UK housing sector starts 2022 buoyantly with sharp yearly price growth

(Alliance News) - The UK property market kicked off the year with a bang, as house prices rose ...

Alliance News 17 January, 2022 | 4:54AM
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(Alliance News) - The UK property market kicked off the year with a bang, as house prices rose annually at the strongest pace in almost six years, figures from Rightmove showed on Monday.

UK house prices climbed 0.3% monthly to GBP341,019 in January. Annually, prices were 7.6% higher, the chunkiest yearly growth rate since May 2016, when prices surged 8.3%.

"Asking prices traditionally see a rise in January, though this month's figure is compared with an unusual drop in January last year as the rush to beat the March stamp duty deadline started to abate," Rightmove commented.

"The jump in average asking prices this month is driven by homes in the 'top of the ladder' and 'first-time buyer' sectors, with first-time-buyer type homes hitting a new record average asking price of GBP214,176."

UK house prices have been on the upturn since the sector re-emerged from 2020's spring Covid-19 lockdown. The sector benefited from stamp duty relief.

In March 2021, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak extended the stamp duty cut granted in 2020 to the end of June 2021 at a GBP500,000 nil rate band, which was then tapered to a GBP250,000 threshold until the end of September.

Rightmove Director of Property Data Tim Bannister commented: "New Year sellers and buyers have been quick off the mark this year, with Rightmove recording the highest ever number of Boxing Day sellers coming to market. These 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, with the number of prospective buyers enquiring about homes up 15% on this time last year.

"People who have made it their New Year's resolution to move are finding asking prices are within just 1% of the record from October last year, and are at the highest level ever recorded for first-time-buyer type homes. All of the signs suggest that prices are likely to continue to rise until more choice is available."

By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com

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