The survey of 2,000 property owners who had put their home on the market within the last three years, found that 44% did not manage to sell.

Unrealistic pricing is the main cause, according to Zoopla.

Among those homeowners who did not sell, over a third admitted the listing price as “too high” in hindsight even though they initially thought it was priced fairly.

Of those who did sell, 53% had to cut their asking price to attract a buyer. 

Additional data shows that the average home sold for 3.5% below the asking price in Q1 2026, which is equivalent to £18,800 less.

Analysis of recent sold and unsold listings reinforce the findings.

An extra 5% on the listing price above the local market average, cuts the odds of selling by 5%.

A 10% price premium cuts the odds of selling by 10%, it found. 

Zoopla executive director Richard Donnell says: “Almost half of homes listed never sell. 

“That isn’t down to luck or the market, it comes down to a few decisions, starting with understanding what your home is actually worth today. 

“The average homeowner selling in 2025 had been in their home for nine years, meaning many owners are out of touch with what their home may be worth.

“Online tools are a great starting point for keeping track of what your home is worth. 

“When it comes to actually selling, sellers need specifics — and that’s where speaking to several trusted local agents who know the area and the buyers actively looking can guide sellers on how to price and market their home for a sale.”

Estate agency John D Wood & Co’s managing director Polly Ogden Duffy advises that ‘testing the market’ with higher pricing is a bad idea.

She says: “Sellers often worry about underselling, but in reality it’s far easier to oversell a property than undersell it. 

“If a home is priced too high, buyers will simply move on, and more often than not, it will end up needing a reduction later.”