It`s Called `The Property Market` For a Reason

Date Published 06 October 2025

Anyone who has walked along the beach westwards from Worthing, along past Goring to Ferring knows how it changes season by season.

This year it's been quite a fast and smooth transition from summer to autumn and the local landscape reflects this beautifully. It's just one of the many reasons that people choose to live in our area.

The property market also has seasonal changes that are usually quite predictable and these apply nationwide and on a local level too.

The thing that is sometimes overlooked is that the word 'market' is used for a reason when it comes to buying and selling homes and that's all due to the old laws of supply and demand.

Market values

As anyone who has used online auction sites knows, something is only ever 'worth' what a potential buyer is willing to pay for it!

Thankfully in the vast majority of cases selling a home doesn't involve an actual auction, but market activity at any given time does weigh heavily on how things work.

When there is limited supply, whoever is selling can expect to charge a premium price due to the competition amongst buyers to purchase their desired item. When there is an abundance of similar items for sale it becomes a 'buyers market' where choice is high and the chance to pick and choose is available.

It's literally the law of the marketplace, whereby one stall will sell more if their produce is priced more accurately than that of a rival.

Market data

The latest industry benchmark data from Rightmove reports that average new seller asking prices are 0.1% below those of this time last year.

Even so, prices are actually up by a very small margin of 0.4%. When you judge that against the expected seasonal average uptick of 0.6%, it becomes obvious that we have a relatively stable market right now.

The number of sales being agreed is up around 4% nationally too, so activity is healthy. Buyers have been helped by the Bank of England interest rate cuts over the past year leading to cheaper mortgages.

This improvement to buyer affordability has helped keep the market stable, but the high numbers of properties for sale is where things start to get interesting.

Competition

For the past few months there have been a decade-high number of properties for sale. Following supply and demand rules, this naturally means that sellers are effectively in competition with each other.

Taking into account relatively static house prices, rising wages and lower mortgage rates, this definitely puts potential buyers in the better position when it comes to being choosy about which properties they choice to offer to purchase.

Although it's not quite a 'buyers market', anyone wishing to sell a property needs to be aware of the current situation and that means they must go on the market with an attractive asking price.

Local matters

Of course what really matter to our clients is how this really effects them in West Worthing, Goring and Ferring. The fact is, all of the talk about 'market forces' and supply and demand is as relevant on a local level as it is on a national one.

The only way that you can possibly know what your home is worth 'on the market' at any given time is to ask for a valuation from an experienced local estate agent.

At Stafford Johnson we've been serving our local community for more than a quarter of a century. We know our area, we know the people who live here and we know why so many want to buy a home here too.

So if you want to sell your home in a crowded marketplace talk to us -

Call 01903 501 105, email Stewart or come in to see us for a chat in our office at 325 Goring Road.