Market Index

Hamptons estimates that around half of all new landlord purchases last year used a company to hold their buy-to-let property.

"Early-bird sellers who got themselves ready to come to market are now benefitting from the busiest start to the year that we’ve ever recorded," says Rightmove.

“We’ve seen significant competition for homes throughout the year and I can’t see that changing in 2022,” says Edward Douglas-Home, head of Scottish residential at Knight Frank.

67,000 home purchase mortgages were approved in November, according to the Bank of England; the lowest figure since June 2020, but near the 12-month average up to February 2020.

“I’ve never known a time like it in 30-plus years," says Rupert Sweeting, head of national country sales at Knight Frank.

Property prices in prime outer London are rising at their fastest pace since February 2016, according to Knight Frank's latest index.

Buyer demand increased again in November, while sales listings continued to fall.

All UK regions except London and Scotland have seen average property values rise by more than in 2019 and 2020 combined in 2021, says Zoopla - and four regions have seen prices jump by more than in the…

"Shortages of [construction] materials remain significant and inflation is gathering pace", according to the latest update from the RIBA.

The official UK House Price Index tells of a 1.1% dip in average property prices in October - but London prices jumped up in the month.

"Rents in Inner London are on track to reach pre-pandemic levels by the middle of 2022," says Hamptons.

2022 will be "closer to normal market conditions", says Rightmove, as it predicts 5% property price inflation over the next 12 months.