Across much of the UK, Boxing Day is usually associated with leftovers, relaxed family visits and a slower pace after Christmas Day. Yet for many households, the 26th of December has also become an increasingly popular moment to start thinking seriously about moving home.
This post-Christmas surge in interest is widely known in the property sector as the “Boxing Day bounce”. It reflects a sharp rise in online activity as people begin browsing homes for sale once the festive rush has passed.
Property portals consistently report a dramatic jump in traffic on Boxing Day compared with Christmas Day. Zoopla data shows that Christmas Day is typically the quietest day of the year for property searches, before interest rises by close to 70% the following day.
Importantly, the increase does not stop there. Search activity usually continues to build into January, with interest often peaking three to four weeks into the new year as buyers move from casual browsing to more active enquiries.
Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, says the Boxing Day bounce reflects a shift in mindset. After spending time with family and friends, many people begin to think about fresh starts, new goals and lifestyle changes they hope to make in the year ahead.
He explains that Boxing Day attracts a wide mix of people, from those simply browsing out of curiosity to buyers who are already preparing to make a move once the new year begins.
This year, market conditions may give would-be buyers extra confidence to begin their search over the festive period. New research shared by mortgage broker Alexander Hall suggests Boxing Day 2025 could offer more favourable conditions than buyers faced last Christmas.
The firm’s analysis indicates that today’s buyers are benefiting from a wider choice of mortgage products, lower interest rates and reduced monthly repayments compared with this time last year.
These improvements have been supported by the Bank of England’s recent base rate cut to 3.75%, which has helped improve sentiment and ease some affordability pressures across the housing market.
Alexander Hall found that mortgage product availability has improved across all buyer groups. In some segments, the number of products on offer has risen by as much as 68% compared with December last year.
At the same time, average mortgage rates have fallen across the board. Buy-to-let investors have seen the largest reductions, while first-time buyers, home movers and remortgagers have also benefited from lower rates than a year ago.
Richard Merrett, managing director at Alexander Hall, says recent stability in interest rates has been crucial. He notes that a period of consistency has allowed lenders to price products more confidently and given borrowers greater certainty when planning their finances.
While some buyers were disappointed by the lack of direct housing support in the Autumn Budget, Merrett argues that overall conditions this Christmas are still significantly better than they were a year ago. He also highlights improvements in lender affordability assessments, which are allowing some borrowers to access higher loan amounts.
Property websites are expecting that renewed confidence to translate into a particularly busy Boxing Day. Rightmove has said it anticipates a stronger-than-usual bounce this year, fuelled by buyers who paused their plans while waiting for clarity from the Budget.
A survey by Rightmove found that nearly one in five potential movers delayed decisions due to Budget uncertainty, suggesting there may be pent-up demand ready to return to the market over the festive period.
However, challenges remain. Angela Kerr, director at the HomeOwners Alliance, says that while house prices have remained relatively stable and mortgage rates are edging lower, barriers such as stamp duty continue to discourage many households from moving.
Her organisation’s 2025 survey found that almost a quarter of homeowners cited stamp duty as a key reason for delaying a move in recent years, highlighting that affordability remains a concern despite improving conditions.
Jeremy Leaf, a north London estate agent and former RICS residential chair, says early signs point to strong Boxing Day interest, but cautions that higher enquiry levels do not always translate into immediate sales.
He advises buyers to use the Boxing Day bounce as an opportunity to research the market carefully rather than rush into decisions. While interest rates may fall slightly further, he warns that buyers should focus on what they can comfortably afford, especially given ongoing economic uncertainty.
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