Record asking prices driven by pent-up demand.

The average price of property coming to the market for sale reaches a new record of £375,131, rising by 0.8% (+£2,807) in the month, as the momentum of the Spring selling season exerts some modest upwards price pressure :

• The market remains price-sensitive with average asking prices just 0.6% higher than a year ago.

• The top-of-the-ladder sector is still leading price growth, with average prices up by 1.3% compared with last year.

• Pent-up demand from would-be buyers who paused their plans last year is a key driver behind increased home-mover activity despite mortgage rates remaining elevated for longer than anticipated.

• The number of sales being agreed during the first four months of the year is 17% higher than last year, outstripping the 12% increase in the number of new sellers coming to market.

• Despite these positive lead indicators for higher transaction levels this year, the painful average of 154 days between agreeing a sale and legal completion remains a challenge for both agents and movers.

• With 62 days on average needed to find a buyer before the legal process even begins, would-be sellers hoping to be in a new home for Christmas need to be taking action now.

• Rightmove’s analysis shows that properties that need an asking price reduction take more than three times longer to find a buyer as those that do not, giving sellers who price right from the outset the edge to sell more quickly.

Affordability trends

The first-time buyer monthly mortgage payment is based on Bank of England data of the averages for 90% LTV twoyear fixed mortgages from lenders, and the average asking price of a typical first-time buyer home (two bedrooms or fewer) using the Rightmove House Price Index. The equivalent monthly rent is calculated using the same property types (two bedrooms or fewer). The affordability to buy a first home is based on the Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) dataset from ONS multiplied by 4.5 to get the typical maximum that a person can borrow from a lender. The average asking price of a typical first-time buyer home is taken from the Rightmove House Price Index.

Price & activity trends

Regional trends