There has been quite a bit of talk this week about house prices falling over the coming months.
A recent report has highlighted concerns from estate agents and property experts that the UK housing market could come under more pressure as we move towards the end of 2026, with higher mortgage rates, affordability and uncertainty around the economy all having an impact.
But, as always with property, I think it is important to look beyond the headlines.
Because while the national market is showing signs of slowing down, that doesn’t necessarily mean your house in Chester is suddenly going to lose thousands of pounds in value.
In fact, the latest figures for Cheshire West and Chester paint a rather different picture.
What is happening to house prices?
The latest national figures show that the UK housing market has become much more subdued.
Nationwide reported that average UK house prices fell by 0.2% in September, with annual growth slowing to just 0.8%. Lloyds also reported that prices were unchanged both monthly and annually in September.
At the same time, the latest RICS survey showed increasing downward pressure on prices, with buyer enquiries and agreed sales also weakening.
So yes, there are some genuine reasons for buyers and sellers to be cautious.
Mortgage rates have increased, the cost of living is still putting pressure on household budgets and there is uncertainty around the economy and the upcoming Budget.
But that doesn’t mean every part of the country is behaving in the same way.
Chester is still showing growth
This is the bit I think is particularly important for homeowners in Chester.
The latest official figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the average house price in Cheshire West and Chester was around £270,000 in July 2026, which was 5.8% higher than a year earlier.
That compares with annual growth of around 4.4% across the North West.
So, despite all the negative headlines, property prices locally have actually continued to show growth.
Of course, the market can change and the figures will move from month to month, but it is a good reminder that the UK housing market isn’t one single market.
What happens in London, for example, isn’t necessarily what happens in Chester.
So should you sell your house now?
This is probably the question most homeowners are asking.
And honestly, I don’t think anyone should be making a decision based purely on a newspaper headline saying house prices might fall.
If you’re thinking about selling your house in Chester, the most important thing is understanding what buyers are actually prepared to pay for your particular property today.
There are still buyers looking.
The difference is that buyers are becoming more careful. They’re looking closely at price, condition, location and what else is available.
That means pricing your property correctly from day one has never been more important.
We’ve all seen properties sitting on the market for months because they’ve been priced too optimistically, only for the seller to eventually reduce the asking price.
In a market like this, I’d much rather see a property priced properly, generate interest and create competition between buyers than start too high and spend months chasing the market down.
The market isn’t dead buyers are just more selective
I think this is where some of the headlines can be misleading.
Yes, things are slower.
Yes, buyers have more choice in some areas.
And yes, mortgage rates are having an impact on what people can afford.
But people still need to move.
People get new jobs. Families grow. Relationships change. People retire. Some need to be closer to family, schools or work.
There will always be people who need to buy and sell property.
The key is making sure your property stands out when those buyers are looking.
What does this mean if you’re selling in Chester?
If you’re considering selling your home in Chester, Ellesmere Port, Saltney, Blacon, Broughton or the surrounding areas, I wouldn’t be panicking because of predictions about what might happen to house prices over the next few months.
Instead, I’d be asking three simple questions:
What is my property realistically worth today?
How much demand is there for my type of property?
What can I do to make sure I achieve the best possible price?
Getting the price right, having strong marketing and making sure your property is being seen by as many serious buyers as possible can make a huge difference.
And if the market does become more challenging towards the end of the year, sellers who have a realistic strategy are likely to be in a much stronger position than those who simply put a high asking price on the property and hope for the best.
Our advice to homeowners
At A Move Homes, we don’t believe in telling homeowners what they want to hear just to win the instruction.
If your home is worth £300,000, we’d rather explain why we believe it is worth £300,000 than tell you it’s worth £325,000 just to get you on our books.
The market is changing, and honest advice is important.
The latest figures show that Cheshire West and Chester has continued to perform relatively strongly, even while the wider UK market has slowed.
Nobody can predict exactly what house prices will do over the next six months. But if you’re considering selling your house in Chester, waiting indefinitely for the “perfect” market isn’t necessarily the answer either.
Sometimes the best time to sell is simply when it works for you — provided you have the right price, the right marketing and the right estate agent behind you.
Thinking about selling your house in Chester?
If you’re wondering “How much is my house worth?”, we’d be happy to give you an honest, no-obligation valuation.
At A Move Homes, we specialise in selling homes across Chester and the surrounding areas, with a straightforward approach and competitive 1% sales fee with NO VAT.
