Swansea (+8.4) and Bristol (+6.3) posted the largest quarterly rises in demand, while London (+1.9), Newport (+1.8), Glasgow (+1.5) and Manchester (+1.4) also improved. Portsmouth saw the steepest quarterly decline, down 18.7 percentage points, followed by Sheffield (-13.1), Southampton (-11.9) and Edinburgh (-9.3).

Annually, Swansea recorded the strongest improvement in demand, up 15.1 percentage points on the second quarter of 2025, followed by Plymouth (+8.5), Bristol (+6.6), Bournemouth (+5.5) and Nottingham (+4.5). Southampton posted the largest annual decline, down 15.8 percentage points, ahead of Newport (-12.1), Leicester (-9.0), Portsmouth (-8.4) and Edinburgh (-5.5).

Leicester and Aberdeen had the weakest buyer take-up of the cities surveyed, at 1.2% and 1.9% respectively, while Liverpool and Newport both recorded a rate of 3.2%.


New-build demand in Q2 2026 in Britain


Location

Demand

Qtr change

Yr change


Bristol

25.7%

6.3%

6.6%


Plymouth

21.3%

0.8%

8.5%


Nottingham

21.1%

-3.5%

4.5%


Sheffield

21.0%

-13.1%

0.4%


Bournemouth

20.5%

-2.3%

5.5%


Portsmouth

19.6%

-18.7%

-8.4%


Southampton

19.5%

-11.9%

-15.8%


Swansea

16.2%

8.4%

15.1%


Glasgow

14.9%

1.5%

-4.6%


Cardiff

12.4%

-1.0%

-2.3%


Edinburgh

12.0%

-9.3%

-5.5%


London

10.3%

1.9%

-1.2%


Manchester

10.1%

1.4%

-1.2%


Birmingham

10.1%

1.0%

-0.5%


Leeds

8.0%

1.1%

-0.5%


Newcastle

5.6%

-1.8%

-1.0%


Newport

3.2%

1.8%

-12.1%


Liverpool

3.2%

0.4%

0.2%


Aberdeen

1.9%

0.1%

-2.4%


Leicester

1.2%

-2.7%

-9.0%


Great Britain

16.3%

-0.1%

-1.8%



Sián Hemming-Metcalfe of Property Inspect“While the overall picture remains relatively stable, the continued decline in new-build stock suggests that developers are bringing fewer homes to market in some areas, even as buyer demand remains selective,” said Sián Hemming-Metcalfe (picutred right), operations director at Property Inspect.

“What stands out this quarter is the contrast between local markets. Some cities are seeing buyers engage with new-build homes at a healthy rate, while others continue to face much tougher conditions. This reinforces the importance of understanding local demand dynamics rather than relying on a national picture alone. 

“Today’s buyers are taking more time to assess value, quality, and long-term confidence before committing. In that environment, transparency and trust remain essential. Developers who can demonstrate quality and provide reassurance throughout the buying process are likely to be best placed to convert interest into sales.” 

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