Oliver Custance Baker
Head of National Country House Department
Strutt & Parker’s National Country House Department has recorded an exceptionally busy start to December, with the total value of properties going under offer around 45% higher than during the same period last year - and more than double 2023’s figures. The volume of exchanges so far this month has also surpassed those seen in the totality of November.
Strutt & Parker’s National Country House Department has recorded an exceptionally busy start to December, with the total value of properties going under offer around 45% higher than during the same period last year - and more than double 2023’s figures. The volume of exchanges so far this month has also surpassed those seen in the totality of November.
Following months of speculation, the Autumn Budget appears to have injected fresh confidence into the country house market. In the seven days after the announcement, the total value of exchanges was more than 180% higher than the same week last year, signalling a clear shift in sentiment. Sellers have responded quickly to this change, with some launching immediately to capture the post-Budget activity, while others are preparing to come to market as soon as doors open in January. The department is now gearing up for a busy start to 2026, with several significant country houses due to launch in the first fortnight of the new year.
Oliver Custance Baker, Head of the National Country House Department, comments: “After a particularly prolonged run-up to the Autumn Budget, buyers and sellers finally have clarity. This has certainly allowed people to move forward with plans that had previously been on hold, and what we’re seeing now is confidence really returning across the market.”
This uplift builds on steady momentum from the team throughout the autumn. As expected, figures across the board rose sharply in September following the summer period, with performance improving month-on-month. That pace continued into October and November. Across those two months, the combined value of agreed sales was 25% higher than the same period last year, reflecting a cohort of motivated buyers and sellers who were keen to conclude transactions ahead of the Budget. In Yorkshire alone, September and October delivered £25M worth of exchanges.
Buyer demand has remained resolutely strong throughout the year. “Our registrations are more than 40% higher year-to-date compared to 2024, despite a somewhat challenging economic backdrop. Interest rates have eased only gradually, and prolonged Budget speculation weighed on sentiment for much of the second half of the year,” explains Oliver Custance Baker. “Even so, committed purchasers have continued to underpin activity in the prime country house market.”
Over the past 12 months, the department has completed a number of notable sales across the country. These include Howsham Hall in Yorkshire (guide price £5 million), Hazelbury Manor in Wiltshire (guide price £7.5 million), and Saffron House in Essex (guide price £5.75 million), alongside several significant off-market transactions - particularly in the Cotswolds.
The National Country House Department has also continued to solidify its nationwide presence this year, with strategic appointments strengthening their presence in key regions. New hires include James Robinson in the Midlands, and James Machell and Jordan Sturgess across the Home Counties.