the viewings?
Who follows up with the buyers?
Who gives you feedback?
Who negotiates your offer?
How frequently will you hear from them?
What happens if the property isn't generating interest?
And crucially...
Who looks after your sale once you've accepted an offer?
Because there's an enormous difference between putting a property onto the portals and actually managing somebody's move.
Look at the reviews — not just the fee
Before choosing an estate agent, we'd encourage sellers to look at recent reviews from people who've actually used them.
And don't just look at the number of stars.
Read the reviews.
What do customers repeatedly say about communication?
Did they feel supported?
Could they get hold of somebody?
Were problems dealt with?
What happened when something went wrong?
What do sellers say about the period after the offer was accepted?
Did the agent continue communicating and progressing the transaction?
Or did the service seem to disappear once the Sold STC board went up?
If you're considering a larger agency, look particularly at reviews for the local branch and the people who will actually be handling your property, rather than relying solely on the reputation of a national brand.
Likewise, don't assume an independent agency will automatically provide exceptional service simply because it's independent.
Look at the evidence.
Talk to them.
Ask questions.
Because whether an agent charges a percentage or a fixed fee is not an indication of the service you're going to receive.
A lower fee doesn't necessarily mean a cheaper move
This is where it's worth looking at the bigger picture.
Imagine two agents are selling a £400,000 property.
One charges a lower fee.
The other costs more.
The difference between those fees may initially feel significant.
But now consider the other numbers involved in a £400,000 transaction.
What if the agent charging more negotiates a stronger offer?
What if they identify the more secure buyer?
What if they uncover a problem in the chain before it becomes a crisis?
What if their sales progression helps keep the transaction together when it starts wobbling?
Suddenly the estate agency fee is only one part of a much bigger financial decision.
Of course, paying a higher fee doesn't guarantee any of those things.
That's precisely why you need to investigate the service as well as the price.
At Ash & Acre, we're not trying to be the cheapest estate agent.
We're trying to provide the kind of estate agency service we'd want if it were our own family moving home.
And we'd still encourage you to compare us.
Read our reviews.
Ask us difficult questions.
Ask what we're going to do for our fee.
Ask who will look after you.
Ask what happens after you've accepted an offer.
And ask how we're going to communicate with you throughout the move.
Because:
Don't compare estate agents on fee alone. Compare what happens for that fee.
So, should you sell this autumn?
We're going to give you a very estate-agent answer:
It depends.
😂
But actually, that's the responsible answer.
For some people, this autumn could be a very sensible time to move.
For others, there's no particular reason to rush.
And occasionally we'd advise somebody not to put their property on the market yet.
Perhaps there's something worth addressing first.
Perhaps their onward plans aren't ready.
Perhaps the proposed price doesn't make their move financially possible.
Perhaps waiting genuinely makes more sense for their circumstances.
We'd rather lose an instruction today than give somebody advice we don't believe in.
If you are selling, concentrate on three things
Presentation. Positioning. Price.
Presentation is how the property appears when the buyer first discovers it.
Positioning is how we make it stand out against the other homes competing for that buyer.
And price determines whether the buyer thinks:
“We need to see this.”
or:
“That's expensive for what it is.”
Those three things need to work together.
Because in a market where buyers have choice, simply uploading a property to a portal and waiting isn't much of a strategy.
And be careful with price reductions
Sometimes a price reduction is absolutely the right decision.
Markets change.
Feedback tells us things.
Circumstances change too.
But we'd rather get the launch strategy right in the first place.
A newly launched property creates curiosity:
“Have you seen this new one?”
A property buyers have repeatedly scrolled past can eventually create a different reaction:
“Is that one still on?”
That's why those opening weeks matter.
And if you're buying?
You have choice.
Use it.
Get your finances organised.
Understand your budget.
Have your mortgage agreement in principle where appropriate.
Ask questions.
Look beyond the photographs.
And when you've found something you love...
go back for that second viewing.
Which, rather conveniently, we've written an entire Property Journal article about. 😂
Read next:
Thinking about moving this autumn?
We'll happily come and talk through your property, your plans and what's happening in your particular part of the market.
We'll show you the evidence behind our valuation.
We'll explain our proposed marketing strategy.
We'll explain our fee and what you're getting for it.
And if we don't think now is the right time for you to sell?
We'll tell you that too.
Because the objective isn't simply to get your property onto the market.
It's to get you moved.
Amanda & Aiden Wright
Mother & Son · Co-Founders
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Ash & Acre · Family Run Estate Agents
Clarity. Confidence. Trust.
