Increase in property transactions ‘a reassuring sign’
HMRC’s provisional seasonally adjusted estimate of the number of UK residential transactions for September has seen a year-on-year rise of 4%, to 95,980, which represents a 1% increase on August’s figures. The provisional non-seasonally adjusted estimate is 102,420, 8% higher than the same period last year and 2% lower than August. Seasonally adjusted non-residential transactions […]
Housing committee critical of delays to long term housing strategy
Delays in publishing the government’s Long-Term Housing Strategy, first announced in July 2024, have left members of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee ‘deeply disappointed’, with MPs in the dark over how the government plans to deliver 1.5 million new homes by 2029. The report from the committee is critical of what it describes […]
September net mortgage borrowing highest since March – BoE
The Bank of England’s Money and Credit Report for September showed an increase of net borrowing of mortgage debt by individuals of £1.2 billion, to £5.5 – the highest since March 2025. The annual growth rate for net mortgage lending increased to 3.2%, from 3.0% in August, the highest since January 2023 (3.4%). Net mortgage […]
Prices edge up as improved affordability supports demand – Nationwide
The October House Price Index from Nationwide has recorded a slight in house price growth, with annual figures up 2.4% and a month-on-month increase of 0.3%. ‘The housing market has remained broadly stable in recent months, with house prices rising at a modest pace and the number of mortgages approved for house purchase maintained […]
Sellers made average gains of £72,000 over last 18 months, Zoopla finds
New research from Zoopla reveals people selling homes in England and Wales over the last 18 months made an average gain of £72,000, representing a 38% increase on the purchase price. The average time between buying and selling a property was nine years. London sellers walked away with the largest profits, with an average gain […]
Two salaries won’t be enough to get on the property ladder, Twenty7tec warns
An analysis by mortgage data and technology firm Twenty7tec suggests first-time buyers are being priced out of the market, even when average earnings are combined in double-income households. More than half of first-time buyers (59%) earn less than a combined total of £60,000, the analysis finds – well below the amount required to a secure […]
Yopa urges buyers to explore new-build incentives, as sales fall 62% in 2025
Figures from national estate agency Yopa reveal new-build sales volumes are down 62% so far in 2025, with significant drops recorded across all regions. The company is urging buyers to explore the many initiatives available when buying a brand new home, including developer incentives, purchase schemes and new products from mortgage lenders – all designed […]
Reeves may target limited liability partnerships in budget to raise public funds
Chancellor Rachel Reeves may target limited liability partnerships (LLPs) as part of her plans to tax ‘those with the broadest shoulders’ in the upcoming budget. Tasked with filling a sizeable hole in the public finances, in part due to the unexpected longer term impact of Brexit and austerity, the chancellor is reported to be considering […]
Uncertainty triggers September dip in demand, but annual figures still ahead – Rightmove
Rightmove’s September House Price Index paints a mixed picture of the housing market, with a drop in demand compared to the same month a year ago, but an overall increase for 2025 compared to the first nine months of last year. New buyer demand and the number of new sellers coming to market are both […]
Property market ‘in a state of suspended animation’, says Landmark
The property market is in a state of suspended animation, with speculation around potential property tax reform causing uncertainty amongst buyers and sellers, the latest residential property trends from Landmark Information Group suggests. While market activity in July and August reflected the usual summer slowdown, the anticipated September rebound failed to materialise, according to the […]
Demand is up, says TwentyCi – but so are fall-throughs and exchange times
The residential property market is performing slightly above 2024 levels, with a growth in demand in all UK regions except Northern Ireland and inner London, according to the latest Property & Homemover Report from TwentyCi. The Q3 report from the property data and insight company shows a year-on-year improvement in both new instructions and sales […]
Downward trend in buyer demand ‘firmly entrenched’, RICS says
Subdued momentum persists in the UK housing market amidst uncertainty about the autumn budget, the latest RICS UK Residential Market Survey has found. Buyer demand and agreed sales remain in negative territory for the third consecutive month, with the forward-looking sentiment suggesting the muted picture is likely to persist into early 2026. The net balance […]
Price of typical first time buyer homes rising faster than market average
Research from property website Zoopla has found the price of a typical first time buyer home is rising faster than the market average, with an increase of 2.4% over the last year compared to the UK average of 1.3%. Buyers can now expect to pay an average of £229,000 for their first home – but […]
Significant drop in first time buyer demand for ‘help to buy’ schemes, Yopa research finds
Demand for homes in assisted buying schemes from first-time buyers has ‘dropped significantly’ across a number of major cities, according to new research from Yopa. The national estate agency analysed demand based on the percentage of homes listed under buying schemes – such as shared ownership, Help to Buy and deposit assistance programmes – that […]
Slight dip in house prices ‘reflects stable house market’ – Halifax
The September House Price Index from Halifax shows a decrease of 0.3% in September, compared to a rise of 0.2% in August, with the annual growth up by 1.3%, down from 2.0% in August. The quarterly change shows an increase of 0.4, with the average UK house price now £298,184. The slight monthly dip ‘reflects […]
Home buying industry reacts to government reform proposals: ‘Much-needed progress and change’
On Sunday night, the government announced a series of sweeping changes to the home buying system, calling the propsoals ‘the biggest shake-up to the home buying process in this country’s history’. The current system, the statement from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said, is ‘chaotic’, ‘a barrier to home ownership’ and […]
Steady growth demonstrates ‘remarkable consistency’ of housing market
Nationwide’s latest House Price Index shows an annual increase of 2.2% in September, marginally stronger than the 2.1% recorded in August. ‘The broad stability in the annual rate of house price growth over the past three months mirrors that of activity’, said Robert Gardner, Nationwide’s chief economist. “The number of mortgages approved for house purchase […]
The glass remains half full for property experts as HMRC releases latest transaction figures
Following three consecutive months of increases, HMRC figures for seasonally adjusted residential transactions in August show a decrease of 2% – from 95,240 in July to 93,630 in August. Non-seasonally adjusted residential transactions increased by 2%. The non-seasonally adjusted increase was greeted with enthusiasm by industry experts, with some also pointing out the seasonally adjusted […]
Decrease in net mortgage approvals fails to dent sector optimism
The Bank of England Money and Credit report for August 2025 shows a decrease in net mortgage approvals for house purchases, down by 500 to 64,700, bringing three consecutive months of growth to an end. Approvals for remortgages decreased by 900 to 37,900. Net borrowing of mortgage debt by individuals decreased by £0.2 billion to […]
Demand for high-price homes falls as property tax speculation weighs on market activity
Zoopla’s latest House Price Index reveals the market for homes priced over £500,000 has been impacted by ongoing property tax speculation, with demand for properties over the rumoured threshold dropping by 4% year-on-year. New listings of properties the same price bracket have fallen by 7% over the last five weeks compared to the same period […]