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

AI in estate agency letting agency property
Estate Agent Talk

5 Practical Examples: This is How AI is Changing Real Estate

There does not appear to be a single industry that is likely to be immune from the impact of AI. Therefore, it is no surprise to learn that seismic changes are happening in the world of real estate, thanks to the increasing influence of artificial intelligence. From using the technology to identify ways to save…
Read More
Crowded beaches - Clacton-on-Sea in Essex
Breaking News

Overheating moves up the housing agenda

441,000 rental homes fail thermal comfort standards The latest analysis from Inventory Base has found that an estimated 441,000 private rented homes in England failed thermal comfort standards in 2024, accounting for 40.3% of all non-decent private rental properties, as major reforms to the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) came into force on…
Read More
Breaking News

Annual house price growth slows in June

The latest Nationwide House Price Index for June 2026 shows that: House prices fell by -0.0% between May 2026 and June 2026. Annual house price growth increased to 2.2% in June 2026, up from 1.7% in May 2026. The average UK house price for June 2026 now stands at £277,484, down slightly from £278,024 in…
Read More
Breaking News

Nationwide House Price Index May 2026

UK annual house price growth picked up to 3.0% in April, from 2.2% in March House prices were up 0.4% month on month Headlines Apr-26 Mar-26 Monthly Index* 554.8 552.7 Monthly Change* 0.4% 0.9% Annual Change 3.0% 2.2% Average Price (not seasonally adjusted) £278,880 £277,186 * Seasonally adjusted figure (note that monthly % changes are…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 1/7/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Construction entrepreneur and TrueNorth Capital Group founder has a ten point plan for the next Prime Minister Mr Bradley Lay wants Andy Burnham, or whoever becomes the UK’s next Prime Minister, to overhaul the policies which are holding Britain’s construction sector back. And to…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 30/6/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   8% of commercial real estate investors and owners have started AI pilots – the reasons why most fail Only 5% of CRE operators achieve most of their AI program goals According to JLL’s 2025 Global Real Estate Technology Survey of more than 1,500 senior…
Read More