South coast house prices: asking vs sold price questions answered
Straight answers to the questions buyers ask most, using only the figures published in our South coast asking vs sold research research. Where we don't have data for a question, we say so.
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Do houses on the south coast sell below asking price?
Across Bournemouth, Southampton and Portsmouth, homes are generally listed above what they sell for: by 9.6% in Portsmouth, 9.4% in Southampton and 3.4% in Bournemouth.
Some property types buck the trend: Portsmouth terraced homes are listed 2.2% below sold prices and Bournemouth semi-detached homes 2.0% below. The gaps are indicative because asking prices are medians and sold prices are House Price Index averages.
How much below asking should I offer on the south coast?
The right offer depends on the home, not the city: gaps range from 13.4% above sold prices (Southampton detached) to 2.2% below (Portsmouth terraced).
Base your offer on recent sales of similar homes on the same street and on how long the property has been listed.
Are flats or houses more overpriced on the south coast?
It varies by city. Bournemouth flats have the widest gap of any type at 13.2%, while in Southampton detached houses lead at 13.4% (£56,000).
In Portsmouth, detached homes are listed 6.0% above sold prices and flats 5.4% above, while terraced homes are listed below.
Which south coast city sells closest to asking?
Bournemouth, where homes are listed just 3.4% above the average sold price overall.
Our research does not break figures down by neighbourhood within each city, so we cannot name specific areas.
Is it a buyer's or seller's market on the south coast in 2026?
It differs by city: sold prices fell 1.9% in Bournemouth but rose 2.4% in Southampton and 1.3% in Portsmouth in the year to July 2026.
We do not publish a formal market index. Wide gaps for Bournemouth flats and Southampton detached homes suggest more negotiating room for those buyers.
How long do south coast homes take to sell?
Median time on the market is 159 days in Bournemouth, 143 days in Southampton and 129 days in Portsmouth.
Bournemouth flats take longest, with an average of 339 days on the market.
Should I offer the asking price on the south coast?
For most homes, asking prices are above average sold prices, so full asking is often not necessary.
Portsmouth terraced homes and Bournemouth semi-detached homes are listed below their average sold prices, so an offer close to asking may be needed for those.
What are average sold prices on the south coast?
Average sold prices in July 2026 (provisional UK House Price Index) were £310,000 in Bournemouth, £236,000 in Southampton and £251,000 in Portsmouth.
Median asking prices were £320,435, £258,106 and £275,000 respectively.
How can I check if a south coast property is overpriced?
Compare the asking price with what similar homes nearby have actually sold for, and check how long the property has been listed.
City averages are only a starting point. A free Offer Smart report compares a specific south coast listing or address with recent Land Registry sales nearby and gives a verdict on whether the asking price looks high. Our free offer letter generator then drafts an evidence-based offer email to the estate agent.
Check a property before you offer
See how a specific home's asking price compares with recent sales nearby, then send the agent an offer backed by evidence.
Read the full South coast asking vs sold research research →