Published: 11 November 2026
UK Sotheby’s International Realty sold £491 million worth of property between July and September 2026. A look at the homes that changed hands, the people who bought them and what came to market during the quarter.
A five-bedroom duplex in a portered Belgravia building was among the sales we highlighted in September. Spread over two floors, with private outdoor space, it had the bedroom count of a family house and the convenience of a managed building. For someone who travels frequently but wants room for family and guests when they’re in London, that combination can make an apartment a natural choice.
Across UK Sotheby’s International Realty’s third-quarter sales, houses accounted for 59% of properties sold and flats for 41%. The average sale price was £6.3 million, and properties achieved an average of 94% of guide price. Once a property was under offer, the average time to exchange was eight weeks, with completion taking an average of 11 weeks from the same point.
Who Bought And What They Were Looking For
The most common reason for buying was to find somewhere to live day to day. Among the buyers profiled in our Q3 report, 43% bought a main residence and a further 25% bought a second home. Investment accounted for 10% of purchases, relocation for 8% and buying for children for 5%. The remaining 9% bought for other reasons.
For a main residence, the search often comes down to the particulars of an ordinary week. A generous reception room may be what draws someone to a house, but the decision might hinge on how the kitchen connects to the garden, whether there’s somewhere quiet to work or how long it takes to get to school. A second home has to fit around a different routine. For someone coming to London for a few days at a time, a straightforward journey from the station and a well-managed building may carry more weight. A home used for longer stays may need room for visitors and somewhere to work during the day.
Buyers aged 40 to 49 formed the largest group in the age breakdown, followed by those in the 50 to 59 bracket. The UK was the largest category shown in the nationality chart, which also included buyers from Europe, Asia, the United States and the Middle East. The report separately classified 69% of demand among profiled buyers as international and 31% as local. An international search can be for a permanent move just as readily as for a base in London. The reasons for buying show how varied those briefs can be across the quarter.
Cash accounted for 66% of purchases in the finance breakdown, with mortgages making up the other 34%. For sellers weighing up offers, the finance arrangements are part of the practical picture. A mortgage brings a lender’s valuation and timetable into the transaction, while both cash and mortgage buyers will need time for legal enquiries. The average time to completion gives sellers a point of reference when planning their own move.
What Came To Market
New instructions totalled £1.22 billion in value over the quarter, with an average property value of £6.34 million. Among the September launches was The Eleven, a collection of four residences within a restored Queen Anne Revival building on Palace Court in Notting Hill. Dating from 1889, the building now houses two- to four-bedroom homes ranging from 1,597 to 1,803 sq. ft., with bespoke kitchens, natural marble and lift access. Grove House was the first residence to launch.
Two other properties featured in September show just how different the options were. On Jermyn Street in St James’s, a refurbished three-bedroom apartment offered approximately 1,306 sq. ft. on a single floor, with a large private roof terrace moments from Piccadilly and Green Park. In Battersea, the Grade II* listed Old Battersea House, which dates from 1699, extended to 10,536 sq. ft., with seven bedrooms and private walled gardens. One offers a single-floor layout in the West End, with outdoor space of its own. The other gives a household room to spread out, with gardens that feel removed from the city around them.
The range at Palace Court makes the same point on a smaller scale. At a single address, a two-bedroom home and a four-bedroom home can appeal to people with quite different plans for their time in London. For one buyer, the spare bedroom may need to double as a study. For another, having room for family to stay may be the reason to move in the first place. Those details give the quarter’s figures a human dimension and help explain why homes with quite different layouts can answer a similar brief.
Final Thoughts
Taken together, the sales and new instructions reflect the breadth of reasons people buy a home, whether that be a permanent family base or a city pied a terres. The quarter’s results demonstrate the strength of our business, the confidence of our clients and our ability to connect exceptional homes with buyers from across the world. With a stellar portfolio of new instructions and an established international network, we enter the final quarter well placed to build on that performance and finish the year on a strong note.
