Transaction times edging back up towards 2022 peak
The time it takes to exchange on a property is creeping back up, according to the latest Housing Insight Report from Propertymark, with 39% of estate agents reporting transaction times of 17 weeks or more. The company’s June report – based on responses to a monthly survey of around 100 Propertymark member agents across the […]
NHBC reports ‘modest growth’ in new home registrations
There were 30,405 new home registrations in Q2 of 2025, the National House Building Council (NHBC) has reported, up 4% on both Q1 and the same period last year. The total includes 20,924 private sector registrations, which were up 6% compared to the same period last year. The remainder of registrations were in the rental […]
Resilience remains the buzzword as Nationwide reveals modest house price increase
Nationwide’s July House Price Index showed a ‘modest’ annual house price increase of 2.4% in July, up from 2.1% in June. Prices were up 0.6% month on month, with a house price to earnings ratio of 5.75 – the lowest level in over a decade. Many industry commentators shared the view that the figures point […]
A 13% increase in HMRC transaction data signals ‘improved buyer confidence’
HMRC monthly residential property transactions increased in June, with the provisional seasonally adjusted estimate up 13% since May and 1% higher than the previous year. There were 95,530 residential transactions in June, which HMRC said reflects a recovery from the dip seen at the end of the temporary nil-rate thresholds. Non-seasonally adjusted residential transactions increased […]
Steep rise in older borrowers taking out 35-year mortgages
Financial Conduct Authority data analysed by wealth management company Quilter has revealed a steep rise in the number of people taking out mortgages with a term of 35 years or more. There was a 251% increase in the number of older borrowers taking out longer loan terms over a five-year period since 2019, according to […]
Property searches cool in July, but mid-priced homes in demand
Data from mortgage tech provider Twenty7tec has found a ‘dramatic summer slowdown’ for property searches between June and July, but searches for homes priced between £250,000 and £300,000 are bucking the trend. Between 21 June and 21 July 2025 total property searches fell 17.89% compared to 20 May and 20 June 2025. In the same […]
Increase in net mortgage borrowing welcomed with cautious optimism by property industry
Bank of England monthly statistics show that net borrowing of mortgage debt by individuals increase by £3.1 billion to £5.3 billion in June. Net mortgage approvals for house purchases increased by 900, to 64,200, and approvals for remortgaging were up by 200, to 41,800 – the highest number of approvals for remortgaging since October 2022. […]
Average house price ‘has increased 5.3 times more than salaries in a year’
Analysis of government data by estate agent eXp UK has found that the average house price in Britain has increased by 5.3 times the rate of earnings in the past year. The current average house price now stands at £271,403, an increase of £10,087 over the last year. The average annual salary has risen by […]
‘High street resurgence’ as retail demand jumps 35%, with office sector up 65%
Quarterly data collected for Rightmove’s Commercial Insights Tracker has revealed a 35% increase in the demand to invest in retail commercial property compared to the same three-month period a year ago – with demand to invest in the office sector up by 65%. Overall demand to invest in commercial property is up by 20% for […]
Surge in demand defies typical summer slowdown and ‘reinforces buyers market’
A surge in buyer demand is defying the typical summer housing market slowdown, accompanied by a rise in agreed sales and a record number of homes on the market. The latest House Price Index from Zoopla shows a year-on-year increase of 11% in demand and 8% in agreed sales, with an average of 37 homes […]
Consumers call for regulation as fifth of buyers say viewings were conditional on using estate agent brokers
Research carried out in the wake of Panorama’s exposé on conditional selling by estate agents has revealed overwhelming public support for stricter regulations in the industry, with a fifth of respondents saying viewings were conditional on using estate agent mortgage brokers. In a survey of 1,000 recent buyers and sellers across England, carried out by […]
How to stabilise the property market: an open letter to Rachel Reeves
Dear Chancellor Reeves, As you prepare your crucial autumn budget, we urge you to deliver measures that will stabilise the property market in the short term while laying foundations for long-term economic resilience and growth. The housing market has been stagnant for much of this year, with developers, investors, and consumers adopting a cautious “wait […]
Rise in mortgage searches ‘points to strong market’
Analysis from finance technology company Twenty7tec shows a 3.95% rise in searches for residential mortgages in Q2, which the company says demonstrates a strong overall market. The total number of movers and remortgagers looking for new products is at odds with the first-time buyer market, with searches from those seeking to get on the property […]
Number of potential homebuyers up 6% in ‘high competition’ market
The number of potential future buyers contacting estate agents about homes for sale is 6% higher than last year, according to the latest figures released by Rightmove, with sales agreed 5% up over the same period. Realistic and competitive pricing from new sellers in response to the high-competition market is driving an increase in buyer […]
HMLR beat March 25 deadline for 95% submission turnaround within 12 months
HM Land Registry (HMLR) say they have beaten their self-imposed March 2025 deadline to process 95% of all applications within 12 months of submission; evidence of the progress they have made in the years since COVID-19 and the sizeable backlogs that ensued. The achievement was highlighted in the recently published 2024/25 Annual Report and Accounts […]
Affordability remains barrier to growth in active property market
A detailed picture of property market activity across England, Wales and Scotland from Landmark Information Group suggests that affordability remains the key barrier to market growth. Despite record levels of stock and competitive mortgage rates, Landmark’s analysis shows that transaction volumes slowed down in Q2 of 2025. The property data company attributes the muted momentum […]
1m homes see value surge by more than 50%
Analysis from property website Zoopla reveals that one million homes in the UK have seen their value increase by 50% or more since the pandemic five years ago, an average increase of £117,400. Over half are in the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber and Wales, with these areas seeing average value increases of £77,100, £86,200 […]
Rising house prices ‘a sign of maturity’ amid ‘robust demand’
House price data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows a rise in annual house price inflation following an April slow-down, with an increase of 3.9% in the 12 months to May 2025 taking the average UK property price to £269,000. Prices were up in all regions: the average price in England was […]
Country market favours buyers as prices fall and instructions rise
Research from Knight Frank reveals that new sales instructions in the Country market – covering a range of urban and rural markets above £750,000 outside London – have jumped by 9% since last year. The second quarter of 2025 was the most favourable market for buyers in the Country for seven years, according to the […]
Interactive map shows potential home buyers affordable locations
Home moving comparison website reallymoving has launched an interactive map that shows would-be home buyers the locations with the greatest choice of properties within their budget. The map can be searched by budget and number of bedrooms to identify the locations where properties are likely to be most affordable. Searches can then be concentrated within […]