Almost half of homes listed never sell – Zoopla

Almost half of homes in the UK (44%) have failed to sell in the last three years, according to new research.

Data from Zoopla reveals the average home sold for 3.5% below the asking price in Q1 2026, equivalent to £18,800 less than the original asking price.

The property portal says realistic pricing remains critical for sellers looking to secure a sale in a competitive market.

Almost half of homes listed never sell

According to Zoopla, pricing a home above the local market average significantly reduces the likelihood of achieving a sale.

Every 5% a property is priced above the local average for its size and type cuts the odds of selling by around 5%, while pricing it 10% above average reduces the chances by approximately 10%.

Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, explains to homeowners that many sellers need to be realistic on pricing.

He said: “Almost half of homes listed never sell. That isn’t down to luck or the market, it comes down to a few decisions, starting with understanding what your home is actually worth today.

“The average homeowner selling in 2025 had been in their home for nine years, meaning many owners are out of touch with what their home may be worth.

“Online tools are a great starting point for keeping track of what your home is worth.”

Realistic when it comes to pricing

Verona Frankish, CEO of Yopa, said: “In the current market, it’s particularly important for sellers to be realistic when it comes to pricing, especially in more inflated regions such as the South East.

“It’s far better to adjust your expectations to current market conditions than hold out for a price you need in order to fund an onward purchase, as doing so is likely to leave your home sitting on the market for far longer than necessary.”

According to the data, more than half (52%) of sellers under 35 successfully sold their home, compared with 63% of those aged 65 and over.

For under-35s’ the main reason for selling is trading up to a larger home (44%). While for sellers aged 65 and over, the primary motive is downsizing (34%).

Zoopla says among under-35 non-sellers, a fifth (20%) knowingly overpriced. Older sellers, with more equity built up and less need to stretch, are more likely to price closer to the market and complete more often.