Your asking price decides who books a viewing and how quickly you get an offer. Here's how we set it.
Set your asking price on what comparable properties near you are achieving now, not on what they were listed at. A Foxtons valuer brings local sold data, current demand and a strategy built around your timeline, then agrees the launch price with you and the point at which you would review it.
The first thing to do is to book a valuation. You'll make a more informed decision if you have an expert look around the property. They'll provide insight on the current local market, what properties of a similar size sell for, how quickly they tend to sell and what the best strategy is for your property and timeline.
Home really is where the heart is. We often form strong emotional connections to our homes, so it might also help you set realistic expectations to have a third-party opinion.
Then, once you have all the facts, you make the decision. Here is what goes into the number:
Research what similar properties have sold for
Seeing what other properties of similar size have sold for in your neighbourhood, or what they're on the market for right now, is a great indicator of how your own home will perform:
• Check average house prices in your local market
• On your My Foxtons account, see more information about your local area
Curious how the condition of your home could affect your asking price? Read our Sellers' guide to property surveys
Agree your asking price strategy
A good valuer will show you your options, but it's entirely your choice in how you want to proceed.
A valuer can recommend a reasonable maximum and minimum, setting the price too high can deter buyers and stagnate your sale, yet setting the price too low can make buyers suspicious and, of course, achieve less than your property deserves. Your valuer can also help you plan which price to start with and which to move to if you need to drop the price to avoid it sitting on the market too long.
Wondering who to choose to value your property? See what we do differently in: Why to choose Foxtons for your valuation
Match your asking price to why you're selling
If you need to move quickly, a keener launch price brings more buyers through the door faster. If your timeline is open, you might want to launch higher and hold.
You should also consider, if you're trying to move into a home that better suits your needs, how much will that new home cost? Bring the valuation to a mortgage broker to see how that translates into your onward move.
Buying and selling? Here are our top tips: Juggling your house sale and onward move
Understand your local London market
Demand is not the same across London, or even across a borough. A one-bed in Ealing and a one-bed in Acton do not have the same audience or the same competition on the market this week.
The audience is also wider than the people who started their search on your street. 2 in 5 Foxtons buyers purchase in an area they didn't initially consider (Foxtons data, 2025), because our negotiators show property across the whole network rather than one office patch.
Some buyers are more likely to need a mortgage, and their plans could be impacted by changes in the mortgage market. Especially in London, where 46% of homebuyers own their property outright (The London Report, 2023), the mortgage market may not greatly impact the audience for your property.
Local markets are subject to constant change, so it's important to have reliable insight into the current demand for properties such as yours.
Read: What changes in the market mean for your property sale
Get a valuation from a local expert
An online valuation is a rough estimate using land registry data, but it will not account for your unique property or current market conditions. So, when you're ready to sell, it's best to get an up-to-date in-person valuation.
Our valuers are trained local experts. They have access to our proprietary London property data, industry insight into market changes and experience on what strategies work best to sell London homes. So when they come to value your property, ask questions and make the most of their expertise, from finding the right price to explaining the process, a Foxtons valuation will get your sale off to the right start.
Monitor feedback and adjust your strategy
If you instruct Foxtons, you can review enquiries, offers and feedback from viewings on your My Foxtons account. It's a great way to keep an eye on how your sale is progressing in your desired timeframe. If you need to make any adjustments, it's best to talk to your local team.
James Stevenson, Foxtons Managing Director of Sales, says it best in Base rate held: where the opportunity sits for buyers and sellers: "I think what's really important from a seller's perspective is don't panic. Don't rush to make a decision on where your pricing sits. But listen to your estate agent, listen to the feedback."
If you want to discuss the right pricing strategy for your home, book a valuation.
How to sell a home:
You can see the whole sales process laid out in the Foxtons step-by-step guide to selling your property. You can also learn a bit more about the process in our articles:
• Booking your valuation: What local knowledge can do for a property sale
• Preparing to sell: The documents you need to sell a house
• Navigating viewings: 9 things sellers should know: what happens at a property viewing
• Accepting an offer: How happy is your buyer?
Source: This article draws on the Foxtons valuations teams, who value London properties across our office network every day and price against our own London property data rather than a national average. It reflects what our valuers see week to week about which asking prices bring buyers through the door in the first fortnight and which leave a property sitting. If you have any questions on this article, email us to ask a Foxtons expert.
