The latest research from Lyons Bowe has revealed that sellers in Merseyside are proving the most resilient when it comes to asking prices, with just 27.2% of homes currently listed for sale having undergone a price reduction, meaning almost three quarters of properties remain at their original asking price.

Lyons Bowe analysed current residential property listings across England to identify the proportion of homes currently available for sale that have seen their asking price reduced before securing a buyer. The analysis compares regional and county-level markets to reveal where sellers are proving most able to hold firm on price.*

Across England, there are an estimated 393,752 homes currently available for sale, excluding those already sold subject to contract or under offer. Of these, 159,861 have undergone at least one price reduction, meaning 40.6% of current listings have seen sellers adjust their asking price.

However, the figures vary considerably across the country, with some markets showing considerably greater resilience. Merseyside emerges as the strongest county-level market, with just 27.2% of available homes having undergone a price reduction. This means 72.8% of current listings in the county remain at their original asking price.

Greater Manchester and Northumberland also rank among England’s most resilient markets, with 33.1% of current listings in each having seen a price reduction. They are followed by Rutland at 33.6% and East Riding of Yorkshire at 34.3%.

The regional figures reinforce the strength of northern markets. The North West records the lowest proportion of price-reduced homes in England, at 32.4%, meaning more than two thirds of current listings in the region have not required an asking price reduction. The North East follows at 36.8%, while Yorkshire and the Humber ranks third at 37.8%.

The West Midlands also performs relatively strongly, with 39.1% of current listings having seen a price reduction, while the East Midlands records 40.6%, broadly in line with the national figure.

At the other end of the scale, the South East records the highest proportion of price-reduced homes, at 43.4%, followed by London at 42.0% and the East of England at 41.9%. The South West records 40.8%, also close to the national picture.

The county-level data highlights an equally wide variation. While almost half of homes currently listed in Norfolk have undergone a price reduction, at 48.2%, the proportion falls to 27.2% in Merseyside. The Isle of Wight, East Sussex and Dorset also record relatively high levels of price reductions, at 46.7%, 46.4% and 45.5% respectively.

Lyons Bowe says the findings demonstrate that national housing market trends can mask significant differences between individual regions and counties, with some local markets continuing to support sellers’ asking prices more effectively than others.

Paul Lyons, Managing Director at Lyons Bowe Solicitors, commented:

“One of the most interesting things about the housing market at the moment is just how differently individual parts of the country are performing.

Merseyside is a particularly striking example. With more than seven in 10 homes currently listed for sale yet to undergo a price reduction, sellers in the county are proving considerably more resilient than the national picture would suggest.

The wider performance of the North West is also encouraging, with the region recording the lowest proportion of price-reduced listings in England. For sellers and estate agents, that points to a market where there is still scope to hold firm on asking prices when a property is accurately valued and appropriately marketed.

Of course, a price reduction isn’t in itself a measure of whether a market is strong or weak. Sellers may reduce their asking price for all sorts of reasons, and the figures don’t tell us how quickly properties are selling. What they do show is where sellers have so far been less likely to need to adjust their expectations.

That local picture is increasingly important. The national housing market can tell you a great deal, but it can’t necessarily tell an individual seller what is happening on their street. For estate agents, understanding those local differences is crucial when advising clients on pricing and setting realistic expectations from the outset.”

Data tables and sources

• *Listings and price data sourced from Zoopla (snapshot 03/08/2026)
• Full data tables can be viewed online here

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