The average UK house price rose by more than £3,000 last month as a lack of properties on the market continued to drive demand.
It is the longest run of monthly rises since 2016, according Halifax, which said the typical house price was a new record of £286,079 in April – a yearly increase of 10.8%.
At the current rate of growth, the price of an average home could hit £300,000 by the end of the year, but the bank said that remains unlikely given the economic conditions predicted. Prices have increased by £47,568 on average over the past two years, Halifax said.
It took the previous five and a half years to make an equivalent leap, with values increasing by £47,689 on average between October 2014 and April 2020.
Across the UK, Halifax said Northern Ireland was the strongest performer for annual house price growth, at 14.9%, although the average house price there remains some way short of its record of £230,931, set in the summer of 2007.
Average house prices in Wales and Scotland hit new records in April, at £214,396 and £196,471 respectively. Six out of nine English regions recorded double-digit annual house price inflation during April.
In the South West, the average house price broke through the £300,000 barrier for the first time, at £301,632.
Annual house price inflation in London continues to lag the rest of the UK, at 6.2%. However, average property values in the capital remain much higher than the rest of the country, with the latest average price of £537,896 also a new record for the city, Halifax said.
Russell Galley, managing director of Halifax, said: “The imbalance between supply and demand persists, with an insufficient number of new properties coming on to the market to meet the needs of prospective buyers and strong competition to secure properties driving up prices."
According to Halifax, the demand is centred on larger family homes rather than smaller properties such as flats. Over the past year, prices for detached and semi-detached properties have risen by over 12%, compared to just 7.1% for flats.
The net cash increase for detached properties, at just under £50,000 over the past year, is nearly five times more than for flats. House prices have continued to climb despite the cost-of-living crisis putting a financial squeeze on households.
Inflation is expected to hit 10%-plus in the coming months and the Bank of England raised the base rate to 1% this week, pushing up costs for some borrowers.
House prices have continued to climb despite the cost-of-living crisis putting a financial squeeze on households.
Inflation is expected to hit 10%-plus in the coming months and the Bank of England raised the base rate to 1% this week, pushing up costs for some borrowers.
Mr Galley continued: “The headwinds facing the wider economy cannot be ignored. The house price-to-income ratio is already at its highest ever level, and with interest rates on the rise and inflation further squeezing household budgets, it remains likely that the rate of house price growth will slow by the end of this year.”
Average house prices in April followed by annual increase, according to Halifax
– East Midlands, £237,466, 12.8%
– Eastern England, £334,570, 11.9%
– London, £537,896, 6.2%
– North East, £163,431, 8.9%
– North West, £217,199, 10.7%
– Northern Ireland, £182,565, 14.9%
– Scotland, £196,471, 8.3%
– South East, £390,095, 12.1%
– South West, £301,632, 14.8%
– Wales, £214,396, 14.2%
– West Midlands, £241,632, 10.4%
– Yorkshire and the Humber, £197,955, 10.3%
