Housing market ‘off to its strongest start in three years' with sales up by 12 per cent

The lodging marketplace has got disconnected to its strongest commencement successful 3 years, according to a spot website.

The measurement of caller income agreed was up by 12 per cent, erstwhile comparing the 4 weeks to 24 January 2025 with the aforesaid play past year, Zoopla said.

The fig of homes for merchantability is besides 10 per cent higher than a twelvemonth ago.

2025 has started well, amended than 2024 and 2023 which bodes good for marketplace enactment implicit the remainder of the year

Richard Donnell, Zoopla

The website suggested immoderate buyers are attempting to bushed a stamp duty hike from April 1, which volition spot the “nil rate” set for first-time buyers trim from £425,000 to £300,000. Stamp duty applies successful England and Northern Ireland.

The mean UK location terms was enactment astatine £267,700, having accrued by £5,200 crossed past year, aft a £2,400 alteration during 2023.

Rising volumes of income are supporting UK location terms inflation. Zoopla said location prices crossed the UK were 2 per cent higher connected mean successful December 2024 than a twelvemonth earlier, ranging from 7.7 per cent successful Northern Ireland to 1 per cent successful eastbound England.

But determination are signs that the caller upturn successful prices is starting to level retired arsenic owe rates drift higher and buyers person a wider prime of properties, the study said.

Zoopla said location terms ostentation volition beryllium kept successful cheque implicit 2025 but the existent North/South disagreement successful location terms ostentation is expected to proceed implicit the twelvemonth ahead.

Richard Donnell, enforcement manager astatine Zoopla said: “The archetypal fewer weeks of each twelvemonth thin to supply a wide denotation of however the remainder of the twelvemonth is apt to unfold.

“2025 has started well, amended than 2024 and 2023 which bodes good for marketplace enactment implicit the remainder of the year, supported by grounds of much radical looking to move.

“It is important not to work excessively overmuch into the summation successful stamp work for much buyers from April arsenic 3 successful 5 first-time buyers volition inactive wage thing from April. The other costs to homeowners stay manageable and improbable to trim income but they volition support terms rises successful check.

“The steadfast banal of homes for merchantability volition support terms rises successful cheque and we are forecasting mean UK location prices volition emergence by 2.5 per cent successful 2025 with 5 per cent much income than past twelvemonth astatine 1.15 million.

“Rising incomes and basal complaint cuts volition amended affordability and enactment user sentiment.”

Malcolm Prescott, managing manager of Webbers Estate Agents said: “January has started precise positively present successful the South West, with an abundance of caller listings and income to match.”