Market Index

Buying agency flags an 'optimistic yet fragile' outlook for the property market in 2024.

Buying activity continues to be slow in prime London, while the rental market is looking a lot cooler than in previous years.

'The house price crash that so many experts said was an inevitability appears to have been averted,' says Benham and Reeves' boss, adding that 'we fully expect the market to go from strength to strength…

Demand and supply appear to be rebalancing to more sustainable levels.

'Downward pressure on prices is diminishing,' says the RICS, as surveyors suggest property values will 'remain largely flat' through 2024.

The latest UK House Price Index tells of 'a frosty end to the year', says Jackson-Stops, while buying agency Garrington says November 'was the moment the slowdown turned into a slide'.

It has not been a busy start to the year for most of prime London's property market...

20% more sales were agreed in the opening week of this year than in the same period last year, while the traditional January asking price rise is more than double the 20-year average.

Estate agency expects the average rent bill across Great Britain to rise by another 7% this year, followed by 5% in 2025 and 5% in 2026.

London's prime property market has started the new year as it left 2023 - pretty quiet.

'There is a window of opportunity for buyers and sellers as the economy settles and before a UK general election is called,' says Knight Frank, as the firm predicts a further 3% 'recalibration' for country…

'While the landscape remains largely subdued, there are green shoots of positivity starting to show' in the property market, says GetAgent.