Halifax HPI: Demand and prices falter amid ongoing conflict, but estate agents report determined buyers
The Middle East conflict continues to dominate housing market commentary as its impact begins to filter through into monthly reporting. The latest Halifax House Price Index shows house prices were down 0.1% in May, following a similar fall in April. Average growth is up slightly to 0.5%, from 0.4% in April. “Property price trends continue […]
Property transactions expected to hit 1.2m this year, report predicts
Housing transactions are looking “broadly similar” to last year, according to the latest TwentyCi Property and Homemover report. Overall, the number of transactions is down almost 4% compared with last year, but the number of properties brought to market between January and April went up by 5%. The impact of the conflict in the Middle […]
Hope for short-lived property market shock – Nationwide
The property market will remain resilient in the face of current challenges if the latest shock passes relatively quickly, with any short-term softening short lived, according to the latest Nationwide House Price Index. The report reveals UK annual house price growth slowed to 1.7% in May, down from 3.0% in April. “Given the uncertainty caused […]
Property transactions ‘broadly in line with expectations’ as HMRC records 3% monthly fall
Property transaction trends are broadly in line with expectations, after the latest HMRC residential transaction numbers revealed a seasonally adjusted estimate of 101,030 transactions in April, 3% lower than last month. While the impact of the Middle East conflict continues to play a part in inflation and consumer confidence, there is still “strong intent” amongst […]
Commonhold the sticking point as government told to go ‘further and faster’ on leasehold reform
The government needs to go “further and faster” on leasehold reform, the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee says in its report published this week on the proposed Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill. But there are “changes and additions” needed to meet leaseholder expectations, notably around conversion to commonhold, a key part of the […]
Property market finely poised as sales grow but fewer buyers than 12 months ago
Property portal Zoopla says sales agreed are 1% up on the same time last year despite buyer demand being 10% down; the first positive sales agreed figure of 2026. As the property market moves toward toward the busy summer season, Zoopla says “browsers and those sensitive to higher borrowing costs” are less active in the […]
Date set for £1.5bn Rightmove overcharging claim
A November court date has been set for the Competition Appeal Tribunal’s case against Rightmove, which has been accused of “abusing its dominant market position” by charging “excessive and unfair” subscription fees. First reported in November 2025, Rightmove is the subject of a £1.5 billion class action from estate agents and house builders who claim the […]
Lenders to focus on completion times as a route to ‘improve margins and lower costs’
Lenders will turn their attention to lengthening completion times to improve margins and cut costs according to home buying and selling transformation consultants Novus Strategy, as mortgage data reveaed a record value of mortgage cancellations in the first quarter of 2026. A comparison of mortgage approvals and cancellations revealed 35,144 mortgage cancellations in Q1 2026; […]
Signs of traditional property market spring bounce despite geopolitical upheaval as demand indicators increase
There are signs of the traditional property market spring bounce, according to the estate agency membership and training body Propertymark. The organisation’s latest Housing Insight Report suggests an increase in the number of viewings and listings, with resilience in sales meaning there are “encouraging signs across the housing market.” Propertymark members reported both supply and […]
CFIT unveils Open Property Roadmap to ‘modernise UK home buying’
The Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology has published a roadmap for open property which it says sets out “a clear and credible pathway to transform the UK’s home buying process”. The Open Property Roadmap was commissioned by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) to enable the digitalisation of the home buying and selling […]
‘Macro headwinds’ will lead to subdued property market in the short to medium term – RICS
The housing market is in the “grip of macro headwinds stemming from the Middle East conflict” and, with interest rate rises on the horizon, the outlook for buyers remains challenging, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The comments in the latest RICS UK Residential Market Survey mirror sentiment shared in recent weeks […]
Kitemark for upfront information providers to be developed as new representative group launches
A new group has been launched to standardise the production of material information and digital sales packs, under the umbrella of the Residential Logbook Association (RLBA). Upfront Information Group (UIG) has been established by the self-regulatory body of logbook providers to enable it to engage with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) […]
Second home reclassification as holidays lets costing £400m in lost council tax and business rates
A rule that lets second-home owners avoid council tax if they let their property for 10 weeks is now costing government nearly £400 million a year, according to commercial real estate company Colliers. Last year, Colliers said there were 73,838 holiday-let properties eligible for 100% business rates relief, costing the public purse £334 million. For […]
Leasehold complications lengthening transaction times, with conveyancing blamed for delays
Average transaction times have extended by four weeks since 2019, according to statistics published by Connells Group this week. Leasehold transactions are driving much of the increase in average timescales, with a typical leasehold transaction taking 155 days to reach exchange in April – 58 days longer than a freehold property. The estate agency group […]
Half of homes don’t sell – Zoopla
Nearly half of all homes listed for sale in the UK do not sell, according to Zoopla. Analysis of listings on the property portal identified 44% of homes listed in the past three years didn’t attract a buyer. Out of touch sellers are contributing to the issue, according to Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla. […]
Property market cooling is ‘short term’ – Halifax
A cooling of the property market is anticipated “in the short term” according to the latest house price data from Halifax, which shows little movement in average property prices. Price are down by 0.1% in April compared to the previous month, but the “underlying picture remains one of relative stability,” Halifax head of mortgages Amanda […]
No clear date for Bracknell Forest search issue resolution
Local authority searches from Bracknell Forest Council remain unavailable after an issue with the transfer of data to a new system supplier. In an email update shared on Friday, the council wrote: “We’re continuing to work with Arcus and external data experts to find a solution to the ongoing land charges ICT issue. Unfortunately, we […]
Rising costs add £76,000 to new homes, HBF report finds
New research from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) reveals £76,000 has been added to the cost of building a home since 2020, which the organisation says raises serious concerns about the viability of new housing developments across the UK. The report, The Viability Crunch, examines the cumulative impact of policy, taxation and regulatory pressures on […]
Wales to be part of home moving test bed bringing the industry together in spirit of collaboration
A new cross-sector initiative in Wales is aiming to leverage technology and upfront information to improve the home buying experience. Backed by FinTech Wales, Legal News Wales, PEXA, the Open Property Data Association and openmoove, it is hoped Move Wales will become a test bed for a “more collaborative, transparent and consumer-focused approach to home […]
Mortgage approvals up and interest rates down in first quarter of 2026
Mortgage approvals in March 2026 sat slightly higher than the six month average and average mortgage rates decreased slightly, according to the latest Bank of England (BoE) Money and Credit statistics. Net mortgage approvals, a measure of future borrowing, increased to 63,500 in March from 62,700 in February, above an average of around 63,200 over […]