Almost half (44%) of UK homes listed on the property market in the past three years have failed to sell, according to new analysis from Zoopla.
The research, conducted among more than 2,000 UK adults who listed their home in the past three years, finds the biggest factor isn't the market, it's the seller's approach to pricing.
Among those who didn't sell, over a third (34%) admit the price their home was listed at was, in hindsight, ‘too high’ having thought it was a ‘fair price’ at the outset. Among those who did sell, 53% of respondents had to cut their asking price to attract a buyer.
Additional Zoopla data shows that the average home sold for 3.5% below the asking price in Q1 2026 — equivalent to £18,800 below the original asking price.
Every 5% a home is priced above the local market average, for that size and type of home, cuts the odds of selling by around 5%, and 10% over the average cuts the odds by 10%.
The survey found that more than six in ten sellers (61%) viewed other properties before getting a valuation of their own property, and nearly a third (32%) put in an offer on another home before they understood the value of their own home.
As a result, more than one in five (21%) admit they set their asking price based on what they needed for their next home, not what their current home was worth on the open market.
Just over half (52%) of sellers under 35 successfully sold their home, compared with 63% of those aged 65 and over, highlighting different success rates by life stage. For under-35s the main reason for selling is trading up to a larger home (44%). While for sellers aged 65 and over, the primary motive is downsizing (34%).
That pressure shows up in pricing. Among under-35 non-sellers a fifth (20%) knowingly overpriced, the temptation to push to the figure needed for the next purchase is hard to resist. Older sellers, with more equity built up and less need to stretch, are more likely to price closer to the market and complete more often.
The lesson is clear: the asking price for any home has to reflect what current buyers in the market will pay, rather than what the seller might need to unlock their next move.
Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, said: "Almost half of homes listed never sell. That isn't down to luck or the market, it comes down to a few decisions, starting with understanding what your home is actually worth today. The average homeowner selling in 2025 had been in their home for nine years, meaning many owners are out of touch with what their home may be worth."
