Islington Property Market 📊 January 2026

Hello! 👋 This is your monthly property market update covering the latest from the postcodes of N1, N5, and N7, as well as statistics from the UK, from me, Jacob Littorin MNAEA. Preparing to support the Islington expansion of an established UK estate agency as a Personal Estate Agent and Expansion Director, subject to UK Right to Work.

Bought myself a 27th Birthday present, to double down on learning how to be an knowledgable and dedicated Personal Estate Agent and Expansion Director.

Jacob x

Jacob's takeaways

2026 begins with a 4-year high of available homes for sale across N1, N5 and N7. In addition, it's a 4-year high of homes for sale for 12+ weeks. These high numbers are faced with a 4-year low of average daily views per property. This means buyer demand is lower, while buyers have a wider choice.

At the same time, there were fewer new listings and sales being agreed upon in January, compared to the more active 2025, which saw an incredibly busy period to beat the stamp duty deadline by the end of March 2025.

NEW 2026 GRAPH. The market confidence, measured as the ratio between new listings and sales agreed, is also lower than in 2025, signalling a slightly slower market for selling. However, the ratio between new listings and withdrawals is better, at an incredible 4-year low, indicating a stronger market for selling in 2026 versus previous years, meaning more sellers are determined to sell.

Sellers are also buyers, and want to take advantage of the current wide choice of homes for sale, with affordability and mortgage rates improving on a national level.

NEW 2026 GRAPH. Average asking prices across Islington have been decreasing since April last year, literally since the start of the higher Stamp Duty Land Tax rates. In general, asking prices across London have been on the decline over the last year.

Simon Gates of Opening The Gates reported that the number of homes available for sale across the country started the year 2% higher than last year, 15.5% above the January average. Sellers are feeling more confident after an uncertain end to 2025, when Budget speculation created hesitation. 

First-time buyers accounted for 59% of all conveyancing registrations in early January, attracted by cheaper mortgage deals and the opportunity to secure discounts from sellers. Gates cites Barclays Bank, whose research shows more than a third of Gen Z (34%) hope to purchase a new or first home in 2026. Meanwhile, upsizers account for 18%, while downsizer activity remains at just 4%. 

Gates further states that sales agreed dipped 6.5% year-on-year in January. It's not a surprise following the exceptionally busy start to 2025, when buyers rushed to beat the stamp duty deadline at the end of March.

Rightmove reported in their House Price Index for January that the average asking price saw its largest ever price increase in January, and the largest of any month since June 2015. Prices have rebounded after the budget.

However, the number of available homes for sale is the highest it's been at this time of year since 2014. With a third of existing homes for sale seeing price reductions, new sellers must be wary of being over-optimistic about pricing.

Rightmove concludes that in January, buyer demand was partially lower compared to the stamp-duty-fuelled start to 2025.

Zoopla reported on their House Price Index for January that confidence to move has returned after the Autumn Budget uncertainty. National buyer demand in January mirrors that of the confident 2024. More buyers mean more sellers.

In addition, average mortgage rates, tracked by Zoopla, reach the lowest level since 2022, fuelling the desire to move. With a higher number of homes available for sale, buyers are given more choice, and this makes pricing even more important for those thinking of selling.

Zoopla concludes that London recorded a 0.7% decline in average house prices over 2025, caused by affordability pressures, higher stamp duty costs, and a much greater choice of homes for sale across the capital.

Jacob's takeaways

In 2026, if you want to move home, you must act with expert strategy and a pricing strategy that attracts interest, amid the current high numbers of available homes for sale. With the right strategy, you can achieve a sale and move on to the next chapter of your life.

This is your monthly Islington Property Market update, published every month since July 2023. Subscribe to not miss the next edition, always covering our beloved Islington.

Jacob x 

Preparing to support the Islington expansion of an established UK estate agency, subject to UK Right to Work. Let's connect: @JacobLittorin Facebook Instagram YouTube TikTok

www.jacoblittorin.com