According to Rightmove, the average asking price for a home in the UK fell to £364,999 in August. That is 2% lower than in July, a drop of £7,360. It is the largest August fall since 2018. The usual fall for the month is 1.3%.
Supply is the bigger story. Rightmove reports more homes for sale than at any August in 12 years, and the highest London supply in 16 years. The company has also cut its forecast for the year. It now expects national average prices to finish flat, or up to 2% lower, having previously forecast a rise of 2%.
01Why this reads better for property businesses than for sellers
A softer market moves work towards getting properties ready to sell. More homes listed means more surveys, more clearances and more small refurbishments. A seller who needs to move still has to spend something to compete.
The lending data points the same way. According to UK Finance, 8,390 buy-to-let mortgages were in arrears in the second quarter of 2026. That is 26% fewer than a year earlier. Homeowner arrears fell 11% over the same period, and homeowner possessions remain well below the long-term average.
02The cash flow catch
A busy autumn is expensive before it is profitable. Materials are bought up front and labour is paid weekly, while invoices are settled after sign-off.
Borrowing has also got slightly dearer for the people paying you. According to Rightmove, the average two-year fixed mortgage rate is 5.09%, up from 4.95% a month earlier. Expect more customers to ask to pay in stages.
We have written a fuller plan for funding an autumn workload, including which type of finance fits which gap. Read the autumn working capital plan for property trades.
