A surge in post-Christmas home hunting activity has signalled an early start to the 2026 housing market, with Rightmove (RMV.L) recording its busiest ever Boxing Day for visits as buyers and sellers moved quickly after the festive lull.
In the five days after Christmas, enquiries sent to estate agents jumped by 67% compared with the five days before Christmas, while the number of new properties listed for sale more than doubled, up 143% over the same period.
Boxing Day has traditionally marked the start of a busier period for the housing market following what is typically the quietest time of year in December. Rightmove said this pattern appeared particularly pronounced this year as potential movers returned to searching and listing activity.
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The increase in listings reflected sellers aiming to launch homes at a time when buyer interest was rising sharply. New buyer and seller activity was strongest in the South East, the East of England and London.
Smaller homes dominated new supply, with properties of zero to two bedrooms the most common type to be listed, a category typically targeted by first-time buyers.
Visits to Rightmove on Boxing Day 2025 were the highest on record, surpassing the previous peak set in 2024. Traffic to the platform almost doubled from Christmas Day to Boxing Day, rising by 93%, a sharper rebound than the 87% increase seen a year earlier.
Steve Pimblett, Rightmove’s chief data officer, said the figures pointed to a potentially strong start to the year ahead.
“It’s early days but Boxing Day’s data suggests agents could have a busy start to 2026 after a quieter festive period during December, which was also impacted by the lateness of the budget and the uncertainty around potential policies in the lead up to it,” he said.
“Record breaking visit numbers indicates many are looking to put some of the uncertainty of last year behind them and get going with a 2026 move.”
In December, the Bank of England base rate was cut from 4% to 3.75%, in a boost to some mortgage holders. Many lenders have recently been reducing their mortgage rates.
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Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark, said: “The festive break often acts as a reset point for buyers and sellers who are ready to act once the new year begins. The sharp rise in enquiries and new listings highlights a strong appetite to move into 2026, particularly among first-time buyers targeting smaller homes. Encouragingly, easing inflation and lower base rates compared to this time last year should help improve affordability and confidence, giving the market a stronger platform as the year gets underway.