KEY STATS SUMMARY — WEEK OF 20TH MAY 2026

📊 New instructions: 38 — slightly down on last week

🤝 Sales agreed: 39 — up from 31 last week

📉 Price reductions: 32 across the market

📦 Available stock: 683 across the area

Sales agreed up again week on week. The market is moving in the right direction.

THE HONEST BIT FIRST

Last week ended with three fall throughs in quick succession.

I'll be honest, it was a frustrating end to the week. Not because of anything we did wrong. Not because of our sellers or our buyers. But because of what was happening further down the chains.

That's the part of property that most agents don't talk about. You do everything right. Your seller is committed. Your buyer is committed. And then something three or four steps away in the chain collapses and suddenly your sale is at risk through no fault of anyone involved in your transaction.

This is exactly why we use reservation agreements. They protect our sellers and buyers from walking away without good reason. They put skin in the game on both sides.

But they can't protect you from a chain collapsing two or three links away.

Here's what I can tell you though.

We secured replacement sales on 2 of the 3 within days. The third has viewings progressing with genuine interest and the confidence is there if the price is right.

That's the difference between an agent who moves on and one who fights for the result.

WHAT THE DATA IS TELLING US THIS WEEK

Sales agreed up to 39 from 31 last week. That's continued momentum building in the market.

New instructions slightly down but that's not necessarily a negative. Fewer new properties coming to market while sales are increasing means the supply and demand balance is tightening slightly. That's healthy for sellers.

The conversion rate story:

This week Harrisons agreed 4 sales from 31 available properties. That's a 12.9% conversion rate.

To put that in context the largest agent in the area agreed 12 sales from 265 available properties. That's 4.5%.

We're converting at nearly three times that rate. Not because we have more properties. Because we have the right ones, priced correctly, launched properly and progressed actively.

PRICE REDUCTIONS — THE PATTERN CONTINUES

32 reductions across the market this week.

Two agents stand out:

One has made average reductions of 13.7% on their stock this week. On a £300,000 property that's £41,100 gone. On a £400,000 property that's £54,800.

Another has 11% of their entire portfolio reducing this week with nearly two thirds of their stock classified as slow movers.

The same story. Week after week. Properties that launched too high are now correcting significantly and by the time they do, the best buyers have moved on.

WHAT I'M SEEING ON THE GROUND

The lower end of the market is picking up momentum.

More viewings happening at lower price points this week. That's encouraging, it's the same pattern we flagged last week and it's continuing to build. When the lower end moves, confidence tends to filter up through the market over time.

The message remains the same. Price it correctly from day one. The properties attracting viewings and offers right now are the ones positioned to attract real competition, not the ones waiting for the market to catch up to them.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR SITTINGBOURNE SELLERS

Is now a good time to sell?

Yes sales agreed up again this week, lower end activity building, and correctly priced stock moving consistently.

What about fall throughs?

They happen. Chains are unpredictable. What matters is how quickly your agent responds when they do. We secured 2 replacement sales within days of last week's fall throughs.

What about pricing?

The reductions in this week's data tell the story more clearly than anything I can say. Get it right from day one.

Based on current sales agreed levels, lower end market activity and our own pipeline, the Sittingbourne market in May 2026 continues to show steady positive momentum for correctly positioned properties.

The Sittingbourne property market in May 2026 rewards preparation, accurate pricing and agents who keep fighting when things don't go to plan.

DM me VALUE, let's have an honest conversation about your home and what the right approach looks like right now.

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