The UK housing market is experiencing a resurgence in activity fueled by growing optimism among both buyers and sellers. Across major house price indices, prices are steadily recovering, signaling a renewed vigor in the market.
Recent reports from leading indices such as Halifax and Nationwide demonstrate consistent upward trends in house prices over the past several months. Additionally, property portals like Zoopla and Rightmove are also reflecting this positive momentum through increased asking prices.
Although the Office for National Statistics has yet to officially declare a return to growth in pricing, the sharp declines witnessed in early 2023 have notably decelerated. It’s worth noting that this index operates with a lag, reflecting sales data from previous months.
The latest data from Halifax paints a significantly improved picture of the UK housing market compared to the previous year. House prices saw a 0.4% uptick in February, marking the fifth consecutive month of increases and a 1.7% rise compared to February 2023. Moreover, there has been a notable increase in mortgage approvals, reaching their highest level since October 2022, indicating a heightened level of confidence among borrowers.
Halifax’s research reveals that house prices are now just £1,800 shy of their peak in June 2022, signifying a remarkable turnaround. However, regional disparities persist, emphasizing the importance for buyers and investors to closely monitor trends in their specific areas.
For instance, the north west emerged as one of the top-performing regions, with property prices surging by 4.4% between February 2023 and February 2024. Similarly, Northern Ireland and the north east also witnessed above-average price increases. Conversely, annual price declines were recorded in the east of England (-0.8%) and the south east (-0.6%), tempering the overall national average.
Despite facing various challenges, including Brexit and the pandemic, the UK housing market has displayed remarkable resilience, a fact highlighted by Andrew Montlake, managing director at Coreco. Montlake emphasizes that forthcoming inflationary figures and potential adjustments in mortgage rates will heavily influence the trajectory of the housing market in the coming months.
Echoing this sentiment, Jonathan Hopper, CEO of Garrington Property Finders, suggests that the housing market is gaining momentum, with signs of increased activity and interest from both buyers and sellers. The decrease in property prices observed last year seems to be a thing of the past, prompting many prospective buyers to act now before prices escalate further.
Anthony Codling, MD of RBC Capital Markets, finds encouragement in the recent uptick in house prices, particularly following the subdued budget announcement. He believes that despite the lack of explicit support for the housing market in the budget, the underlying health of the UK housing market is steadily improving, as evidenced by the latest statistics.
