UK house prices rise at fastest rate since November 2022, Halifax says

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UK home costs rose on the quickest annual tempo since 2022, in line with the lender Halifax, as decrease mortgage prices helped gas a rebound within the property market.

The typical house price elevated by 4.3 per cent yearly in August, marking the strongest development price since November 2022, reaching £292,505, in line with new knowledge on Friday.

Home costs have been up 0.3 per cent in contrast with the earlier month.

Each charges have been marginally greater than the 4.2 per cent annual development and a 0.2 per cent month-on-month improve forecast by economists polled by Reuters.

Amanda Bryden, head of mortgages at Halifax, stated: “Current worth rises construct on a largely optimistic summer time for the UK housing market. Potential homebuyers are feeling extra assured due to easing rates of interest.”

Knowledge from lender Nationwide final week confirmed that home costs grew on the quickest annual tempo since December 2022 in August, whereas figures from the Financial institution of England confirmed mortgage approvals rising to the very best stage since former prime minister Liz Truss’s “mini” Finances.

Jeremy Leaf, north London property agent, stated: “The market breathed a collective sigh of aid when first the election outcome ended lingering political uncertainty and once more when rates of interest began to fall.”

Home costs grew sharply through the pandemic, helped by record-low borrowing prices, however have been then hit by the Financial institution of England elevating rates of interest to quell inflation.

The BoE minimize rates of interest from their 16-year excessive of 5.25 per cent in August, bringing mortgage rates down and injecting new life into the property market. Markets count on one other price minimize in November and an additional decline in borrowing prices subsequent yr.

Amy Reynolds, head of gross sales at Richmond property agent Antony Roberts, stated: “One small discount in rates of interest has translated into an prompt response from the housing market throughout what’s often one of many quietest months of the yr.”

Halifax reported that Northern Eire continued to document the very best annual worth development of any nation or area within the UK, at 9.8 per cent.

London, which has the most costly property costs within the nation, now averaging £536,000, was as soon as once more the worst performer with a 1.5 per cent worth rise.

The lender stated the typical property was now simply £1,000 beneath the document excessive set in June 2022 when it reached £293,500. The typical property value was up 22 per cent from January 2020, earlier than the pandemic.

Bryden commented that “whereas that is welcome information for present owners, affordability stays a big problem for a lot of potential consumers nonetheless adjusting to greater mortgage prices”.