It was the first day of Spring last week, Friday 20 March 2026. And we all know that Spring is ‘the best time of year’ to sell your home? Right?
Actually, no, not necessarily.
It is, however, often the busiest time of the year for property transactions and sees a steep rise in the number of new properties listed for sale. As a result, it can all feel very buoyant. And Spring is certainly not a bad time to sell.
If you own a home in Oxford and you’re wondering whether to sell in spring 2026, this article will help you decide.
After a sluggish end to 2025, activity is picking up, and the headlines look encouraging.
We know, for example, that properties currently advertised on the market for sale are at their highest level for a Spring market since 2015 (Dataloft), and that property values are possibly at their highest level ever: the average UK property price is now around £301,000, according to the Halifax, breaking through the £300,000 mark for the first time – although other sources, not least the Office for National Statistics, vary (the ONS has it closer to £270,000).
No matter the national headlines, however, it's worth understanding what's really going on in the market right now, and especially what is going on here in Oxford – because the property market picture is often more nuanced than it first appears.
More Homes for Sale in Oxford
There are certainly similarities between the national picture and the local Oxford market when it comes to reading the data.
One interesting statistic that jumps out is that estate agents started 2026 with an average of 32 homes for sale, the highest level in early January since 2018 and thank you to Garrington, the home search specialist, for the information. That marks a significant shift from the supply-starved market of previous years – and in many ways, supply-starved markets are the sort of markets sellers particularly enjoy.
It indicates an overall picture of more properties becoming available for sale following the Autumn Budget on 26 November 2025 – an event that stalled the market in the weeks running up to it, slowing down new listing numbers and transactions.
The growth in homes listing for sale is greatest in London, up 16% on last year; the South East in general, which Oxford tends to fall into as a region, is up by 9%.
But Oxford actually shows a similar trend to London, with the number of new properties for sale up by 14% compared to 2025.
In fact, there have been 3,457 properties come up for sale in Oxford over the past 12 months, with 1,471 available today (as of 23 March 2026) – and as far as choice goes, 20.4% more properties available to choose from this year than last year, and that is city-wide – as true in Headington as it is in New Hinksey.
Property prices, too, are higher than the national average- £477,276, according to data compiled by Dataloft, drawing on Land Registry figures – and are within 0.5% of prices this time last year.
However, transaction numbers have fallen steeply over the past twelve months. There have been 1,265 property sales over the year, a 25% fall on the year before.
Figures and percentages don’t mean anything on their own, but it is important to talk about them and understand the context. Why? Because what it means, when brought together, is that buyers in Oxford have more choice – and they know it.
Buyers are Back, but Buyer Behaviour is More Cautious
Falling transaction numbers can read like bad news, but it isn’t necessarily. The wheels didn’t come off the market locally, simply because transaction levels fell, but with listing numbers increasing at the same time, especially post-Budget 2025, it does lead to this situation we are looking at as we enter the Spring – i.e. that property for sale is at a high. And that has meant many sellers remaining on the market longer than normal – those sold in February 2026 had been on the market for an average of 46 days, which is 9.6% longer than a year ago. It is partly why property prices have remained relatively flat over the year.
The good news for sellers is that buyer demand has also rebounded over recent weeks. Buyer registration numbers have remained sustained – and our own sale numbers are beginning to increase – 12 sales agreed during February, and we look like hitting a similar number this month, with one week to go. But that ‘time on market’ figure is important to note – as until that starts falling, it indicates that whilst buyers numbers are rising again to meet demand, they are nevertheless behaving more cautiously, taking their time to make decisions, perhaps third-viewing or even fourth-viewing before making decisions, and probably viewing more properties than during previous years, as there is simply more available to them to view.
On top of this, the wider market situation might play on minds. The mortgage picture has shifted sharply this month, with rates rising in response to geopolitical events. The outlook for rates and where they might go has become a little uncertain. Anyone planning to buy or sell where there is a mortgage involved should certainly speak to an independent mortgage adviser sooner rather than later.
When we note Oxford’s homeownership demographic, and that 45% of homeowners have a mortgage, we can appreciate that this is an issue that will come into the planning and thought process of a large number of would-be movers right now.
What This Means If You're Thinking of Selling
The spring market of 2026 is one of opportunity – but with the market picture as it is, with stock levels high, property prices evidently steady but not rising, and with the marketing period taking almost 10% longer before securing a buyer than in the past, it is important that sellers – and their estate agents – approach the process with clear eyes and a smart strategy.
Properties that need price reductions take 2.4 times longer to sell than those that were correctly priced to begin with – and, crucially, those sales then have a higher chance of falling through.
That means, in a market with more choice available to buyers, an optimistic asking price isn't just unhelpful – it can actively damage your sale.
The fundamentals here in Oxford, however, remain positive, which means that well-marketed, sensibly priced homes are still selling quickly. Medium-term forecasts do point to stronger price growth through to 2030, despite current economic headwinds, which, as headwinds do, will eventually blow through.
Sellers who act in 2026 are well placed to benefit from improving conditions as we head into the Easter period and the spring market that follows.
We believe it is key to work with an agent who understands the local market intimately and in depth and detail, and who benefits from day-to-day experience working within it. National headlines can guide us, but analysing local market activity at a more granular level helps us build the right strategy to get local Oxford homeowners moving. In this market, more than ever, success will be dictated by hyper-local awareness and a tailored sales strategy.
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Are you ready to find out what your home is worth in today's market? Get in touch for a free, no-obligation valuation and honest, data-led advice on the right strategy for your sale.
