Richard Greasby MRICS FAAV

In December, the Cotswolds transforms into a festive wonderland, packed with Christmas events and festivities. Glide across the ice, sip wine at an award winning vineyard, sing along to carols, watch the town lights turn on, browse late-night shopping evenings, get creative at seasonal workshops, enjoy festive storytelling with Giffords Circus, and feel the thrill of Christmas racing at Cheltenham Racecourse.

As 2025 draws to a close, Butler Sherborn is proud to reflect on what has been an incredibly successful year across the Cotswolds property market. Despite wider economic headwinds, demand for high-quality Cotswold homes has remained resilient, with buyers continuing to prioritise location, lifestyle and long-term value.

Despite the understandable inertia created by the Autumn Budget, November delivered a notably strong performance for Butler Sherborn, with over £11 million of quality Cotswold properties successfully sold. Buyer motivation was high throughout the month, with one in three viewings converting to an offer - the national average is about 10 viewings per offer.

The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, delivered Labour’s long-awaited Autumn Budget this afternoon. In recent months, speculation has been rife about significant changes to Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) and even the possible abolition of Principal Private Residence Relief for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) when...