EXPRESS INDEX - HOUSING MARKET UPDATE - December 2025

There are many UK housing market indexes released every month and we are attempting to provide the ultimate, comprehensive overview to the very fragmented reports available.

UK HOUSING MARKET SNAPSHOT

Average House Price (Price Paid)

£270,000

Monthly Change -0.1%

Annual Change 1.7%

5 Year Change 10.93%

Source: HM Land Registry

Average House Price (Asking Price)

£358,138

Monthly Change -1.8%

Annual Change -0.6%

5 Year Change 6.55%

Source: Rightmove

Number of Sales Completed

59,848

Monthly Change 3.3%

Annual Change -30.8%

5 Year Change -19.96%

Source: HM Land Registry

Sales Agreed

Monthly Change +3%

Source: Rightmove

Total Available Properties

677,885

Available Properties Change

Monthly Change 0%

Average Time on Market

179 days

Source: Home

Average Time to Sell

70 days

Source: Rightmove

Price Reductions

0.4% properties price reduced last month

Source: Home

Mortgage Approvals

Annual Change -2.1%

Source: HMRC

POSTCODE DISTRICT DATA

Region
Asking Price Data

REGIONAL HOUSE PRICES

NATIONAL HOUSING MARKET COMMENTARY

"The average price of property coming to the market for sale has fallen by 1.8% (-£6,695) this month to £358,138. Prices usually fall in December, but this year’s price fall is larger than the ten-year average drop of 1.4%. It means that 2025 ends with average asking prices 0.6% (-£2,059) lower than a year ago, with price growth this year strongest in the North West of England (+2.6%), flat in London (0.0%) and lowest in the South West (-2.7%). Budget-related gloom and uncertainty have amplified the seasonal slowdown in prices and activity that we’d usually see in December and indeed contributed to a more subdued second half of the year overall."

"The November 2025 RICS UK Residential Market Survey results continue to portray a subdued backdrop, with metrics on buyer demand and sales volumes still firmly in negative territory. Moreover, forward-looking indicators have yet to suggest any meaningful near-term improvement, with the tone of the data showing no discernible reaction to the recent Budget (three-quarters of the sample was gathered after the event)."

REGIONAL HOUSING MARKET COMMENTARY

"Turning to house prices, survey feedback continues to point to a gentle decline at the aggregate level, posting a net balance of -16% in November. That said, this is marginally less negative than last month’s -19% and implies the trend may be flattening. Interestingly, regional data shows the net balance in London dropped to -44%, now more negative than in any other part of the UK (with the additional tax on highervalue homes announced in the recent Budget perhaps exerting further downward pressure in the capital). Running counter to the overall picture, respondents in both Northern Ireland and Scotland continue to cite an upward trend in house prices."

"There is a clear north-south divide in price inflation. Average home values are registering modest price falls of up to -0.6% across southern England where affordability and higher buying costs are a drag on prices. Lower house prices in northern England and Scotland mean improved buyer affordability and faster levels of house price inflation of up to 2.9% in the North West. We expect this north-south divide in price inflation to continue over 2026."

AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE CHANGES SINCE 1995

HOUSE PRICE PREDICTIONS FOR 2021
Tim Bannister, Director of Property Data at Rightmove: 4% rise

“2021 has a lot of variables, and so is not an easy one to call, but with Rightmove’s unique leading indicators of buyer and seller behaviour we are confident that the housing market will continue to outperform general expectations next year as it did this."

"Our 2021 forecast of a 4% price rise is more conservative than the unsustainable 6.6% national average seen this year. There’s likely to be a lull in quarter two unless the stamp duty holiday is extended, but for many buyers its removal will not be make or break, though may lead them to reduce their offers to a degree to compensate for the higher tax, and indeed many sellers may be prepared to help to mitigate their buyer’s financial loss."

"First-time buyers will remain largely exempt, so in most cases will be no worse off. The maximum savings of £2,450 in Wales or £2,100 in Scotland are considerably less decisive than the £15,000 available in England for a house costing £500,000 or more, which does however only apply to a small part of the market.”

Russell Galley, Managing Director of Halifax: 2% to 5% fall

"Despite the deepest recession for centuries, house prices have risen over the past year at their fastest rate since 2016, with mortgage approvals also at their highest level for over a decade. This growth has been driven by a shift in demand from buyers as a result of increased home working and a desire for more space, whilst the stamp-duty holiday brought forward many transactions that might otherwise have been planned for next year."

"With the stamp duty holiday also due to expire in March - and lower levels of demand - housing market activity is likely to slow. Taking all of this into account, the post-summer surge in house prices is unlikely to be sustained. Prices are expected to fall by between 2% and 5% next year, although forecast uncertainty is much higher than usual given the current economic and political environment."

Richard Donnell, Research and Insight Director at Zoopla: 1% rise

“Central to our outlook is lower levels of turnover by long-run standards, which over time increases the scarcity of homes for sale."

"We expect the supply of properties for sale to moderate over 2021, which will restrict choice for consumers."

"This creates a scenario in which any improvement to the economic climate, growth in employment levels, or an uptick in consumer sentiment will in turn boost demand, increase transaction volumes in line 2019 levels, and could provide impetus for house price growth in 2022."

Lucian Cook, Head of Residential Research at Savills: 0% change

“We do expect the economic effects of the pandemic to weigh more heavily on the housing market next year."

Nick Barnes, Head of Research at Chestertons: 1.5% rise

"Assuming no further major systemic shocks, we anticipate that the brunt of Covid’s impact on employment will be felt by the mainstream market and we forecast that after an exceptional year of growth in 2020, prices growth across the UK will slow to 1.5%. Greater London prices have risen less but are likely to fall more, and we expect them to drop by 2% by the end of the year."

HOUSE PRICE PREDICTIONS
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