In this episode of the Harrison’s Homes podcast, Chris and Ben break down the "on-the-ground" reality of the first two weeks of 2026, revealing why online activity is at its highest level since 2016.

We are seeing a massive surge in the mid-range market (£300,000 to £500,000), driven primarily by families looking to upsize. Surprisingly, even the flat market, which struggled for years, has "skyrocketed" with multiple offers within the first 13 days of the year.

Key Statistics for 2026:

Market Inventory: New listings are up by 2.46%.

Sales Volume: Total sales have increased by 5.41% year-on-year.

The Warning Sign: Fall-through rates remain alarming, with 1 in 3 deals failing to reach completion.

The "Park Drive" Case Study: Selling for Significantly Over Asking

Ben shares the story of a property on Park Drive that sold way above the asking price in just three days. The secret? We didn't just "list it and hope." We used a pre-market "test" phase to generate competing offers before the property even hit Rightmove. If you are a seller, testing the market before a formal launch is our #1 tip for 2026.

The Truth About "1 in 3" Sales Falling Through

One of the most worrying stats is that withdrawals are 23% higher than the five-year average. We discuss how Reservation Agreements are now essential to "keep everyone honest" and protect both buyers and sellers from unreasonable withdrawals.

Strategies for Buyers and Sellers in 2026

For Sellers: Get your property "ready" now. Don't wait for the "perfect" house to appear before you list yours, or you will likely be "pipped to the post" by someone who is already proceedable.

For Buyers: Stop relying solely on Rightmove alerts. Register with proactive agents who use "Heads Up" systems to offer properties off-market. Most importantly, get your finances verified by a real person, not just an online mortgage calculator.

Watch to the end to hear our predictions for the "March Bottleneck" and why 2026 looks remarkably similar to the high-growth year of 2016.