UK property market ‘on the up’ amid new year bounce in asking prices

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Rupert JonesJanuary 19, 2026 at 07:00 AM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

The UK property market experienced a significant surge in January, with Rightmove reporting the largest monthly increase in average asking prices in a decade. Asking prices rose by 2.8%, nearly £10,000, bringing the average to £368,031. This increase is attributed to renewed market optimism following the November budget, where feared property tax changes did not materialize, and the Bank of England's interest rate cut in December. Rightmove's data, collected from estate agents between December 7th and January 10th, indicates a strong return of both buyers and sellers to the market after the Christmas holiday. While this rise benefits homeowners, it may pose further challenges for first-time buyers.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Kirstie Allsopp 30% England 30% Colleen Babcock 30% Jeremy Leaf 40% Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors 40% Halifax 50% Nationwide 50% Bank of England 60% Rightmove ×580% UK ×290%

Keywords

uk property market 100% asking prices 90% housing market 80% new year bounce 70% property tax changes 60% mortgage rates 60% first-time buyers 50% buyer demand 50% interest rate cut 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive

Score: 0.30

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

United Kingdom

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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uk property market asking prices housing market new year bounce property tax changes mortgage rates first-time buyers buyer demand interest rate cut

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