This weekly improvement saw buyer demand move from 14% below last year’s figure, which was the year-on-year difference at the end of August, to 9% below.
Unlike many other housing trends, the uplift was seen across every region, with London and the South West recording the strongest increases at 9% and 8% respectively.
This is particularly notable in London, which has faced persistent challenges, including weaker house price growth and ongoing affordability pressures.
The West Midlands and North East regions both saw an uplift of 7% in demand. The East Midlands and South East were also above the UK average, with 6% increases in buyer demand.
Scotland experienced the lowest growth in buyer demand at 1%, followed by Wales at 3%.
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Rightmove said the overall improvement across the UK was a “welcome boost” after a tumultuous year of economic, geopolitical and environmental challenges.
Colleen Babcock, property expert at Rightmove said: “The start of September is often a busy time for the housing market as families return from summer breaks and refocus on their moving plans. This year, we’ve seen buyer demand rise by 5% during the first week of September, compared with an average increase of just 0.4% over the same period during the last five years.
“While buyer demand remains below last year’s level, this year’s back-to-school bounce is a welcome sign after a summer that brought the usual holiday distractions alongside several spells of exceptionally hot weather. It’s encouraging to see buyers getting on with their moving plans and returning to the market as we head into the autumn season. However, it is still early in the month; we will be keeping an eye on this over the coming weeks.”
