--- title: "UK property professionals report fewer buyer inquiries and sales" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/business/uk-property-professionals-report-fewer-buyer-inquiries-and-sales" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/uk-property-professionals-report-fewer-buyer-inquiries-and-sales" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/business/uk-property-professionals-report-fewer-buyer-inquiries-and-sales.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/uk-property-professionals-report-fewer-buyer-inquiries-and-sales" category: "Business & Economy" area: "United Kingdom" published: "2026-09-10T10:45:56.436Z" source_reported: "2026-09-10T09:00:00.000Z" updated: "2026-09-10T10:45:56.436Z" trust_score: 60 critic_score: 65 hype_score: 20 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-10T10:17:10.750220+00:00" --- # UK property professionals report fewer buyer inquiries and sales *Survey shows a net balance of 19% saw fewer inquiries and 17% fewer sales in August.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 60 of 100, higher is better. The central claim is attributed to RICS, and two independent outlets published full reports. - Craft 65 of 100, higher is better. The reporting clearly separates facts from comment and provides specific figures and dates. - Hype 20 of 100, lower is better. The language used is measured and proportionate, with headlines reflecting the article content. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - A net balance of 19% of property professionals reported a fall in new buyer inquiries in August, the least negative reading since January. - A net balance of 17% of professionals saw a fall in agreed sales, marking an improvement from previous months. - House prices remained under downward pressure, with a net balance of 28% reporting falls, a slight decrease from July. - Expectations for rent rises over the next three months increased significantly, with a net balance of 44% anticipating increases. In August, a net balance of 19% of property professionals reported a decrease in new buyer inquiries, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This figure represented the least negative reading since January and indicated a fifth consecutive monthly improvement. Similarly, a net balance of 17% of professionals reported a fall in agreed sales, an improvement from earlier in the year. Looking ahead, expectations for sales over the next three months moved closer to neutral, with a net balance of 3% anticipating a fall. House prices continued to experience downward pressure, with a net balance of 28% of professionals reporting falls. This was a marginal decrease from the 29% who reported price falls in July. In the lettings market, rising tenant demand and constrained supply led to an increase in upward pressure on rents. The net balance of professionals expecting rents to rise over the next three months rose to 44%, up from 33% in July. ## Disagreement on market outlook RICS head of market research and analysis, Tarrant Parsons, described the August results as showing a market "gradually finding its footing", but cautioned that any potential recovery "remains fragile" due to uncertainty over borrowing costs and the upcoming budget. Property website Rightmove reported a "back-to-school bounce" in early September, with buyer demand increasing by 5% in the first week of the month compared to the previous year. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated digests mention the specific figure of 44% for professionals expecting rents to rise over the next three months. None of the right-rated digests mention the net balance of 19% for falling buyer inquiries or the net balance of 17% for falling agreed sales. ## Who covered it Shares of the 8 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 50% (4) - Centre: 37% (3) - Right: 13% (1) 8 of 16 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-10T10:17:10.750220+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 1 time; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-10T11:00:23.729Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports from Irish News, perspectivemedia.com, and The Independent all carried the headline "Housing market gradually finding its footing, say surveyors". These reports highlighted the RICS finding that falls in home buyer demand and sales were less sharp in August, indicating a more stable market. They also included Tarrant Parsons' caution that any potential recovery "remains fragile" and pointed to uncertainty over borrowing costs and the October budget as headwinds. ### Centre - The centre-rated reports from Evening Standard, Reuters, and WTVB focused on the idea that the UK housing market slowdown is "bottoming out" or "levelling off". The Evening Standard's full report noted that buyer inquiries and sales fell less sharply than in recent months, suggesting increased stability. It also quoted Tarrant Parsons stating the market was "gradually finding its footing" but that recovery remained "fragile". Reuters and WTVB, which published digests, also reported that measures of buyer demand and agreed sales had moved away from recent lows. ### Right - The right-rated report from Business Times used the headline "UK housing market slowdown is bottoming out". The digest stated that property prices were expected to fall further over the next three months. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 2 - high: 5 - unknown: 8 - veryHigh: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [IFA Magazine](https://ifamagazine.com/rics-residential-survey-highlights-buyer-caution-as-mortgage-concerns-and-budget-uncertainty-shape-the-housing-market-outlook) — RICS residential survey highlights buyer caution as mortgage concerns and Budget uncertainty shape the housing market outlook - [Mortgage Strategy](https://mortgagestrategy.co.uk/news/uk-housing-market-shows-signs-of-stabilising-rics-surveyors-say) — UK housing market shows signs of stabilising, RICS surveyors say - [netMAGmedia](https://netmagmedia.co.uk/news/housing-market-edges-towards-stability-as-rent-expectations-rise) — Housing market edges towards stability..! - [Business Times](https://businesstimes.com.sg/property/uk-housing-market-slowdown-bottoming-out) — UK housing market slowdown is bottoming out - [Today's Conveyancer](https://todaysconveyancer.co.uk/rightmove-rics-find-cause-optimism-latest-market-reports-caveats) — Rightmove and RICS find cause for optimism in latest market reports – with caveats - [Property Industry Eye](https://propertyindustryeye.com/housing-market-steadies-but-rent-rise-expectations-surge) — Housing market steadies but rent rise expectations surge - [perspectivemedia.com](https://perspectivemedia.com/housing-market-gradually-finding-its-footing-say-surveyors) — Housing market gradually finding its footing, say surveyors - [BizToc](https://biztoc.com/x/926d96268a91bcfd) — UK housing market slowdown is bottoming out, RICS says - [Reuters](https://reuters.com/business/uk-housing-market-slowdown-is-bottoming-out-rics-says-2026-09-09) — UK housing market slowdown is bottoming out, RICS says - [WTVB](https://wtvbam.com/2026/09/09/uk-housing-market-slowdown-is-bottoming-out-rics-says) — UK housing market slowdown is bottoming out, RICS says - [Evening Standard](https://standard.co.uk/news/politics/royal-institution-of-chartered-surveyors-housing-market-rightmove-northern-ireland-b1296402.html) — Housing market gradually finding its footing, say surveyors - [Irish News](https://irishnews.com/news/uk/housing-market-gradually-finding-its-footing-say-surveyors-HX74DKXWTVJ5VDCIHDUITCXACM) — Housing market gradually finding its footing, say surveyors - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/money/royal-institution-of-chartered-surveyors-rightmove-falls-northern-ireland-b3047647.html) — Housing market gradually finding its footing, say surveyors - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/money/royal-institution-of-chartered-surveyors-rightmove-falls-northern-ireland-b3047647.html) — Housing market gradually finding its footing, say surveyors - [theintermediary.co.uk](https://theintermediary.co.uk/2026/09/housing-market-stabilises-in-august-as-rent-expectations-rise-rics) — Housing market stabilises in August as rent expectations rise – RICS - [buyassociationgroup.com](https://buyassociationgroup.com/en-gb/news/housing-market-stabilises-but-rents-set-to-rise) — Housing market stabilises but rents set to rise - BuyAssociation Group ## Questions **What did property professionals report about buyer inquiries in August?** A net balance of 19% of property professionals reported a fall in new buyer inquiries in August. This was the least negative reading recorded since January, indicating a gradual improvement in market conditions. **What is the outlook for house prices and rents?** House prices remained under downward pressure, with a net balance of 28% of professionals seeing falls. However, expectations for rent rises over the next three months increased significantly, with a net balance of 44% anticipating increases. **What did RICS say about the housing market's recovery?** RICS head of market research and analysis Tarrant Parsons stated that August's results showed a market "gradually finding its footing". However, he cautioned that any potential recovery "remains fragile" due to uncertainties surrounding borrowing costs and the upcoming budget. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/business/uk-property-professionals-report-fewer-buyer-inquiries-and-sales. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "UK property professionals report fewer buyer inquiries and sales", https://mediabias.news/business/uk-property-professionals-report-fewer-buyer-inquiries-and-sales