Buyers holding back

Kerb appeal

Now with just four weeks until the election on 7th May it appears the property market is stalling, can anyone blame buyers with some of the housing policies that Labour are proposing. This is probably a blip until the outcome becomes clear, Labour have voiced strongly their intentions about introducing a mansion tax, industry analysts are saying this is causing potential purchasers of the most expensive homes  to hold back until after the election result is known.

In a recent report  Jonathan Samuels from Dragonfly Property Finance says “For demand to have fallen particularly sharply at the upper end of the market underlines the sensitivity of this demographic to political uncertainty,”

The Bank of England states “The fall in demand was significant in prime lending”

Supply from the banks remains relatively high, people should be encouraged back to the mortgage market with the prospect of low borrowing costs and greater availability of credit from lenders, once the voting is over that is.

 

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Council funding to crack down on rogue landlords

English councils are set to receive additional funding and training to help tackle rogue landlords, ahead of taking on new responsibilities when renters’ rights reforms come into force next month. All 317 local authorities in England will share £41 million in funding, building on an earlier £18 million allocation made last autumn. The funding is…
Read More
New Builds 2020
Breaking News

Fewer than 1 in 5 new properties securing buyer

New-build demand remains subdued as fewer than 1 in 5 homes find buyers in Q1 2026 The latest New-Build Stock and Demand Index from Property Inspect has found that demand for new-build homes remained subdued in the first quarter of 2026, with fewer than one in five new properties securing a buyer. New-build stock levels…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Top five AML red flags in UK property transactions

Cash-heavy and internationally supported purchases continue to shape the UK market New data from client due diligence platform Thirdfort reveals the most common anti-money laundering (AML) red flags identified in UK property transactions. Analysis of more than 415,000 completed Source of Funds (SoF) checks shows that the top five red flags are: Savings mismatch – 43.04% Gifted…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Discover Northern Ireland’s top emerging investment hotspots

Derry/ Londonderry and Fermanagh named Northern Ireland’s top emerging investment hotspots Northern Ireland’s emerging investment hotspots are delivering compelling opportunities for landlords in 2026, with new research from Belfast-based estate agency John Minnis revealing a shift in where investors are finding the strongest returns. Drawing on insights from the latest John Minnis Investment Guide, the…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 13/4/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Why customisation matters more than capability Thought Leadership by Wes Snow CEO & Co-founder of Ascendix Technologies ‘There’s a persistent misconception that success with Artificial Intelligence comes down to selecting the most advanced or sophisticated tool. In reality, that’s not where the value lies. The real…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

First-time buyers pay extra £307m in stamp duty since relief ended

New Rightmove analysis reveals that since the end of the temporary relief measure in April 2025, first-time buyers in England have paid an estimated £307 million extra in stamp duty, averaging £4,618 more per buyer: The total estimated first-time buyer stamp duty bill over the past year was £408 million, versus £101 million the previous year In April 2025 the first-time buyer stamp duty threshold was lowered from £425,000 to £300,000. Before the change 62% of homes for sale were stamp-duty free for first-time buyers and that has…
Read More