Jackson-Stops' response to the ONS Private Rents and House Price data published today, which showed that average UK house prices increased by 2.0%, to £272,000, in the 12 months to June 2026.
- Average UK house prices increased by 2.0%, to £272,000, in the 12 months to June 2026 (provisional estimate); this annual growth rate is down from 3.0% in the 12 months to May 2026.
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- Average UK monthly private rent increased by 3.7%, to £1,393, in the 12 months to July 2026 (provisional estimate); this annual growth rate is up from 3.3% in the 12 months to June 2026.
Nick Leeming, Chairman of national estate agency Jackson-Stops, comments:
"Today’s figures point to a market holding broadly steady. Buyers are still moving, but tighter affordability means price, quality and value are determining which homes secure attention. This is a market that is increasingly price-sensitive.
“June brought the start of a political transition, with Andy Burnham emerging as the likely next Prime Minister and prompting renewed debate about the incoming Government’s approach to property taxation. While Burnham has since ruled out changes to Stamp Duty at the next Budget, the tax remains a significant barrier to movement. Our own research found that removing these costs could bring more than 300,000 owner-occupied homes onto the market across England within less than a year. June also offered buyers only a brief period of greater mortgage-rate stability, but borrowing costs still remained materially higher than at the beginning of the year.
“Buyers now have more choice, more time and greater negotiating power. Sellers can still attract committed purchasers, but they must engage with the market as it is, not as they might wish it to be. That means listening to good advice from local agents and pricing with confidence and realism from day one. Realistic pricing is not about leaving value on the table; it is how sellers create competition for it."
