Rein in your expectations: Good properties in good locations (irrespective of region) are still selling. The "stale listings" and "desperate sellers" narrative on Reddit needs a caveat

There's a recurring take on here that says that stale RM listings proves that there are plenty of desperate sellers, and that stubborn sellers just haven't cut the price enough yet. And that it follows from this that buyers have a lot of power to get what they want.

Two points worth separating out:

Good houses in good locations are still moving - Properties in a sought-after catchment/commuter spot, in standard and ready to move in condition, are still selling at a normal pace. The stagnation people are seeing is concentrated in specific segments - overpriced flats, houses needing full modernisation, awkward layouts, weak locations, cookie cutter properties in the middle on car country, not the market as a whole. Anyone who's looked for or bought a property in the UK will know that two similar properties 500 yards apart might be priced very differently depending on various factors. One might struggle to sell while the other will get sold if listed.

Listing a property costs a seller precisely £0 in England - People miss this bit with the constant "why won't this seller drop their price" comments. Once you've instructed an estate agent (no upfront fee in the vast majority of cases, only on completion), there is no ongoing cost to simply leave it listed. No listing/relisting/holding fee. So a large chunk of those 200+ day listings aren't panicking sellers who need to sell, they're people who may sell at their number, aren't in any particular rush (no chain pressure, not relocating for a job, no divorce/probate deadline), and are perfectly happy to sit there until the one serious buyer who wants exactly that house turns up. Zero cost to waiting means zero pressure to capitulate.

The market IS soft (generally speaking), I'm not arguing that it's not. But unlike what a lot of buyers think, that doesn't mean that that objectively amazing house that ticks all the desirable boxes is going to be sold for a huge 'discount', or that the seller that's been on the market for 6+ months is desperate to sell, or that the buyer can dictate everything. The seller has the power of No.