"The average asking price of newly-listed properties for sale rises by 0.7% (+£2,441) this month to £367,440, the first increase to property asking prices since May. September’s increase to prices is also larger than the ten-year September average of 0.5%, which is an early sign of the usual Autumn market bounce after a subdued summer. September is traditionally a busier period for the housing market as potential movers return from summer holidays and refocus on buying and selling plans for the rest of the year, and so seasonal factors are largely at play for the monthly increase. Several heatwaves and the World C up also created conditions for a particularly quiet summer this year, giving some scope for a greater rebound in prices as more buying activity returns for the Autumn. However, there is considerable ground to make up after this summer’s run of monthly falls, and prices remain 0.8% below this time last year, and 2.3% below where they were at the start of summer. It’s a challenging and crowded market for sellers, with the number of homes available on the market for sale at a 12-year high for the time of year and buyer affordability still stretched."

"The August 2026 RICS UK Residential Market Survey results continue to portray a relatively challenging backdrop, with activity indicators still in negative territory, albeit gradually moving off the lows recorded earlier in the year. At the same time, the macroeconomic environment remains difficult, with recent changes in interest rate expectations likely to prove unhelpful for any budding recovery across the sales market. Nevertheless, forward-looking sentiment points to a more stable picture emerging for activity in the near term, while respondents foresee a slight improvement in sales volumes over the year ahead."

"At the regional level, London continues to exhibit a steeper rate of decline than the UK average in net balance terms, although the latest reading is less negative than that recorded last month. As has been the case for some time, Northern Ireland continues to buck the broader UK trend, with prices still rising. Similarly, the North West of England has experienced a sustained period of gentle house price growth in recent months."

"House prices continue to increase at an above-average rate across Northern England and the Midlands with prices 1.7% higher in Yorkshire and Humberside and 3.1% higher in the North West."

Tim Bannister, Property Expert at Rightmove: 4% rise

“More people choosing to make their move in 2025, teamed with lower mortgage rates, could push house prices up by 4% over the course of 2025… The big picture of market activity remains positive… which sets us up for what we predict will be a stronger 2025 in both prices and number of homes sold.”

Amanda Bryden, Head of Halifax Mortgages: 0% to +3% rise

“We expect modest house price growth in 2025, likely a little lower than this year at up to +3%… While further cuts to Bank Rate are still on the cards, the pace looks likely to be more gradual than previously anticipated… buyer demand should continue to hold up well.”

Richard Donnell, Executive Director at Zoopla: 2.5% rise

“The housing market has been resilient… Higher income growth and lower mortgage rates have helped reset housing affordability… We expect this to continue over 2025.”

Lucian Cook, Head of Residential Research at Savills: 1% rise

“Interest rates have fallen as expected, giving buyers a bit more financial capacity than they had a year ago… Greater geopolitical uncertainty… has made predicting the precise path of further cuts more challenging.”

Nick Barnes, Head of Research at Chestertons: 3.4% rise

“Chestertons forecasts that property prices will rise by 3.4% across the UK and 3% in London in 2025, supported by lower mortgage costs, modest but consistent growth for the UK economy and inflation staying around the Bank of England’s 2% target.”