The summer solstice, the longest day of the year and an event celebrated around the world, falls in the Northern Hemisphere on Sunday 21 June 2026 at 9:24am BST. The difference in daylight across the UK is significant. London will enjoy around 16 hours and 38 minutes of daylight, nearly nine hours more than during the shortest days of December. Further north, Edinburgh will benefit from 17 hours and 37 minutes of daylight, almost an hour more than the capital.
This increase in daylight has coincided with growing momentum in the property market. The warmer months traditionally bring higher levels of buyer activity, and 2026 has been no exception. One of the clearest signs of this trend is the speed at which properties are selling. The average time to sell fell to 60 days in May, down from 81 days in January, marking the fourth consecutive monthly decline.
Overall, the data suggests that the market is gaining momentum as summer approaches. Faster sales and shorter transaction times are creating favourable conditions for sellers while reflecting increasing confidence among buyers.