Housing affordability

After a number of years of the housing market favouring buyers rather than sellers, there are now clear indications this spring that sellers are gaining the upper hand. Recent research is showing that Housing affordability has deteriorated to 2009 levels on the back of strong property price growth, according to Loyds Bank the average home in a British city now costs £195,107 or 6.1 times typical annual earnings before tax.

The group blamed the affordability deterioration on the strong house price growth seen during the past year, with average house prices rising by 7 per cent. The price growth has stalled more recently along with the sales market as the election looms ever closer, normally in the run up to Easter the market would be picking up as spring buyers make their appearance, such buyers are a  little more cautious this year waiting for the  outcome of election before commiting themselves.
It has been reported that Oxford is the least affordable city with the average house costing nearly 11 times typical local earnings, Greater London is the seventh least affordable city , this across the board figure however  disguised considerable variation throughout the capital.

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

UK house prices sit above pandemic market peak

The latest research from Yopa has found that, six years on from the first Covid lockdown (23rd March 2020), the average UK house price remains 1.7% above the peak reached during the pandemic property market boom, despite the more subdued market conditions seen since. Yopa analysed* average house price data at three key points in…
Read More
how to present your property for sale
Breaking News

Energy efficient upgrades now an essential home feature

Savers with student loans put away £2k less per year towards a house deposit than those without 44 per cent of those with student loans say the debt makes it harder to be financially stable, with 41 per cent saying their repayments make it harder to save for a home Barclays Mortgage data shows the…
Read More
Breaking News

Inverclyde crowned Britain’s most affordable place for first-time buyers

Inverclyde, Burnley and Hartlepool amongst most affordable areas in Britain Kensington and Chelsea, Oxford and Cambridge least affordable North has smallest gap between least and most affordable areas in the region while London has largest Around 70% of local authorities have seen an improvement in affordability over the last year, with Islington seeing biggest improvement…
Read More
Breaking News

Fewer than 3% of London rental homes available

The latest research from Benham and Reeves has found that fewer than 3% of London’s private rental homes are currently available to tenants, highlighting the severe lack of supply across the capital at a time when further legislative changes could place additional strain on supply within the sector. Benham and Reeves analysed current rental market…
Read More
Adding second coat of varnish floor boards
Home and Living

Cottagecore Design

The term “cottagecore design” has risen by 100% since November 2025, with the term “cottagecore” itself now getting nearly 10,000 searches (9,900), according to Traditional Beams. Cottagecore refers to an aesthetic that romanticises simple, rural and sustainable living, popularised on platforms such as Instagram and Tiktok, and embraces a cosy and pastoral lifestyle. However, while…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Property specialist predicts spike in traditional interiors after Bridgerton hit

With Bridgerton Season 4 debuting with an impressive 39.7 million views in its first week on Netflix, property specialist predicts that traditional interiors will be the biggest renovation trend of 2026. Mitchell Martyn, Property Finance Specialist at Pure Property Finance, predicts that the appetite for traditional, heritage-inspired interiors is set to surge once again. As…
Read More