Yorkshire asking prices rose in October, but homes are taking longer to find buyers. Daryl Horsfall explains what this means for South Yorkshire sellers.
The latest property figures contain a useful message for anyone thinking of selling in Rotherham or elsewhere across South Yorkshire: seller confidence has improved, but buyers are still taking their time.
Rightmove's October House Price Index puts the average new asking price in Yorkshire and the Humber at £260,019. That is 0.3% higher than September and 1.6% higher than a year ago.
However, the average time needed to find a buyer across the region has increased to 66 days, compared with 64 days in September and 62 days in August. Nationally, sales agreed are also 8% below the same period last year.
In plain English: prices have not collapsed, but buyers have choice. A hopeful asking price is not the same thing as an achieved sale.
Fresh South Yorkshire house-price evidence
The official UK House Price Index was updated on 21 October. It covers completed sales in August, so it is authoritative but lagged and provisional.
Area - Rotherham
Average price, August 2026 - £191,000
Annual change - +0.7%
First-time-buyer average - £171,000
Average rent, September - £689
Rent annual change - +3.4%
Area - Barnsley
Average price, August 2026 - £173,000
Annual change - +2.0%
First-time-buyer average - £155,000
Average rent, September - £697
Rent annual change - +7.2%
Area - Doncaster
Average price, August 2026 -£173,000
Annual change - +3.8%
First-time-buyer average - £156,000
Average rent, September - £699
Rent annual change - +5.2%
Area - Sheffield
Average price, August 2026 - £218,000
Annual change - broadly unchanged
First-time-buyer average - £192,000
Average rent, September - £936
Rent annual change - +4.1%
The figures show a positive but uneven market. Doncaster recorded the strongest annual completed-price growth of the four authorities, while Rotherham and Sheffield were broadly flat. Barnsley sat between them.
These are local-authority averages, not valuation instructions. They can move because a different mix of homes completed each month. Your home's value still depends on its street, type, size, condition, presentation and the properties competing for the same buyers now.
Asking prices and completed prices answer different questions
Rightmove measures the prices sellers ask when a property first comes to market. The UK House Price Index measures completed transactions, usually agreed several months earlier.
Both are useful, but neither tells us that every South Yorkshire home has changed in value by the headline percentage.
The most practical October signal is the increase to 66 days to find a buyer. It suggests that sellers who launch too ambitiously risk spending their strongest marketing period waiting for the market to catch up.
That does not mean every home needs a low asking price. It means the price needs evidence behind it and the marketing needs to make the property look competitive from day one.
Mortgage rates remain the affordability constraint
Rightmove's mortgage tracker, updated 24 October, recorded an average two-year fixed rate of 5.52% and an average five-year fixed rate of 5.50%. Both were only 0.01 percentage point lower than a week earlier.
The lowest advertised rates were cheaper, but they are not available to every borrower and may carry product fees. Deposit size, income, credit profile and property type all affect the rate actually offered.
Inflation also increased from 3.1% in August to 3.5% in September. Bank Rate remains 3.75%, with the next Bank of England decision due on 5 November. Buyers and sellers should therefore avoid planning a move on the assumption that mortgage costs will fall quickly.
What sellers should do now
- Separate the valuation from the marketing price
A sensible launch range should consider recent completed comparables, current competing homes, likely portal search brackets and your preferred timescale. The highest appraisal figure is not automatically the strategy that produces the highest completed price.
- Treat the first fortnight as evidence
Online views without enquiries, enquiries without viewings, or viewings without second interest each tell us something different. If the response is weak, review the price, presentation and competition while the listing is still relatively fresh.
- Make any price change meaningful
A small cosmetic reduction may not introduce the property to a new audience. If price is the barrier, consider whether the revised figure enters a different Rightmove search bracket and genuinely changes the value comparison.
- Qualify the buyer, not just the offer
With mortgage costs still elevated, a buyer's affordability may have changed since their original agreement in principle. A slightly lower offer from a well-qualified buyer with a manageable chain can be stronger than a higher but uncertain proposal.
What buyers should do
Buyers have more time and choice than they did in a very fast market, but attractive, correctly priced homes can still generate competition.
Refresh your mortgage figures before making an offer, compare total monthly costs rather than the headline price alone, and be clear about your deposit, chain and preferred completion timetable. That makes your offer easier for a seller to assess.
A note for landlords
September rents increased annually across all four South Yorkshire authorities, from 3.4% in Rotherham to 7.2% in Barnsley. Those averages do not guarantee the rent or yield of an individual property.
Landlords should assess achievable rent alongside finance, repairs, management, tax, compliance and the tenancy position. The government is also consulting on extending Awaab's Law-style repair timescales to the private rented sector; it is a proposal, not yet an operative rule for private landlords.
The October takeaway
South Yorkshire remains comparatively affordable and the latest evidence does not point to a market collapse. But rising regional asking prices should not be mistaken for automatic selling-price growth.
The market is rewarding homes that combine a credible price, excellent presentation, the correct online search position and active buyer follow-up. Confidence is useful; evidence is what turns it into a sale.
If you are considering selling in Rotherham or elsewhere across South Yorkshire, visit www.darylhorsfall.com or contact me for an evidence-led valuation and a personalised marketing plan.
Sources
Rightmove House Price Index, October 2026
Office for National Statistics/HM Land Registry, UK House Price Index for August 2026 and private rents for September 2026
Office for National Statistics, Consumer price inflation, September 2026
Rightmove mortgage-rate tracker, updated 24 October 2026
Bank of England, September 2026 Monetary Policy Summary and forthcoming MPC dates
Information correct to 26 October 2026. Local-authority figures are provisional and can be affected by the mix of properties sold. This article provides general market commentary, not financial, mortgage, tax or legal advice. Seek advice appropriate to your circumstances.