UK House Price Balance Weakens to 3-Month Low

2026-10-07 23:12 By Chusnul Chotimah 1 min. read

The RICS UK Residential Market Survey showed that the house price balance deteriorated to -32% in September 2026 from -28% in August, which was the highest in five months and worse than market expectations of -30%.

It was the steepest decline since June and ended a four-month period during which the indicator had been becoming progressively less negative.

The net balance for new buyer enquiries fell to -22% from -18% in August, while the sales expectations balance declined to -6% from -3%.

London reported a weaker price balance than the national figure, while the North recorded modest price growth.

Looking ahead, the three-month house price expectations balance stood at -24%, signalling expectations of further near-term pressure.

“A renewed rise in interest rate expectations has created a fresh headwind for the housing market, with buyers becoming a little more cautious and sales activity losing some momentum this month,” said RICS Head of Market Research and Analysis Tarrant Parsons.



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UK House Price Balance Weakens to 3-Month Low
The RICS UK Residential Market Survey showed that the house price balance deteriorated to -32% in September 2026 from -28% in August, which was the highest in five months and worse than market expectations of -30%. It was the steepest decline since June and ended a four-month period during which the indicator had been becoming progressively less negative. The net balance for new buyer enquiries fell to -22% from -18% in August, while the sales expectations balance declined to -6% from -3%. London reported a weaker price balance than the national figure, while the North recorded modest price growth. Looking ahead, the three-month house price expectations balance stood at -24%, signalling expectations of further near-term pressure. “A renewed rise in interest rate expectations has created a fresh headwind for the housing market, with buyers becoming a little more cautious and sales activity losing some momentum this month,” said RICS Head of Market Research and Analysis Tarrant Parsons.
2026-10-07
UK House Price Balance Improves to 5-Month High
The RICS UK Residential Market Survey showed that the house price balance improved to -28% in August 2026 from an upwardly revised -29% in July, reaching a five-month high as the housing market showed signs of stabilizing. The net balance for new buyer enquiries rose to -19%, its strongest reading since January, while the sales expectations balance improved to -3% from -13%. RICS said key activity indicators have become progressively less negative, although any recovery remains fragile. Property prices are still expected to fall over the next three months but stabilize over a 12-month horizon. London reported the weakest price balance, while Northern Ireland remained the strongest. In the rental market, stronger tenant demand and fewer properties from landlords pushed the three-month rent expectations balance to +44% from +33%. RICS warned that higher interest rates or heavier property taxation after October’s budget could weigh on prices.
2026-09-09
UK Housing Market Remains Subdued
The RICS UK Residential Market Survey showed that the house price balance edged up to -30% in July 2026 from -32% in June, remaining firmly negative as buyer demand and agreed sales continued to struggle for momentum. New buyer enquiries and agreed sales were both unchanged from June, at -28% and -30%, respectively, pointing to limited improvement in market activity. New vendor instructions improved sharply to -4% from -23%, although the pipeline of new listings remained constrained. London, the South East and South West continued to report the weakest price balances, while Northern Ireland remained an outperformer. Looking ahead, three-month price expectations stayed weak at -31%, while the 12-month outlook turned slightly positive at +4%. Sales expectations also improved, with the 12-month balance rising to +3%. In the rental market, landlord instructions remained weak at -27%, keeping supply constrained, while 28% of respondents expected rents to rise over the next three months.
2026-08-12