Every year, without fail, someone declares the property market to be drifting into early hibernation. Listings slow, Christmas lights go up, diaries fill with lunches and the assumption follows naturally that the market is closing down until January. Recently, we have even seen some agents describing a festive lull as though it were an inevitability rather than a choice.
It is a comforting narrative. It is also a misleading one.
“…viewings are still happening, enquiries are still landing, and offers are very much still being negotiated.”
“…viewings are still happening, enquiries are still landing, and offers are very much still being negotiated.”
Yes, new listings slow in December. That is normal and entirely understandable. But to mistake fewer launches for a dormant market is to misunderstand how property actually works at this time of year. Because while fewer homes may be coming to market, viewings are still happening, enquiries are still landing, and offers are very much still being negotiated.
The market has not gone into hibernation. It is simply operating at a different frequency.
Behind the scenes, December is one of the busiest months of the year for serious agents. Buyers who have been active for months do not suddenly lose interest because it is nearly Christmas. In fact, many become more focused. There is a desire to make progress before year end, to secure a position, or at the very least to be first in line when new stock appears in January. That intent does not disappear. It concentrates.
For sellers, this period matters just as much. Sales already agreed still need to be progressed, managed and protected. Loose ends need tightened. Timelines need coordinated. Chains need shepherded carefully through what can be a stop start few weeks. None of that happens by accident, and none of it benefits from agents mentally checking out early.
“January does not reward those who arrive late. It rewards those who arrive prepared.”
“January does not reward those who arrive late. It rewards those who arrive prepared.”
Then there is the work that never makes the brochure. The calls to buyers who have missed out. The quiet conversations about homes that are coming but not yet live. The preparation of launches for early January, when the market traditionally wakes up hungry for fresh stock. This is the moment to tee up interest, not wait for it.
There is a temptation at this time of year to treat the festive period like a shutdown. To take the Prosecco out of the fridge and assume the real work resumes in the new year. But that is precisely how opportunities are lost. January does not reward those who arrive late. It rewards those who arrive prepared.
Think of it less like hibernation and more like Santa’s workshop. From the outside, it looks calm. Behind closed doors, it is all systems go. Lists are being checked, plans refined, and everything is being lined up so that when the moment arrives, it all runs smoothly.
Demand has been high for so long that it is not going to vanish because the calendar changes. Buyers do not stop wanting to move just because it is December. They simply wait for the right opportunity. The agents who stay focused now are the ones who ensure their clients hit the ground running when that opportunity appears.
“It has not gone to sleep. It has shifted gear.”
“It has not gone to sleep. It has shifted gear.”
So while some may talk about the market slowing, the reality is more nuanced. It has not gone to sleep. It has shifted gear. And for those prepared to stay engaged, December can be one of the most productive months of the year.
The lesson is simple for estate agents; by all means, wind down and enjoy the festive period, but you owe it to your clients to stay sharp, stay present, and do the work that ensures the new year starts exactly where it should for them.