Posted: 22nd January 2026
24.4% of Reading Home Sales Fell Through in 2025 | What Homeowners Need to Know
24.4% of Reading Home Sales Fell Through in 2025
What this means for Reading homeowners
In 2025, 24.4% of agreed property sales in Reading did not complete, and this is more important than many homeowners think.
In Reading, where sales chains are often longer and buyers are more sensitive to price, this has a bigger impact. Agreeing a sale has never meant a guarantee, since properties are sold “subject to contract”. Still, it may surprise you that nearly a quarter of agreed sales in the town fall through. That is a high number by any standard.
To put that percentage into context, 679 Reading households lost their move to their future forever home because their house sale fell through.
Across the UK in 2025, the rate was 23.67%, and in the South East it was 26.29%. So why does this happen, and what can Reading homeowners do to reduce the risk?
Why home sales fall through
The most common reason for sales falling through is buyers changing their minds, accounting for just over one in three failed sales. Most of these buyers lose patience with the process, which now takes on average around 19 weeks from agreeing a sale to moving in. Twenty years ago, this was closer to eight weeks.
Delays often arise because legal and mortgage work takes time, or because there is not enough communication between agents, solicitors, mortgage advisers, and others involved in the chain.
The next biggest reason is difficulty securing a mortgage, causing just under one in three sales to fall through. Lending rules remain tight. Even buyers who initially appear strong can be affected by affordability checks, undisclosed debt, CCJs, down-valuations, or changes in interest rates before the mortgage is finalised.
Survey-related renegotiations are the next most common reason, making up just under one in five cases. Often the survey does not reveal anything unexpected, but it is used as a reason to request a price reduction. If a seller declines, the sale can collapse.
Chain breaks account for around one in eight fall-throughs, making them the smallest category. This challenges the long-held belief that chains are the main villain in the home-moving process.
The cost of sales falling through in Reading
In 2025, 258,000 house sales fell through across the UK. The House Buyer Bureau estimates the average cost of a failed sale at £3,337. That equates to £860 million lost nationally in a single year.
For Reading homeowners, this meant a combined loss of £2,265,823 due to failed house sales in 2025.
The five ways Reading homeowners can reduce risk
There is no single silver bullet to prevent a sale falling through, but there are steps that can significantly reduce the odds.
First, choose the right Reading estate agent.
The best agent is not just about their fee or the headline price. Selling a home is not about agreeing a sale, it is about completing one. The real work begins after an offer is accepted. Strong agents manage the process closely, set clear expectations, communicate frequently, and spot problems early. They keep pressure on legal, survey, and mortgage stages because delays create doubt, and doubt kills deals. In today’s market, agents should be judged not just on how many sales they agree, but on how many actually complete.
Second, instruct a solicitor as soon as your property goes on the market.
Do not wait until an offer is accepted. Early instruction can remove weeks of delay and reduce uncertainty. I am happy to help with this if needed.
Third, gather your paperwork upfront.
Providing title documents, building certificates, gas safety records, lease information, and other key paperwork early builds buyer confidence and speeds up the process.
Fourth, set a realistic price.
Pricing correctly from the start is one of the most effective ways to reduce fall-through risk. Only 53.5% of UK homes listed actually sell, and once a property has been on the market for more than 12 weeks, its chance of selling drops to just 14.5%.
Homes that agree a sale within 25 days have a 94% chance of completing, compared to just 56% if the sale is agreed after 100 days. Properties priced correctly from day one are 135% more likely to sell, take a third of the time to do so, and are half as likely to fall through. Pricing well is not about pressure, it is about speed, certainty, and making your move happen.
Fifth, ensure your buyer is properly qualified.
Your agent should check proof of funds, mortgage agreements in principle, and fully understand the buyer’s position and chain. These checks matter more than the headline offer figure.
How the right Reading estate agent can help you move home
If you are planning to move in Reading in 2026, do not rush. Prepare instead. Take time before putting your home on the market, not after you have agreed a sale. Consider instructing solicitors when you put your home on the market. These steps do not remove all risk, but they significantly improve your chances of a smooth move.
If you would like to talk through fall-through rates, what they mean locally in Reading, or how to reduce the risk on your own move, start the conversation early. Most Reading estate agents are professional, and should you choose to speak with me as one of them, I would consider it an honour to discuss this with no obligation, whether about selling or any other aspect of moving home.
If you are thinking about moving in 2026 and want to understand how your home would perform in today’s market, a proper valuation is the right place to start. This is not just about price, but about strategy, timing, and reducing the risk of a sale falling through.
You can book a valuation at a time that suits you, with no obligation, and talk through the options before making any decisions.
Calm preparation beats last-minute panic every time.
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