The country house market is shaping up for a busy start to 2026 after a sharp post-Budget uplift in agreed sales and exchanges, according to Strutt & Parker’s national country house team.
The agency said early December has been notably strong, with the total value of properties going under offer around 45% higher than the same period last year. The figure is also more than double the level seen in 2023, prompting Strutt & Parker to warn investors and buyers to expect a fast-moving start to the new year.
The surge was particularly pronounced immediately after the Budget. In the first seven days following the Chancellor’s statement, the total value of exchanges was more than 180% higher than the same week a year earlier — a jump the agency says reflects a clear improvement in market confidence once fiscal uncertainty lifted.
Sellers have moved quickly to capitalise. Strutt & Parker said some owners launched properties immediately after the Budget to catch the uptick in activity, while others are now lining up launches for early January. The firm expects a wave of prime country houses to hit the market in the first fortnight of 2026, with demand already building among buyers who paused decisions during the run-up to the Budget.
The post-Budget lift follows a steady strengthening trend through the autumn. Activity rose sharply in September after the summer lull and continued to improve month-on-month into October and November. Over those two months, the combined value of agreed sales was 25% higher than the same period last year, driven by buyers and sellers seeking to complete deals ahead of potential policy shifts.
In Yorkshire, Strutt & Parker said September and October alone delivered £25 million worth of exchanges, underlining the depth of demand outside the traditional southern hotspots.
Over the past 12 months, the department has handled several notable country house transactions including Howsham Hall in Yorkshire (guide price £5 million), Hazelbury Manor in Wiltshire (£7.5 million) and Saffron House in Essex (£5.75 million). It also reported a number of significant off-market deals, particularly in the Cotswolds, where discreet sales continue to form a major part of the prime market.
With momentum building and new stock preparing to launch as soon as January, Strutt & Parker believes the early weeks of 2026 could see one of the strongest starts to the year in recent times for the country house sector.
