If January is a quiet time of year and Spring sees a busy rush, February can offer a ‘sweet spot’ in the middle.
By kick-starting your search this month, you compete with fewer buyers while finding enough properties to choose from. Let’s look at these advantages in more detail.
Fewer buyers to compete with
The surge of Spring activity brings plenty of buyers, all booking in property viewings – including, perhaps, for that place you’ve got your eye on. This competition can drive up prices, create bidding wars and, more generally, increase the pressure to make fast decisions.
Searching for a home in February, on the other hand, gives you more time and headspace to mull over your options.
Motivated sellers
Unfortunately, not everyone who puts their home up for sale is utterly serious. Sometimes they are testing the market and seeing what’s out there.
When it comes to selling during the winter, however, people tend to have a different approach. They might need to sell by a particular date for a new job, for instance. The upshot? They knuckle down and focus on completing a deal.
Enough choice of properties
While the January market can seem very quiet, come February, people begin to venture out to estate agents and make arrangements for their house sales. Streets become dotted with ‘For Sale’ signs, giving you more properties to choose from.
In 2025, a Rightmove survey found that February was one of the best months to put a house on the market, with the highest number of homes making it to completion. This success rate suggests a good number of homes coming up for sale, paired with serious buyers and sellers.
An insight into the property in winter conditions
Is the house warm during the winter frost? Are there drafts around the windows? Problems with the boiler? Visiting a property during February can help give you a realistic view of its current condition. If a new boiler is needed, for example, you can factor this into the calculations for your finances.
With this in mind, make sure you book an appointment during daylight hours when you’re not relying on artificial light. Although building inspectors can do a more thorough job, it’s worth having an initial look at this stage.
An easier time with the conveyancing process
When buying a house can get stressful, you’ll appreciate anything that helps the conveyancing process tick along. Since February is still relatively quiet for property purchases, industry professionals like estate agents, solicitors and conveyancers have slightly more breathing room.
That can mean faster turnaround times and – fingers crossed – a smoother process across the whole buying chain.
Final thoughts
Many consider February to be a strategic month to start a property search. You’ve waited out most of the dark, quiet winter, and you’re still avoiding the crowded markets of Springtime when competition heats up. Are you tempted? For advice on what’s happening in your local area, look up your nearest Winkworth branch and talk to an experienced estate agent.
