Community counts

The Sunday Times’ Best Place to Live in the UK 2025 emphasizes that quality of life extends beyond conventional metrics such as school performance or broadband speed.

Central to its evaluation is the presence of a strong local community, a factor that significantly influences residential satisfaction and longevity, particularly among renters—69% of whom would choose to remain in an area longer if they perceived a strong sense of community, as highlighted in data from Dataloft.

Additional criteria included effective transport links, cultural accessibility, green spaces, and a vibrant high street. The report showcases diverse regional winners, ranging from the rural charm of Ilmington in the Midlands and coastal North Berwick in Scotland to the urban vibrancy of Walthamstow in London. Among all, Saffron Walden emerged as the overall winner, distinguished by its historic architecture, high-quality state education, rich cultural life, and strong commuter connectivity—factors that collectively underscore its exceptional community fabric and livability.

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New homes growing in popularity

News / Cyril Osei-Gyamfi

The appeal of newly constructed homes continues to rise among prospective home movers, as evidenced by data from the Home Moving Trends Survey 2024. In 2025, 53% of respondents expressed a willingness to consider buying a new build, a notable increase from 47% in 2024.

Moreover, the proportion of individuals who prefer to buy a new home has grown from 17% to 21% over the same period. This upward trend in consumer preference aligns with the UK government’s strategic goal to deliver 1.5 million new homes over the next five years, signalling a robust national commitment to housing development.

Concurrently, 64% of developers anticipate growth in housebuilding activity within the next 12 months, reinforcing the sector’s readiness to meet this demand. The convergence of rising buyer interest and governmental support presents a significant opportunity for the housing market, particularly in the realm of new build properties.

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Market Outlook: Climbing Rental Yields

News / news centre

Over the past five years, average gross rental yields across England and Wales have consistently increased, reaching a peak of 7.2% in February 2025, compared to 6% in 2020. This upward trend is evident across all regions, with the North West experiencing the most significant rise from 6.1% to 7.8%. The primary driver behind yield growth is rental inflation surpassing house price inflation, as average rents have surged by 44% over five years, whereas property sales prices have risen by 20%. Flats now yield an average of 7.4%, a sharp increase from 5.4% in 2020, while houses yield 5.7%, up from 5.1%.

Despite these high gross rental yields, increasing regulatory pressures have posed challenges for landlords. Nevertheless, 71% of landlords intend to maintain their property portfolios over the next year, an increase from 66%, while 9% plan to expand. These figures are based on data from Dataloft by PriceHubble and the Land Registry, with calculations derived from a rolling 12-month basis of average sales and rental prices on a per-square-foot basis.

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The Rise Of Co-Living

News / news centre

In a world of constant innovation, long-established domestic arrangements are fading, and modernist living is taking a step forward. The latest idea of “co-living” has emerged, described as “large-scale purpose-built shared living developments of at least 50 units” by The London Plan. Co-living presents an alternative to traditional flat shares, showcasing a structured yet flexible approach to shared living, incorporating additional services and amenities, with leases requiring a minimum stay of three months.

Whilst initially assumed to only attract younger demographics, with statistics showing an average resident age of 28 years old, co-living debunks such assumptions, having 20% of occupants over 35. With constant room for improvement, the potential for age-specific developments is expanding, with the ability to cater to varying demographic needs. Beyond affordability, co-living is valued for its convenience, flexibility, and a strong sense of community.

Moreover, co-living plays a significant role in addressing the growing housing demand, with each unit contributing to broader availability. It also serves as a solution to long-term housing challenges, with 70% of residents planning to stay for a year or longer. This evolving model reflects shifting preferences in urban living, emphasizing shared experiences and adaptable lifestyle solutions.

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Spring Statement 2025

News / Cyril Osei-Gyamfi

The Spring Statement of 2025 presented a mixed economic outlook, with a significant downgrade in the UK’s growth forecast for 2025, halving to just 1%. However, a positive development emerged in the form of new housebuilding projections from the Office for Budgetary Responsibility (OBR).

According to the OBR’s modeling, government reforms to planning policies introduced the previous year are expected to have a “material” impact on housebuilding activity. These reforms are projected to contribute to an increase in housebuilding levels, with numbers potentially reaching over 305,000 by 2029. Despite this long-term growth projection, the short-term forecast indicates a decline in housebuilding before any meaningful recovery occurs.

In 2024, housebuilding levels stood at approximately 244,000, significantly below the pre-pandemic peak of 287,000 recorded in 2019, which was the highest level in at least 15 years. The OBR acknowledged that planning reforms would help counteract some of the adverse effects of rising construction costs and higher interest rates, which have posed challenges to the housing sector. The analysis covers historical data for England, Wales, and Scotland and underscores the gradual nature of policy-driven improvements in the housing market.

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Hook a new home

News / Cyril Osei-Gyamfi

March traditionally marks a peak period for property sellers, and in 2025, the market has seen a significant increase in supply, reaching the highest level of competition in a decade. This surge in available properties provides buyers with the broadest selection since 2015, though those entering the market now are unlikely to meet the current month’s stamp duty deadline.

A notable 52% of agents have reported a rise in sales market supply compared to three months prior, reinforcing the trend of increased inventory. However, with affordability constraints persisting in certain areas and buyers having more options than in previous years, sellers must adopt competitive pricing strategies to secure sales.

The heightened level of choice underscores the necessity for strategic pricing and market awareness in order to navigate this evolving housing market landscape effectively.

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Market outlook: More modest rates of rental growth ahead

News / Cyril Osei-Gyamfi

After years of high rental growth, the pace of increases in achieved rents for new market lets is slowing, with some markets experiencing this deceleration more rapidly than others.

A key factor influencing this trend is affordability, which constrains further growth where financial strain is evident. In London, for example, affordability has reached just above 32%, contributing to a significant slowdown in rental growth from 9.0% a year ago to 1.7% currently.

Additional market indicators, such as data from RICS, suggest a normalisation in both demand and supply levels, particularly for demand, which had been elevated in recent years. As a result, rental growth is expected to stabilise, with an average annual increase of 3.4% projected over the next five years.

With reduced pressure in the market, rental turnover may rise, as previous tight conditions led many renters to renew existing leases rather than move. This shift towards more modest growth reflects a broader market adjustment in response to affordability constraints and easing demand.

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Market outlook: improved property sales activity

News / Cyril Osei-Gyamfi

The market entered 2025 on solid foundations, with activity levels expected to strengthen over the year. Forecasts indicate that property prices will grow at a rate of 3.1% in 2025 and 3.7% in 2026, maintaining a trajectory similar to that of 2024.

Mortgage approval and transaction rates have stabilized after a period of weakness from late 2022 through early 2024, aided by recent interest rate cuts that have improved market sentiment. However, while lower rates have encouraged activity, long-term mortgage rates are expected to settle around 4%, with the current 5-year swap rate—the basis for mortgage pricing—standing at this level.

Despite these improvements, persistent inflation above target levels means that further interest rate cuts by the Bank of England will be gradual and cautious. Housing affordability has improved overall, though price sensitivity will persist in high-cost regions such as London and the South East, where affordability constraints remain more pronounced.

The pace of price growth will depend on affordability headroom across different market segments. A key opportunity for the sector, beyond increased transaction volumes, lies in the new build market as government initiatives push toward house-building targets.

In summary, market activity is predicted to improve throughout 2025, with modest price growth aligning with previous trends. Interest rate reductions have bolstered confidence, but their future trajectory will be measured due to inflationary pressures. Regional disparities in affordability will shape price growth, and new housing developments present a significant area for expansion.

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First-time buyer monthly mortgage now 15% cheaper than renting

News / Cyril Osei-Gyamfi

A significant shift in housing affordability has emerged as rising rental prices have made homeownership, on average, 15% cheaper than renting, reversing a prior trend.

The average monthly rent in England and Wales currently stands at £1,250, whereas the typical mortgage repayment for first-time buyers is £1,066. This comparison is based on a first-time buyer purchasing a £240,000 home with a 20% deposit, a 25-year mortgage term, and a 5-year fixed interest rate of 4.4%.

The decline in mortgage rates has further supported this shift, with monthly mortgage payments for the average first-time buyer home having peaked in mid-2023 before decreasing by 10%.

However, despite the relative affordability of mortgage payments compared to rent, the challenge of saving for a deposit remains a significant barrier, as a 20% deposit for an average-priced first-time buyer home amounts to £48,000.

This data underscores a changing financial landscape where purchasing a home may now be a more economical option than renting, provided buyers can overcome the upfront financial hurdles.

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Uptick in mortgage approvals

News / Cyril Osei-Gyamfi

Mortgage approvals in January 2025 increased by 18% compared to January 2024, with 66,200 approvals recorded.

This surge is largely attributed to buyers rushing to secure properties before the stamp duty nil-rate threshold reverts from £250,000 to £125,000 in April.

While this urgency may lead to a quieter market post-April, broader indicators suggest a modest rise in demand and transactional activity, even for sales unlikely to be completed before the deadline.

The latest RICS UK Residential Market Survey highlights an increase in market appraisals compared to the previous year, reinforcing expectations of a steady, albeit cautious, rise in transactions.

However, while the removal of stamp duty incentives introduces additional costs, economic uncertainties related to inflation and mortgage rate fluctuations may temper buyer enthusiasm as the year progresses.

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News

Community counts

New homes growing in popularity

Market Outlook: Climbing Rental Yields

The Rise Of Co-Living

Spring Statement 2025

Hook a new home

Market outlook: More modest rates of rental growth ahead

Market outlook: improved property sales activity

First-time buyer monthly mortgage now 15% cheaper than renting

Uptick in mortgage approvals

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