Cheadle Property Market Update February 2026

Welcome to this month’s Cheadle Property Market Update – your trusted snapshot of what’s really happening in the local and national housing market as we move through the early weeks of 2026.

Whether you’re thinking about selling this spring, actively house hunting, or simply keeping an eye on your property’s value, this report is designed to cut through the national noise and focus on what matters here in Cheadle SK8 and Edgeley SK3 – real data, local trends, and what they mean for your plans going into the spring market.

The National Picture – January Data Round-Up

After a softer finish to 2025, the first set of 2026 updates shows a market that’s stabilising and gently picking up again. Some indices remain cautious, but confidence has improved slightly as we head out of winter, and the early signals (especially on the portals) suggest buyers are starting to re-engage.

Nationwide (January 2026)

• +0.3% monthly change (seasonally adjusted)

• +1.0% annual change (up from +0.6% in December)

• Average UK price: £270,873

Nationwide describe the market as improving gradually, helped by affordability easing a little (wages growing faster than prices, and mortgage rates coming down from their peaks). They also suggest activity could strengthen through 2026 if affordability continues to trend the right way.

Halifax (December 2025 – latest release)

• -0.6% monthly change

• +0.3% annual change

• Average UK price: £297,755

Halifax remains more cautious than Nationwide right now, with late-2025 softness still feeding into their most recent read. The key takeaway is that the market isn’t surging — it’s steady, selective, and still price-sensitive, especially where affordability is stretched.

Zoopla House Price Index (January 2026 – year-end summary)

• +1.2% annual UK house price growth over 2025

• Average UK price: £269,800

• North West: +3.5% (one of the stronger performing regions)

Zoopla’s view is consistent with what we see locally: more affordable regions are holding up better, while higher-priced areas remain constrained by affordability and choice. They also highlight that buyer choice is higher, which tends to keep price growth “in check” unless a home is genuinely best-in-class.

Rightmove (January 2026 Asking Price Index)

• Average new seller asking price: £368,031

• Monthly change: +2.8% (+£9,893)

• Annual change: +0.5% (asking prices now slightly ahead of this time last year)

Rightmove’s January jump is eye catching — and it’s typical of that post-Christmas relaunch effect. The important nuance is this: asking prices can rise quickly, but the homes that go on to sell well are still the ones that are priced correctly and launched properly. The market is rewarding accuracy and strategy, not optimism.

National takeaway

• The market is calmer and slightly more confident than it was in late 2025, but it remains affordability-led.

• Portals are showing renewed seller confidence (that January “bounce”), but sold prices are still trending modestly, not wildly.

• The North West continues to outperform many southern regions, largely because value for money still exists here.

The Official Numbers – Land Registry & ONS (November 2025)

The official UK House Price Index always lags by a couple of months, but it remains the most robust “verified” snapshot because it’s based on completed sales.

UK overview (November 2025)

Across the UK, the average house price was around £271,000 in November 2025, up from around £265,000 a year earlier.

England overview (November 2025)

• Average England price: £293,000

• Annual change: +2.2%

Even with the late-2025 wobble in confidence, the official figures still show prices growing gently year-on-year, not falling away — which reinforces that we’re in a market of slow movement, not sharp corrections.

Regional focus – The North West (November 2025)

The North West average was around £217,000 in November 2025, up from around £208,000 a year earlier, again showing that the region is broadly outperforming the UK average on annual growth.

Local Detail – Stockport (SK8 & SK3)

Using the ONS local authority view (which includes Land Registry price data):

• Average house price (Stockport, Nov 2025): £307,000

• Annual price growth: +2.4% vs Nov 2024

• Average private rent (Stockport, Dec 2025): £1,079 pcm

• Annual rental growth: +4.8% vs Dec 2024

That continues a theme we’ve spoken about a lot: Stockport (and by extension SK8 and SK3) remains one of the strongest performing areas in the North West, with resilient prices and sustained tenant demand.

Cheadle & Stockport Market Snapshot

Here’s how the local picture lines up against the wider market as we move into February:

Local insight

On the ground in Cheadle, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle Heath, Gatley, Heald Green and Edgeley we’re seeing:

• Strong interest in 3 bed semis and traditional terraces in the core family price bands.

• Well-presented, correctly priced homes still attracting serious viewing activity as buyers return post Christmas.

• Homes that feel “a bit high” on launch getting filtered out faster than before (buyers have more choice and less patience).

• Buyer quality remains good: fewer timewasters, more movers targeting spring completions.

What’s Driving the Market Locally?

A few key factors explain why SK8 and SK3 are holding up well:

1. Affordability vs South Manchester
   Nearby areas like Didsbury and Chorlton remain significantly more expensive, so Cheadle, Gatley and Edgeley continue to offer better value for similar commute times, especially for upsizing families.

2. Early-year re-engagement
   January traditionally brings a reset. This year, the data suggests that both sellers and buyers are re-entering the market with more intent than we saw in late 2025.

3. Mortgage competition
   Lenders remain competitive, and improved affordability is one of the key reasons sentiment has steadied.

4. Solid fundamentals in Greater Manchester
   Jobs, connectivity, schooling and lifestyle continue to underpin demand across the area.

5. Lifestyle & connectivity
   Strong schools, village style high streets, and access to Manchester, the airport and the M60 keep SK8/SK3 high on buyer shortlists.

Local Highlight: SK8 & SK3 Micro-Trends

A rough guide to what we’re seeing by property type, based on recent Land Registry/ONS reporting, portal sold-price context, and our own sales evidence:

So let’s now take a look at the individual trend for property by type, which can often show some interesting shifts in buyer behaviour. 

New Listings in SK8/SK3– February 2026

February saw a notable reduction in new instructions across SK8 and SK3 compared with the same period last year, with 169 new listings in February 2026 versus 200 in February 2025 — a 15.5% year-on-year fall in fresh stock coming to market.

This is a meaningful shift and suggests that, despite the early-year bounce in activity we often expect, many homeowners are still cautious about launching their move, particularly at higher price points.

Breakdown by property type

Detached homes
New listings fell sharply from 41 to 25, a 39.0% reduction year-on-year. This continues a trend we’ve seen through late 2025, where discretionary movers at the upper end of the market remain more hesitant — often waiting for clearer signals on interest rates, pricing confidence, or onward purchase options.

Semi-detached homes
Semi-detached houses remain the backbone of the local market, with 78 new listings, only slightly down from 82 last year (-4.9%). This relative stability reflects ongoing family-driven demand in core price bands, particularly where schools, transport links and value-for-money are strong.

Terraced properties
Terraced homes saw a modest decline, from 43 to 39 listings (-9.3%). While supply is down slightly, demand in this sector, especially from first-time buyers and investors — remains resilient, meaning correctly priced terraces continue to attract good levels of interest.

Flats and apartments
New flat listings dropped from 18 to 12, a 33.3% fall year-on-year. This reflects the continued selectivity in the apartment market, where lending criteria, service charges and buyer confidence play a much bigger role than they do for houses.

Bungalows
Bungalow supply remained unchanged at 13 listings, reinforcing how consistently constrained this sector is. Demand from downsizers remains strong, but supply continues to be limited.

What this tells us about the market

Taken together, the February figures point to a market with reduced fresh supply, particularly at the top end and in flats, while core family housing remains comparatively stable.

In practical terms, this means:

• Good homes face less competition than they did a year ago

• Buyers have choice, but not abundance — especially in the most desirable pockets

• Sellers who price and position correctly can still stand out quickly

• Over-optimistic pricing is exposed faster in a market where buyers are well informed

Importantly, fewer new listings does not automatically mean fewer transactions. In fact, constrained supply — when combined with improving buyer confidence, can support pricing and viewing activity for homes that are launched properly.

Key takeaway for sellers

If you’re considering a move in spring 2026, this reduction in new competition creates an opportunity window — but only if the strategy is right.

The data continues to reinforce one of the most important truths of today’s market:

Homes don’t struggle to sell because of the market — they struggle because of how they are priced, presented and launched.

Available Stock and Buyer Activity

Looking beyond new instructions, two other indicators help us understand how the market is behaving beneath the surface: overall available stock and buyer engagement on the portals.

Available stock

In February 2026, the average number of homes available for sale across SK8 and SK3 stood at 649, compared with 700 in February 2025. That represents a 7.3% reduction in available stock year on year.

This matters because it confirms that the drop in new listings is feeding through into tighter overall supply, not just a temporary monthly dip. In simple terms, buyers are still active, but they have fewer homes to choose from than they did this time last year.

Buyer engagement

Average daily property views in February 2026 came in at 107, down from 120 in February 2025. That is a 10.8% reduction in daily views.

At first glance, this might look negative. In reality, it reflects a market that is more selective rather than disengaged. Buyers are spending less time browsing everything and more time focusing on homes that are well priced, well presented and clearly positioned.

What this tells us

When these two figures are viewed together, a clearer picture emerges:

• There is less stock available overall

• Buyer activity is slightly lower, but more focused

• Competition between sellers has eased compared with early 2025

• Homes that miss the mark are being filtered out faster

This is not a market driven by volume. It is a market driven by quality and strategy.

Key takeaway

For sellers, this is a supportive backdrop provided expectations are realistic. With fewer competing listings, the right homes can still attract strong attention. But with buyers behaving more selectively, pricing accuracy and launch quality are more important than ever.

The margin for error is smaller, but the opportunity is still very much there.

Sales Comparison – February 2026

Sales activity in February 2026 was slightly lower overall than the same period last year, but the detail beneath the headline figure is more nuanced and, in places, encouraging.

Across SK8 and SK3, there were 146 agreed sales in February 2026, compared with 165 in February 2025, representing an 11.5% year on year reduction.

Breakdown by property type

Detached homes
Sales fell from 34 to 29, a 14.7% reduction. This reflects the continued caution at higher price points, where buyers remain more deliberate and sensitive to value.

Semi detached homes
Semi detached properties recorded 61 sales, down slightly from 66 last year (7.6% reduction). Despite this modest dip, this remains the strongest performing sector locally, underlining its role as the core family market.

Terraced homes
Terraced sales edged down from 34 to 31 (8.8% reduction). Demand remains steady in this sector, but buyers are clearly selective, favouring homes that are well presented and realistically priced.

Flats and apartments
Flats were the only category to show an increase, rising from 11 to 12 sales (9.1% growth). While volumes remain modest, this suggests improving confidence among first time buyers and investors where value and affordability align.

Bungalows
Bungalow sales dropped from 16 to 11, a 31.3% reduction. With supply already limited, even small shifts in buyer behaviour can create noticeable percentage changes in this sector.

What the sales data tells us

Taken together, the sales figures reinforce a market that is moving, but not rushing.

• Transaction levels are slightly lower than last year

• Core housing types continue to underpin activity

• Buyers are taking more time to commit

• Well priced homes are still selling, even in a selective market

The gap between available stock and completed sales remains healthy, suggesting that demand is still there, but decisions are being made more carefully.

Key takeaway

This is not a stalled market. It is a measured and disciplined one.

For sellers, success in early 2026 is less about timing the market and more about getting the fundamentals right from day one. Pricing, presentation and positioning remain the deciding factors between homes that sell and those that sit.

Lettings Market Update – SK8 & SK3

The lettings market across Cheadle, Cheadle Heath and surrounding areas continued to show good underlying demand through February, supported by solid rent levels and limited stock relative to tenant interest. According to the latest local market data, the lettings picture remains healthy and competitive.

Local rental stats (rolling average)

Average monthly rental transactions
• Around 78 lets per month across the area — a strong level of activity for this time of year.

Achieved rents
• Houses: approx £1,235 per calendar month
• Flats: approx £1,201 pcm
• Rental yields sit around 6.0%+, reflecting continued tenant demand and balanced investment value.

These figures show that rents have remained firm and broadly stable relative to recent months. Demand continues to be most concentrated in the £900–£1,400 per month band, particularly for two and three bedroom houses with outside space and parking — a theme we’ve seen consistently through the winter lettings cycle.

What the data suggests

• Tenant demand remains strong with decent transaction levels compared with typical seasonal patterns.

• Limited available stock keeps competition relatively high, helping to sustain achieved rents.

• Properties that are priced accurately and in good condition continue to let quickly, often within a two to three weeks of listing — especially in the most desirable sectors of SK8 and SK3.

While tenants are increasingly price-aware, there’s no sign of weakening demand. Instead, we’re seeing a rental market that is selective and value-driven, rather than passive or inactive.

February 2026 Summary and Outlook

February’s data paints a picture of a market that is steady rather than spectacular, but importantly, still functioning well beneath the surface.

New listings are down, available stock is lower than last year, and sales volumes are slightly reduced. At the same time, buyer and tenant demand remains present, just more focused and selective.

This combination tells us we are not in a market driven by urgency or fear, but by careful decision-making and value.

Looking ahead into March and the spring market:

• Supply remains constrained in key sectors

• Buyers are active but well informed

• Correct pricing and presentation matter more than ever

• The right homes are still selling and letting well

For homeowners and landlords considering their next move in 2026, the message is a familiar one, but an important one: strategy matters.

If you’re unsure where you sit in today’s market, a conversation costs nothing. Understanding your position, your options and your timing can make all the difference between waiting and moving forward with confidence.

As always, we’ll continue to monitor the data closely and report back next month with a clear, honest view of how the Cheadle property market is evolving.

Thinking of selling in 2026?

The data is clear. Some homes are selling well. Others are sitting. The difference is rarely the market — it’s the strategy behind the launch.

At Maurice Kilbride, we don’t guess prices or rely on gut instinct. Every recommendation we make is backed by local data, buyer behaviour, and real outcomes in SK8 and SK3.

If you’d like an honest, evidence based view of what your home could achieve — and how best to position it, a short conversation is the best place to start.