A local authority in Wales has emerged as one of the country’s top spots for securing property purchases below the advertised asking price.
Research undertaken by legal software firm Access Legal revealed that Caerphilly ranks among the most advantageous areas for buyers nationwide, with a notable difference between original listing prices and the amounts properties ultimately sell for.
In Caerphilly, the typical sale price stands at £191,347 compared with an average asking price of £319,530, representing a 40 percent discrepancy.
Robin Edwards, managing partner at Curetons, explained that the gap between initial asking prices and final sale prices throughout the UK results from a mismatch between seller expectations and the financial limitations buyers are currently dealing with.
Numerous sellers continue to anchor their pricing to valuations from before 2022, when reduced interest rates enabled purchasers to afford substantially higher amounts.
At present, with mortgage rates remaining high and purchasing capacity diminished, buyers simply cannot stretch their budgets in the way they previously could.
This scenario offers purchasers the chance to bargain more forcefully, especially for homes that have remained on the market for prolonged periods or that require significant improvements.
Access Legal analysed figures covering September to November 2025 to calculate a buyer power rating for each region, taking into account affordability levels, how quickly properties sell, and how often homes carry poor energy efficiency ratings.
Caerphilly secured a buyer power rating of 74, positioning it twelfth among 161 local authorities.
Mike Connelly, head of commercial conveyancing at Access Legal, noted that conventional housing measurements based on asking prices currently provide a notably misleading picture of market conditions.
That 22 percent average discrepancy is not simply a standard negotiating margin; it mirrors the challenging financial transition currently affecting the market.
The UK housing sector is undergoing a gradual shift, and with mortgage rates rising again, this adjustment will continue for some time.