The Lancaster Property Update | September 2025

After a very busy summer, with 106 homes sold in July and 70 in August, the September market in Lancaster slowed further with just 65 sales agreed. September is usually one of the busier months of the year as children go back to school and the university springs back into life. This year, however, it’s felt quieter.

There’s no doubt that the upcoming Renters Reform Bill has caused many landlords to pause their buying plans. Uncertainty surrounding the university and a looming budget haven’t helped either. What’s interesting though, is that buyers are still looking. Daily views on Rightmove may be down year-on-year, but here at JDG we still registered 161 new buyers in September. What has changed is their behaviour — the types of homes they’re searching for and the choice now available to them. This becomes clearer when we look at what’s actually selling.

Here are your figures for September.....

What is selling

Terrace homes continue to lead the way, making up almost half of September’s sales (31 agreed). Semi-detached homes followed with 14 sales, while detached properties and apartments saw 9 sales each. Just 2 bungalows changed hands, highlighting the limited movement in this part of the market.

By price bracket, the £125,001–£250,000 range was the busiest with 31 sales, showing strong demand from first-time buyers and young families. Homes under £125,000 saw 17 sales, while the mid-range £250,001–£500,000 market achieved 15 completions. At the top end, just 2 properties sold above £500,000.

Location-wise, LA1 2 was the most active postcode with 19 sales, followed by LA1 4 (14) and LA1 3 (13). This reflects a steady appetite for central and well-connected areas.

What is happening with house prices in Lancaster

House prices in Lancaster have shown a mixed picture over the past 12 months. Detached homes have softened, with the average price now at £356,755, compared to £376,417 last year — a fall of around 3.4%. This reflects a cooling at the higher-value end of the market, where affordability has become more of a challenge.

In contrast, smaller homes have held up well and in some cases grown in value. Semi-detached properties are now averaging £213,507, up 5.8% per square foot on last year. Terraced homes sit at £167,641, up 3.1%, and apartments have climbed to £125,244, showing growth of 3.2%.

What this tells us is that demand in Lancaster is being driven by affordability. Buyers are focusing on homes in the £125,000–£225,000 range, where their budgets stretch further and where rental demand also remains strong. Larger detached properties are still popular with families, but with higher mortgage costs, buyers are being more selective.

What this means for buyers and sellers

For sellers, the key message is that well-priced and well-presented homes are the ones selling. Buyers are shying away from properties needing TLC and instead want homes that are move-in ready. With competition from the growing number of new build homes, presentation has never been more important. When there is so much choice, sellers should ask themselves: why should somebody buy my home?

For buyers, this market brings a balance of opportunities. Detached homes are more affordable than a year ago, giving room to negotiate, while semi-detached and terraced homes remain competitive. If you are looking for a home under £250,000, expect strong demand and be ready to act quickly when the right property comes along.

Closing thoughts

As of October 1st, there are 460 homes available for sale in Lancaster. The average time it takes to sell in LA1 has now stretched to 82 days, up from 70 days this time last year. However, it’s worth noting that not all sales are slow — several homes we agreed sales on in September attracted multiple offers and moved quickly. The common thread? Sensible pricing, great presentation, and a strong “why buy me” factor.

At JDG, we’re proud that 1 in 3 homes sold in Lancaster last month were sold through us. It’s proof that when the right strategy is applied — combining price, presentation, and promotion — selling success still follows, even in a market where buyers are being more cautious.

If you would like to chat about what is currently happening in the Lancaster Housing Market, please get in touch.  My name is Michelle Gallagher and I am always here to help. You can call me on 01524 843322 or email at michelle@jdg.co.uk

Thanks for reading

Michelle