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Housing market 'surprisingly strong' with average asking price up 1.2% in May – Rightmove

Housing market 'surprisingly strong' with average asking price up 1.2% in May – Rightmove
Rosie Murray-West
Written By:
Posted:
May 18, 2026
Updated:
May 18, 2026

The average price of a home rose by £4,333 in May, with market confidence “surprisingly strong”, according to online property expert Rightmove.

The online property portal said the average price of a property coming to market is now £378,304, but prices have fallen by 0.3% since May 2025.

“Activity in the market is staying fairly steady, even with ongoing cost‑of‑living pressures and wider global uncertainty,” said Colleen Babcock, property expert at Rightmove.

However, she also noted a North/South price divide, with prices rising in the North but falling in more expensive areas such as London and the South East.

Prices in the more affordable North East and North West rose by 2.7% and 2.6% respectively. Meanwhile, prices in London fell 2.4% and the South East saw a 1.6% drop.

 

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Buyer choice is strong

Despite rising prices, Babcock noted that there are a huge number of properties on the market, and a third of them have seen their prices reduced.

She said: “All sellers should note that buyer choice is now at its highest level for this time of year since 2015.

“Getting the asking price right from the outset is therefore increasingly important, as homes priced too ambitiously are taking longer to sell. Our research shows that a home that’s been reduced takes on average 91 more days to sell than a home that hasn’t needed to be reduced. That’s where agents have a key role to play, working closely with sellers to set realistic prices from day one to help homes to attract immediate interest and sell more quickly.”

Hollie Whittaker, founder of Block & Brick estate agent in Yorkshire, said that while she is seeing encouraging sales figures and “plenty of buyers still actively looking”, realistic pricing is vital.

She continued: “Buyers currently have a lot more choice available, so they’re taking their time and comparing properties carefully before making decisions.

“We’re finding that homes priced correctly from the outset are attracting strong interest and agreeing sales, whereas properties that have been sitting on the market for a while are often only seeing renewed activity once there’s been a price reduction.”

 

Affordability improves

The Rightmove figures also showed a slight improvement in mortgage affordability. Rightmove’s daily mortgage tracker showed that the average two‑year fixed rate has fallen to 5.18% – from 5.42% at this time last month. This reduces the average monthly mortgage payment by around £50. Continued growth in average earnings is also helping to offset some of the impact of higher mortgage rates over recent months, the group said.

Matt Smith, Rightmove’s mortgage expert, said small rate falls can “make a meaningful difference to monthly budgets”.

He added: “When combined with greater flexibility in lending following last year’s review of affordability rules, many buyers are still able to make the numbers work.

“This helps to explain why activity has continued to hold up, particularly among first‑time buyers. Price sensitivity is clearly feeding through into more restrained pricing at the entry level, but importantly, this reflects affordability shaping the market rather than a drop‑off in appetite. Where homes are priced realistically and budgets stack up, many buyers are still pressing ahead with their plans.”