News

Punnets vs Property

News /

The 139th Wimbledon Championships are underway at the All England Club, welcoming 128 singles players and 64 doubles teams in each draw ahead of the tournament’s conclusion on Sunday 12 July. Beyond the tennis, attention once again turns to the Championships’ most famous culinary tradition: strawberries and cream.

The fresh strawberries are supplied by Hugh Lowe Farms, which has been serving Wimbledon for more than 25 years. Each portion is topped with thick cream, and demand remains enormous, with more than 190,000 portions expected to be sold during the 14-day tournament, generating around £540,000 in sales.

The price of Wimbledon’s iconic strawberries and cream also offers an interesting insight into inflation over the past decade. After remaining at £2.50 for around ten years, the price increased to £2.70 in 2025 and now stands at £2.85 in 2026. This represents a total increase of 14% over the last decade.

By comparison, the average UK house price has risen by around 35% over the same period, more than twice the rate of the increase in the price of strawberries and cream. While the cost of one of Wimbledon’s most iconic traditions has remained relatively stable, the housing market has experienced significantly stronger price growth over the past ten years.

Punnets vs Property Read More »

Longer Days, Faster Sales

News /

The summer solstice, the longest day of the year and an event celebrated around the world, falls in the Northern Hemisphere on Sunday 21 June 2026 at 9:24am BST. The difference in daylight across the UK is significant. London will enjoy around 16 hours and 38 minutes of daylight, nearly nine hours more than during the shortest days of December. Further north, Edinburgh will benefit from 17 hours and 37 minutes of daylight, almost an hour more than the capital.

This increase in daylight has coincided with growing momentum in the property market. The warmer months traditionally bring higher levels of buyer activity, and 2026 has been no exception. One of the clearest signs of this trend is the speed at which properties are selling. The average time to sell fell to 60 days in May, down from 81 days in January, marking the fourth consecutive monthly decline.

Overall, the data suggests that the market is gaining momentum as summer approaches. Faster sales and shorter transaction times are creating favourable conditions for sellers while reflecting increasing confidence among buyers.

Longer Days, Faster Sales Read More »

Playing The Long Game: World Cup Special

News /

The 2026 World Cup begins this week and stands as the largest tournament in the competition’s history, with 48 countries travelling to the United States to compete, providing a timely backdrop for examining the long-term performance of the UK housing market. The comparison reaches back to 30th July 1966, the last occasion on which a home nation lifted the trophy, when the average UK house price was just £3,558. In the six decades since, residential property values have risen approximately 77-fold, bringing the average UK home to £274,930 today and underscoring the scale of long-run price growth that has reshaped affordability across generations.

The contrast is sharpened by the tournament’s finances: the 2026 prize pot is a record $727 million, equivalent to around £541 million, a sum substantial enough to purchase 1,968 average-priced UK homes. Taken together, these figures frame both the rising rewards of the modern game and the enduring upward trajectory of UK house prices, offering a vivid sense of how dramatically values have climbed since England’s victory in 1966.

Playing The Long Game: World Cup Special Read More »

Mortgage Market Showing Real Resilience

News /

The UK mortgage market is demonstrating notable resilience in the face of higher borrowing costs and a more uncertain global economic backdrop. The latest data shows that mortgage approvals, one of the clearest forward indicators of housing demand, reached 63,531 in March. This represents a 1.3% increase on February’s total and marks the highest monthly figure recorded since November 2025, signalling a quiet but meaningful strengthening of buyer activity as the spring market progresses.

What is particularly striking about this performance is the wider context in which it has been achieved. Mortgage rates have been pushed higher by global uncertainty, yet the level of approvals sits just 0.8% below where it stood a year ago. The fact that this gap remains so narrow, despite the headwinds of more expensive borrowing, points to underlying resilience in a market often assumed to react sharply to changes in the interest rate environment.

The picture for new buyer enquiries reinforces this view, with enquiries down only 2% compared with the same period last year. This modest decline suggests that buyers remain engaged rather than in retreat, even if the prevailing mood remains somewhat cautious. Property professionals appear to share this assessment. In a recent poll, 42% reported that buyer confidence is broadly in line with where it stood three months ago, reflecting a sense of stability rather than either exuberance or decline.

Taken together, these figures paint a picture of a mortgage market that is absorbing pressure rather than buckling under it. Approvals are rising, year-on-year comparisons remain largely stable, and confidence is holding its ground as the sector moves further into 2026.

Mortgage Market Showing Real Resilience Read More »

100 Years of David Attenborough

News /

Sir David Attenborough has recently celebrated his 100th birthday, marking a remarkable century of life from a broadcaster and naturalist who has spent more than 70 years inspiring the world to see nature differently. Although his career has taken him to some of the most remote corners of the earth, his work consistently reminds audiences that there is plenty of wildlife to enjoy much closer to home, and the latest data on UK green space makes that point in striking fashion.

Across the country, 28% of people live within a five minute walk of a public park, a figure that rises to 44% in London, while 72% of UK residents can reach a park within a fifteen minute walk. This demonstrates that, for the vast majority of the population, accessible green space is already part of everyday life.

These parks are far more than recreational backdrops. They are home to a surprising variety of wildlife, from familiar species such as robins and blue tits to foxes, hedgehogs, bees and butterflies. Many of these species depend on green spaces to survive and move safely through built up environments.

The capital provides a particularly powerful illustration of how rich urban habitats can be, with over 14,000 species of plants, animals and fungi recorded in London alone. This shows that even the most densely populated areas hold genuine ecological potential. Realising that potential, however, depends on the quality and connectivity of the habitats on offer, with well connected wildlife corridors and diverse habitats essential to helping urban wildlife thrive over the long term.

Taken together, these figures reinforce the message at the heart of Sir David Attenborough’s life’s work: protecting and nurturing nature is not solely about distant wildernesses, but also about the parks, verges and gardens at the end of our streets that form vital lifelines for the wildlife sharing our cities.

100 Years of David Attenborough Read More »

Energy Saving New Homes

News /

Energy bills remain one of the most significant pressures on UK household budgets at present, and the home a person lives in has a substantial bearing on what they actually pay each year. The latest analysis sets out a clear running cost advantage for newer housing stock: owners of new build properties spend approximately £420 less on energy annually than those living in older homes rated EPC D, which translates to a new build being around 27% cheaper to run. The gap stretches further when newer stock is compared with the least efficient properties on the market, those rated EPC F or G, where the annual saving rises to about £618, or roughly 39% in relative terms.

The driver behind this is straightforward. Nearly all new builds carry an EPC rating of A or B, the highest tiers of the energy efficiency scale, whereas fewer than 5% of older properties currently meet that standard. For households unable or unwilling to move into a new build, the most cost effective improvements remain the established staples of home retrofit. Loft insulation can deliver annual savings of up to £390, and cavity wall insulation can save as much as £420 a year. Each of these measures is capable, on its own, of lifting a property up a full EPC band, offering owners of older homes a tangible and relatively low cost route to closing the running cost gap with newer stock and easing the long term burden of energy bills.

Energy Saving New Homes Read More »

House Price Growth Holds Up

News /

UK annual house price growth accelerated to 2.2% in March 2026, a significant increase from the 1.0% recorded in February, indicating that the market regained some positive momentum following a softer start to the year. This improvement suggests that buyer and seller activity strengthened as the first quarter progressed, offering a more encouraging signal than the subdued figures seen in January and February.

Looking across the country over Q1, the picture was broadly positive, with the majority of regions recording modest annual price increases. Of the 13 regions monitored, 11 saw prices rise year on year, though the gains were generally measured rather than dramatic. Two regions recorded annual price declines. The Outer South East saw prices fall by 0.7%, and East Anglia recorded a decline of 0.4%. These markets appear to be feeling the combined effects of stretched affordability and elevated supply levels, which are giving buyers the upper hand and tempering price growth.

At the opposite end of the scale, Northern Ireland delivered standout performance, with annual price growth of 9.5%, comfortably outpacing every other region across the UK. This exceptional growth reflects the region’s comparatively strong affordability position, constrained housing supply, and sustained local demand, all of which continue to drive values significantly higher.

Despite the improvement in March’s headline figure, the outlook over the next twelve months is expected to be more muted. Geopolitical uncertainty is anticipated to exert downward pressure on property values, with price growth forecast to remain broadly flat through to early 2027. This tempered outlook reflects the reality that external economic and political pressures can dampen confidence even when underlying market fundamentals remain relatively stable.

A particularly notable structural factor shaping the market environment is the current volume of properties available for sale, which has reached an 11 year high. This exceptional level of supply gives buyers a degree of choice and negotiating leverage not seen in over a decade. While this is positive for purchasers, it places added pressure on sellers to price their properties realistically from the outset. With so many homes competing for buyer attention, accurately priced properties are far more likely to attract offers and complete successfully than those that launch above market value.

House Price Growth Holds Up Read More »

Rental Market Finding Balance

News /

As the UK rental market approaches one of its most significant regulatory changes in decades with the Renters’ Rights Act coming into force on 1 May, the latest data shows a sector adjusting with notable calm. Instead of volatility, the dominant theme is steady stability. Rental growth remains consistent, supply is gradually improving, and the balance between landlords and tenants is shifting in a more constructive way.

On the demand side, average rents across the UK rose in March, marking the first monthly increase since October 2025. This suggests that the recent softening in rental movements may have reached its turning point for now. Annually, rental growth stands at 1.8 percent, reflecting continued upward pressure across most regions. Nearly every part of the UK has seen rents rise compared with a year ago, with the East of England being the only area to record a slight decline.

The supply outlook offers some of the most encouraging signs. The number of homes available to rent is now 3 percent higher than a year ago and has reached its highest level for this time of year since 2021. This increase gives tenants more choice than they have had in recent years. Although demand has cooled compared with last year’s unusually high levels, it remains well above pre pandemic norms, indicating that the rental market continues to show underlying strength even as activity steadies.

Overall, the data points to a market that is becoming more balanced. Supply is improving, rental growth is settling at a more sustainable pace, and demand remains resilient. As the Renters’ Rights Act introduces major changes to tenancy law, the sector appears to be entering this new phase from a position of relative stability, which should support both landlords and tenants as they adapt to the changes ahead.

Rental Market Finding Balance Read More »

Student Rent Hotspots

News /

As the new academic year draws closer, the cost of student accommodation has emerged as a decisive factor for many prospective undergraduates choosing where to study in the UK. A detailed analysis by Dataloft Rental Market Analytics by PriceHubble sheds light on just how widely rental costs vary across university cities, revealing a picture of stark contrasts and rising financial strain.

Unsurprisingly, London takes the top spot as the most expensive city for students, with an average monthly rent of £1,359. This figure dwarfs costs in most other parts of the country, setting the capital firmly apart in terms of affordability challenges.

Close behind, students in Reading (£965), Brighton (£941) and Bristol (£846) face some of the steepest housing costs outside London. Prestigious academic hubs Oxford (£844) and Cambridge (£843) also feature in the top ten, reflecting the growing price of living in these globally renowned university towns.

The analysis also highlights a wider spread of cities where students are feeling the squeeze. In Edinburgh (£756), Portsmouth (£746), Manchester (£740) and Exeter (£735), average rents demonstrate that rising accommodation costs are not confined to England’s southeast.

Nationally, students are now paying an average of £933 per month—a striking 29% increase compared to £724 just five years ago. These figures, based on average student rental shares over the 12 months leading to the end of August 2025, underscore the mounting financial pressure facing those entering higher education.

As universities prepare to welcome a new wave of students, accommodation affordability remains at the heart of the decision-making process. For many, the choice of where to study is no longer driven solely by academic reputation but also by the reality of securing a place to live in an increasingly competitive rental market.

Student Rent Hotspots Read More »

Strong Summer Signals A Busier Autumn

News /

The UK housing market took its expected summer breather this August as the average asking price dipped by 1.3% to £368,740. While some may raise an eyebrow at the decline, seasoned market watchers will note this aligns perfectly with the typical seasonal dip seen between July and August over the past five years.

The cooling was not uniform across the country. Wales stood firm with prices holding steady while other regions followed the broader trend. London experienced the sharpest fall at 2.6%, followed by Yorkshire and The Humber at 1.9%. These adjustments highlight a common theme: sellers are choosing more realistic pricing strategies in order to attract buyers during a month that is usually overshadowed by summer holidays.

Yet behind the seasonal dip another story is emerging. The backdrop of declining interest rates combined with a strong supply of properties has supported confidence in the market. As a result buyer demand has risen by 11% compared with last year, which is a striking contrast to the slowdown usually associated with August.

The question now is whether this momentum can carry forward. History suggests it can. Between 2021 and 2024 new seller asking prices increased by an average of 0.6% from August to September as the academic year encouraged households to refocus their priorities and as activity gathered pace again. If this pattern continues, this year’s strong summer sales may provide the foundation for a vibrant autumn market.

For both buyers and sellers the message is clear: the seasonal dip may have made headlines, yet the figures reveal a market full of opportunity.

Strong Summer Signals A Busier Autumn Read More »

Scroll to Top