Traffic spike on property portal points to active start to 2026 market
Online property portal Rightmove has reported its highest ever Boxing Day traffic, with visits to its website reaching a new peak as prospective movers began planning transactions for 2026.
Boxing Day has become an informal marker for the start of the busier home-moving season, following what is usually the slowest spell of activity in December. Rightmove said visits across its platforms last Dec. 26 exceeded those seen on the same day in 2024, the previous record year.
Website traffic almost doubled between Christmas Day and Boxing Day, rising by 93% as people shifted from festive activities to property searches. The increase was greater than in the previous year, when the uplift over the same period was 87%.
Alongside higher traffic, measures of buyer and seller engagement also rose in the days immediately after Christmas.
The number of enquiries sent to estate agents to arrange viewings for homes on the market was 67% higher in the five days after Christmas than in the preceding five days.
New instructions also picked up. According to Rightmove, the volume of properties newly listed for sale on its platform was 143% higher in the five days following Christmas compared with the five days beforehand, as prospective vendors worked with agents to launch homes while buyer interest was elevated.
Rightmove said new buyer and seller activity on Boxing Day was strongest in the South East, East of England and London.
Smaller homes dominated new listings on Dec. 26, with properties offering zero to two bedrooms the most commonly advertised. These units are typically the focus for first-time buyers and other price-sensitive purchasers.
The data suggest that agents may be preparing for a busier opening to 2026 after a subdued December, when activity was also influenced by the timing of the Budget and uncertainty around possible policy changes.
“It’s early days but Boxing Day’s data suggests agents could have a busy start to 2026 after a quieter festive period during December, which was also impacted by the lateness of the Budget and the uncertainty around potential policies in the lead up to it,” said Steve Pimblett (pictured right), chief data officer at Rightmove.
“Record breaking visit numbers indicates many are looking to put some of the uncertainty of last year behind them and get going with a 2026 move.”
For Nathan Emerson, chief executive of industry body Propertymark, the sharp rise in enquiries and new listings highlights a strong appetite to move into 2026, particularly among first-time buyers targeting smaller homes.
“Encouragingly, easing inflation and lower base rates compared to this time last year should help improve affordability and confidence, giving the market a stronger platform as the year gets underway,” he said. “While this momentum is positive, it also underlines the importance of ongoing market confidence and stability.”
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