Enquiry levels returned to normal levels in June after an 8% drop linked to the May hot spell coinciding with half term
Buyer demand in the UK property market has recovered following a brief decline caused by the late-May heatwave, according to real-time data from Rightmove.
Analysis beginning on 22 May, when the heatwave started, shows that buyer demand fell by 8% over the following week as prospective purchasers postponed viewings. The drop was attributed to the overlap of unusually high temperatures with the school half-term break.
Demand began recovering from 1 June as temperatures fell, and by 6 June had surpassed pre-heatwave levels, with seasonal trends resuming. Rightmove noted that the volume of buyer enquiries sent to agents remains below year-ago levels but is broadly stable, consistent with trends recorded throughout 2026.
"It's not unusual for short-term external events like a heatwave or school holidays to have a temporary impact on home-moving activity, and this time we had both at the same time, so it isn't surprising that some buyers paused their searches or delayed viewings for a few days," said Colleen Babcock (pictured right), property expert at Rightmove.
"What's more telling is how quickly demand tends to bounce back, as we're now seeing, with underlying market activity remaining consistent with what we've seen in 2026 so far."
Mary-Lou Press (pictured right), president of industry body NAEA Propertymark, said the recovery was encouraging. "External factors such as school holidays, major events and periods of exceptionally warm weather can temporarily affect viewing activity," she said.
"While some buyers may have delayed their property searches during the recent heatwave, it is encouraging to see demand rebound so quickly once normal routines resumed.
"The key takeaway is that underlying buyer appetite remains resilient despite ongoing affordability pressures. Many people are still motivated to move, and the swift recovery in enquiries demonstrates that short-term dips in activity should not be mistaken for a loss of market confidence."
"We regularly see patterns like this in our real-time data, whether it's seasonal shifts, major events like the World Cup coming up, or even cultural moments influencing behaviour," Babcock added.
Rightmove said its platform, which draws on millions of data points from its home-moving audience, routinely captures the effects of external events on the property market. Earlier this year, it reported a rise in searches for properties on Corfu following the broadcast of Amanda & Alan's Greek Job.
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