Response to Latest Halifax House Price Index
Halifax house price data shows property prices have risen by 0.7% month on month, here are some thoughts from the industry.
Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark:
“As we embed ourselves into 2025, confidence is being echoed within the housing market, as house prices and mortgage lending remain buoyant.
“With the Bank of England announcing that interest rates are tracking downward, mortgage rates and financial pressures are now likely to continue to slowly improve in the imminent future for those looking to make their home move.”
Daniel Austin, CEO and co-founder at ASK Partners:
“This rise in house prices marks a rebound from the unexpected recent fall. However, we believe this signals that growth this year is likely to face pressure and remain steady, as higher borrowing costs start to affect buyers, despite the market’s continued resilience. Investors and developers in the residential sector remain motivated by the supply demand imbalance and under the new government, we think there will be more projects that get off the ground. We are seeing a greater variety of housing options, such as co-living schemes, coming to market which fulfil the growing requirements of younger professional buyers. If prices flatten and interest rates start to fall, we will see more first-time buyers able to step onto the property ladder.”
Tom Brown, Managing Director, Real Estate at Ingenious:
“Halifax’s data shows that the resilience and appeal of the UK property sector persist. Though we have seen higher inflation and sticky borrowing rates, we welcome the BoE’s recent rate cut and what will hopefully be the start of the much needed falling rate cycle.
“There’s clearly a significant and notable shortage of housing inventory across various price brackets and locations. Consequently, any decline in homeowner sales is likely counterbalanced by increased demand from renters and investors. This is a trend that is not going away. However, it’s crucial to recognise that the situation isn’t consistent nationwide or across different property pricing brackets. It’s helpful to delve into subsectors and regional dynamics when assessing opportunities, as a broad market view can be misleading. In the real estate sector, we’re seeing significant investment capital for assets for long-term rental. On account of their scale and buying power, these typically institutional investors face fewer disruptions than owner occupiers or small-scale Buy-to-let investors.
“At Ingenious, we continue to work closely with borrowers and investors, adapting to the dynamic market landscape and broader economic shifts, including those related to the climate crisis and changing lifestyles. We are expanding the reach of our development lending product to provide extended stabilisation terms for specialised developers in the rental sector. Furthermore, we’re introducing special lending terms for developers focused on reducing embedded carbon in their construction practices.”
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