As had become the status quo in recent years, there were numerous challenges to overcome in the Prime Central London (PCL) property market in 2025, with uncertainty a word that is now part of our everyday life. However, periods of uncertainty are nothing new to us, with the past decade characterised by Brexit stalemates, global pandemics and political tensions (both domestic and international), all of which we have worked through, overcome and delivered outstanding results for our clients.
2025 was no different and in terms of deals done, we outperformed our 2024 end-of-year results, which was in itself a good year at Maskells. We trust in the process and know that despite the noise there will always be demand for prime London homes, so continue to get on with the job and deliver the best results.
Marketing remains our core strength. There was a significant drive from U.S. based buyers in PCL property throughout 2025 so to reach as many potential purchasers as possible, we invested in growing our US based network through platforms such as Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate (a Global platform holding more $2m+ properties than two of the largest global agents combined). This allowed us to find and engage with buyers and tenants before they arrive in London.
Digitally, we have invested heavily in our online platforms, which has generated a 300% increase in organic enquiries in the last quarter. We are proud that Chat GPT, the online AI search engine, has Maskells listed in the top 3 “Full-Service and Premium” agents when asked to list “the best estate agents in Kensington and Chelsea”. This ranking has already led to new instructions. On the back of this success and to continue on the front foot in an everchanging world we will continue to invest in this area, as more and more international buyers (now typically younger and more tech dependent) favour this technology.
On the sales side, we received over £600 million of offers listed both on and off market, sent 45,775 brochuresand completed 2,543 viewings in 2025. It was an incredibly busy year for us and the key to success was maximising our reach, being clear and honest with our clients on pricing strategy and generating high quality leads that resulted in some of the fastest sales on record for 2025.
Through 2026, we are looking forward to a period of relative stability, where buyers can offer with clarity on the tax position and confidence that they are buying in what remains, one of the best cities in the world. Beginning the year as we mean to go on we have already agreed a number of transactions, several with competitive bidding, so all the signs are there that London is alive and well.
Our expectation for 2026 is that we will have to remain ultra-realistic on where values stand, but correctly priced properties will continue to attract firm interest from multiple buyers, which we believe will result in a busy year ahead.
On the lettings side, the PCL rental market quietly but decisively shifted from the conditions landlords enjoyed over the last cycle. The era of indiscriminate demand, rapidly rising rents and tenants competing at almost any cost has given way to a more selective, value-sensitive market in which tenant quality, presentation and pricing discipline matter again. Demand has not disappeared, but it has become discerning, slower to commit and far less forgiving of compromise, particularly in the core £1,500–£5,000 per week bracket.
Notwithstanding this, our lettings team generated some exceptional results in 2025, within the context of this more challenging and nuanced market, letting property with an estimated total asset value of over £250 million.
Some key stats from 2025 include:
Maskells completed over 2,500 viewings
Registered over 2000 tenants
Completed over 100 lettings deals
Our property management remains second to none in PCL, demonstrated by our 98% landlord retention rate and currently over £500m+ worth of property assets under management. With the Renters Rights Act soon to be introduced we see this as a key area of growth for the business.
Looking at the year ahead, if 2025 marked the end of the post-pandemic rental boom, 2026 will be the year that finally exposes it. Prime Central London is no longer a market where scarcity alone delivers pricing power. We expect activity to remain functional but uneven: well-priced, well-managed, low-friction properties will continue to let strongly, while anything mis-positioned will languish.
In this environment, the choice of managing agent becomes materially important. This is not a market for volume-driven corporates or reactive management; it is a market that rewards senior judgement, proactive asset stewardship and careful tenant curation. Landlords who wish to protect both income and the long-term condition of their property will be best served by an agent who manages as a custodian rather than a processor, which is precisely where Maskells’ model continues to differentiate itself.
At this time of year as landlords and vendors enjoy fresh impetus and bring their assets to market, we will be launching several exciting properties. The team at Maskells are very enthusiastic about the coming period, particularly after a fantastic set of results in the year just gone.
Uncertainty is always present, and a challenging market sorts the wheat from the chaff. But it also means that the outstanding agents get noticed – those who deliver and really make a positive difference for their clients when they most need it will reap the rewards.
For further information on Maskells and its offering or to receive regular market insight and updates visit: www.maskells.com or call 0207 581 2216
