Strutt & Parker’s national country house department has recorded an exceptionally busy start to December, with the total value of properties going under offer around 45% higher than during the same period last year.

This is more than double 2023’s figure and has prompted the agency to alert investors to what it predicts will be a busy start to 2026.

In the first seven days after the Budget, the total value of exchanges was more than 180% higher than the same week last year, signalling a clear shift in sentiment.

Sellers have responded quickly to this change, with some launching immediately to capture the post-Budget activity, while others are preparing to come to market as soon as doors open in January. The department is now gearing up for a busy start to 2026, with several significant country houses due to launch in the first fortnight of the new year.

This uplift builds on steady momentum from the team throughout the autumn.

As expected, figures across the board rose sharply in September following the summer period, with performance improving month-on-month. That pace continued into October and November. Across those two months, the combined value of agreed sales was 25% higher than the same period last year, reflecting a cohort of motivated buyers and sellers who were keen to conclude transactions ahead of the Budget. In Yorkshire alone, September and October delivered £25M worth of exchanges.

Over the past 12 months, the department has completed a number of notable sales across the country. These include Howsham Hall in Yorkshire (guide price £5 million), Hazelbury Manor in Wiltshire (guide price £7.5 million), and Saffron House in Essex (guide price £5.75 million), alongside several significant off-market transactions – particularly in the Cotswolds.