Yes – but I don’t think the answer is as simple as saying “it’s a good market” or “it’s a bad market”. In LE3 right now, how you sell is becoming just as important as when you sell.
I’m seeing buyers who are still very much in the market, but they aren’t necessarily in a rush. They have options, they’re comparing properties and they’re prepared to wait when something doesn’t represent good value.
At the same time, I’m seeing properties come to the market at ambitious price points simply to “try it and see”. Some of those properties then sit for weeks or months with very little meaningful interest.
For me, that’s one of the biggest things happening in the LE3 property market right now.
Buyers are still buying
It’s important not to confuse a more cautious market with a market where nobody wants to move.
There are still buyers looking across Western Park, West End, Westcotes, Braunstone, Leicester Forest East, Kirby Muxloe and the wider LE3 area.
What has changed is their behaviour.
Buyers are taking their time. They’re looking at more properties, comparing what they can get for their money and waiting for the house that feels like the right opportunity.
That means sellers can’t necessarily rely on a buyer falling in love with a property simply because it is available.
The property has to make sense.
The price needs to feel right. The presentation needs to create the right first impression. The marketing needs to make the property stand out. And once it is on the market, the strategy needs to be actively managed.
I’m seeing too many properties being priced to “try it”
This is something I feel quite strongly about.
There’s a difference between testing the market with a well-considered asking price and putting a number on a property because you’d like to see if somebody will pay it.
The problem with the latter is that the first few weeks on the market are incredibly valuable.
That’s when your property has its greatest opportunity to attract attention. Buyers who have been searching for months are seeing it for the first time. Your listing appears alongside everything else currently available.
If the price is too ambitious, buyers can simply scroll past it.
And once a property has been sitting around for a while, it becomes much harder to create that sense of something being new and exciting.
That’s why I believe being proactive rather than reactive is so important.
The first couple of weeks tell you a lot
I always think the first couple of weeks should be treated as a period of feedback.
Not necessarily as a reason to immediately reduce the price.
Instead, look at what is actually happening.
Are people seeing the property?
Are they enquiring?
Are they booking viewings?
Are they viewing but not offering?
What are buyers saying when they do view?
And, importantly, how does all of that activity compare with the price you’re asking?
A lack of offers doesn’t automatically mean the price is wrong. It could be the marketing. It could be the presentation. It could be the way the property is positioned against its competition.
But if the response is consistently weak, you need to be prepared to listen to what the market is telling you.
I’ve seen this first-hand
One of my recent sales on Ainsdale Road, LE3 is a good example.
The property had already been on the market with another agent for around three months.
The issue wasn’t that the property was unsellable. It was that the positioning wasn’t working.
I met with the sellers, looked at where the property sat within the market and recommended repositioning the price by around £15,000, bringing it into more relevant buyer search brackets.
Alongside that, we improved the marketing.
The result?
The property sold within 10 days – and achieved over the asking price. Close to the original marketing price!
For me, that’s a good example of why I don’t believe selling a property is simply about putting the highest possible valuation on the table.
It’s about understanding the market and having a strategy.
So, is now a good time to sell in LE3?
Yes – if you’re prepared to sell properly.
I wouldn’t advise every homeowner in LE3 to sell immediately, just as I wouldn’t advise everyone to wait.
The right decision depends on your circumstances, your property and what you want to achieve.
But if you’re thinking about selling, I would strongly recommend getting an honest view of the market rather than choosing an estate agent simply because they have given you the highest valuation.
A high valuation is easy to give. Achieving it is the difficult part.
The sellers I work best with are those who want honest advice, strong marketing and someone who is going to stay involved throughout the process.
That’s how I work.
Since starting my career in property in 2015, I’ve built my approach around professional advice, honest communication and marketing that helps homes stand out.
As an estate agent covering LE3, including Western Park, West End, Westcotes, Braunstone, Leicester Forest East and Kirby Muxloe, I work directly with homeowners throughout the selling process – from the initial valuation and marketing strategy through to negotiating the sale and helping it progress towards completion.
I believe estate agency should be professional and effective, but it should also feel human.
If you’re considering selling a property in LE3 and would like an honest opinion on where your home sits in today’s market, I’d be happy to help.
I’m Eliot Putman, an estate agent with Hortons covering LE3 and the surrounding areas. You can find out more about me, my approach and the properties I’m currently marketing on my agent page, or get in touch to arrange a valuation.
