House prices update

House price growth slowed to 2.1% in June, down 0.8% month-on-month. Performance varies significantly depending on the region, with Northern Ireland seeing the strongest growth of 9.7%. East Anglia was the weakest area, where house prices only increased by 1.1% annually.

By 2030, more than 104,000 Help to Buy accounts will reach the end of their interest-free period.

 The Help to Buy scheme ran for ten years, between 2013 and 2023. Buyers of new builds were lent up to 20% (or up to 40% in London) of the property’s value as an equity loan. The loan is interest-free for five years and is repayable when the home is sold.

The housing market seems to be regaining momentum, as sales are being agreed at the fastest rate in four years.

 The number of sales agreed was up 6% annually in June, which coincided with the stock of new property listings going up by 14%. This indicates that buyers are regaining confidence, with demand rising by 7%.

UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves is exploring major changes to property taxes. Proposals include shifting stamp duty so that sellers of homes worth over £500,000 pay it instead of buyers. Another idea is a capital gains-style tax on luxury property sales above £1.5m.

Data shows that remortgage activity hit a 15-month high in May. 

There were 41,500 remortgage approvals, up 6,200 on April and the highest level since February 2024. There was also a rise in new mortgages for the first time since December, with 63,000 approvals. Meanwhile, gross mortgage lending was £20.4bn in May, £16.9bn higher than the previous month.

Almost half a million homeowners coming off five-year fixed rate mortgage deals taken out in 2020 could see a major spike in their monthly mortgage repayments.

These borrowers have been paying an average interest rate of just 2.11%. However, if they revert to their lender’s standard variable rate (currently averaging 7.13%) when their deal comes to an end, their monthly repayments could soar to £1,227 on average, a jump of £510 a month or another £6,000 a year.

Rural house prices are still rising faster than those in towns and cities, according to Nationwide. While the pandemic-driven rush for countryside homes has eased, demand for space continues to support stronger growth in rural areas.

The number of UK homeowners with more than £300,000 left to repay on their mortgage has nearly doubled in the past seven years, highlighting the growing financial strain many are facing, amid high property prices and rising interest rates.

New analysis of the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Financial Lives Survey reveals that 9% of mortgage holders now owe over £300,000 – up from just 5% in 2017. In areas with the highest house prices, such as London and the South East, the proportion jumps significantly. Today, 28% of homeowners in these regions owe over £300,000, compared with 17% seven years ago.

House prices crept up again in May, with Nationwide reporting annual growth of 3.5%, slightly above April’s 3.4%. Prices also rose 0.5% month on month, once seasonal factors were taken into account.

Nearly two-thirds of UK homebuyers faced unexpected costs in the past year, according to recent research.

First-time buyers were hit hardest, with 66% encountering surprise expenses, compared to 55% of movers. The survey of over 1,000 buyers found costs such as legal fees, repairs and one-off charges often disrupted the process, with 27% naming these the most frustrating part of the home buying process.

New analysis by Searchland has revealed the most energy-efficient areas in Britain.

The study, based on average Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings, saw the City of London and Peterborough top the list with an average EPC score of 76 (C rating), followed by Tower Hamlets, Hackney and a cluster of other London boroughs averaging a C rating. Conversely, several rural and national park areas, such as the Yorkshire Dales and Snowdonia, recorded the lowest energy scores, reflecting the UK’s challenges with older housing stock.

More than two million UK mortgage holders would be facing financial distress if their income suddenly stopped. That’s the key finding from a recent study by LifeSearch & Homeowners Alliance, which found 36% of mortgage holders – roughly 2.34 million people – have no financial protection such as life insurance, income protection or critical illness cover.

Affordability for first-time buyers (FTBs) reached its most favourable level in ten years last year, despite house price rises over the same period. New analysis from estate agents Yopa shows the average price paid for a first home in the UK has increased 63% since 2014. However, earnings growth relative to income means homes are now the most affordable since 2015.

The average cost of moving home in England is now £51,826, the highest in the UK, according to Yopa’s latest Housing Market Affordability Review.

It shows the total has risen nearly 11% in a year, driven largely by changes to Stamp Duty. Stamp Duty alone now costs £4,528 on average, more than triple last year’s amount. Conveyancing costs increased 12.5% annually to an average of £1,364, while removal costs increased by 1.3% to £917 on average. Mortgage deposits remain the biggest expense, averaging £43,585.

According to Moneyfacts, the number of low-deposit mortgages available at 90% and 95% loan-to-value (LTV) has reached its highest level since 2008, with 1,287 products on offer at the time of writing.

The cost of moving home in England has jumped 10.9% over the past year, according to new research from estate agents Yopa.

The average mover now faces a total bill of £51,826, with a 15% mortgage deposit costing £43,585, making up the largest share. However, changes to Stamp Duty relief thresholds have also driven costs higher. One year ago, movers paid an average of £1,433 in Stamp Duty, but this rose to £2,028 before 1 April and now stands at £4,528, a 216% year-on-year increase.

UK housing costs reached a record £217bn in 2024, according to estate agent Savills. This is a £41.2bn rise over two years and accounts for 60% of the decade’s increase.

Buying a home is now significantly cheaper than renting across most of Great Britain, according to research from property website Zoopla. The average monthly mortgage payment for first-time buyers (FTBs)stands at £1,038, which is 20% lower than the average monthly rent of £1,248.

This analysis assumes buyers have a 20% deposit, which works out as £50,740 based on the typical FTB home priced at £253,700. In London, where affordability is stretched, deposits tend to be higher, averaging 30%.

The UK mortgage market bounced back strongly at the end of 2024, driven by first-time buyers and home movers, according to UK Finance.

First-time buyer mortgages rose 16.4% to 334,000 last year, while home movers increased by 14.7% to 288,000. Total home purchases reached 622,000, up 15.6% overall.

Lower mortgage rates boosted demand in 2024, especially in the fourth quarter, as buyers rushed to beat the changes to Stamp Duty rules this April. However, remortgage deals fell by 9% to 1.6 million, mainly due to fewer fixed-rate deals expiring. This is likely to change in 2025, with 1.8 million fixed-rate mortgages due to expire.

Two-year fixed mortgages could become cheaper than five-year deals in 2025