Why Christmas Is the Smartest Time to List
If you’re considering launching your property with Curated Property, timing can make a significant difference to your first year’s performance. Across the UK, December and January consistently represent the strongest forward-booking window of the year, particularly for high-quality homes.
Industry data shows that around 35%–45% of all UK summer holiday bookings are secured during December and January, making this the single most important planning period of the year for premium short-let properties. This is when guests are actively booking school holidays, family trips, and longer countryside and coastal stays, often at higher nightly rates.
"Our busiest enquiry days on the site tend to be Boxing Day, Boxing Day +1, New Year's Day, New Year's Day +1, followed by January weekends". Ed Maughan - Managing Director of Group Accommodation.
Why Listing Early Matters
Properties that are listed before Christmas consistently outperform late launches. In fact, homes that go live earlier typically achieve 18%–32% higher summer nightly rates, as early planners are less price-sensitive and book peak dates first.
We have seen that:
Over 40% of high-value UK stays (5–14 nights) are now booked 4–8 months in advance
Festive season bookings are being secured up to 9–12 months ahead, particularly for larger homes and premium retreat-style properties
Listings that launch 3–6 months earlier can outperform late-stage launches by 20%–40% in first-year revenue
Even if your property isn’t quite ready for immediate stays, listing before Christmas for forward bookings from early summer bookings allows you to build early momentum on booking platforms, capture premium demand before wider market availability increases, and secure stronger summer rates.
The facts speak for themselves from a revenue perspective; launching earlier can make a meaningful difference to overall first-year performance.
At Curated Property, we work closely with homeowners to ensure each property is thoughtfully positioned for long-term success. Through careful pricing strategy, considered launch timing, and wide distribution across trusted booking platforms, we focus on creating steady, sustainable performance.
If you’re thinking about listing your property, now is the time to start the conversation with us.