London house prices have taken their biggest annual fall in three years, according to a new index by Lloyds Bank.
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prices → take → Bank
Property prices in the capital fell by 3.1% in the 12 months to October - the steepest decrease since November 2023 when lender recorded a drop of 3.4% annually.
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lender → fall → %
The average property price in London now stands at £524,892.
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price → stand → 524,892
Though properties in London are valued significantly higher than other regions in the UK, the capital has seen the biggest drop in value.
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capital → value → value
Across the UK, property value has fallen by 1.2% annually on average, with the average property price standing at £296,285.
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price → fall → 296,285
Since September, property value in the UK has dropped by 0.6% - equivalent to £1,882.
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value → drop → 1,882
The East Midlands and West Midlands saw the smallest drop in property prices, falling just 0.3%, while some areas saw property value increase.
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value → see → prices
Properties in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the North West, and the North East all appreciated in value.
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Properties → appreciate → value
In Northern Ireland, property value increased on average by 4.4% annually, while homes in the North West of England saw an annual increase of 2.2%.
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homes → increase → %
The decline across the UK has partly been attributed to conflict in the Middle East, which is taking its toll on household finances.
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which → attribute → finances
But, Andrew Asaam , mortgages director at Lloyds, said it was important to contextualise the fall in property value.
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it → say → value
He explained: “House prices have changed relatively little over the past couple of years, as the market has gradually adjusted to higher interest rates.
“The recent rise in energy and other household costs has added to the pressure on buyers, so some adjustment in prices is not surprising.
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adjustment → explain → prices
“Looking ahead, conditions are likely to remain subdued in the near term, but we don’t expect this to lead to a sustained period of falling house prices.
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this → look → prices
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“With wages continuing to rise faster than property prices, the gap between earnings and house prices should gradually narrow, helping affordability to improve over time.”
Average house prices in the UK (with regional average change over past 12 months)
Figures are based on the most recent three months of approved mortgage transaction data
East Midlands: £244,426 (minus 0.3%)
Eastern England: £327,241 (minus 2.3%
London: £524,892 (minus 3.1%)
North East: £184,318 (2.0%)
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Figures → read → data
Northern Ireland: £228,708 (4.4%)
Scotland: £222,667 (2.8%)
South East: £379,258 (minus 2.4%)
South West: £298,057 (minus 2.4%)
Wales: £233,116 (1.6%)
West Midlands: £261,656 (0.3%)
Yorkshire and the Humber: £214,485 (minus 1.0%)
Based on typical outstanding mortgage balances, UK Finance said the increase for homeowners on tracker deals would be £30.72 on average.
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increase → base → deals
But some 2.3 million fixed-rate deals are due to expire in 2027, according to the analysis by UK Finance.
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deals → fix → Finance
As it stands, the average two-year fixed mortgate runs at 5.97%, while the average five-year rate averages 5.99%, according to Moneyfacts.
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rate → stand → Moneyfacts
Experts have weighed in on the new analysis.
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Experts → weigh → analysis
Karen Noye, a mortgage expert at wealth manager Quilter said: “The housing market increasingly feels like it is running up the down escalator.
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it → say → escalator
“Buyers are still moving forward, but every step is becoming harder work.
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step → move → ?
“That helps explain why activity remains subdued despite a resilient labour market and rising wages.
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activity → help → market
Buyers are being asked to make one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives at a time when the outlook for borrowing costs remains uncertain.
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outlook → ask → costs
However, the fall could be good news for first-time buyers who might find that they have less competition.
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they → find → competition
David Hollingworth, associate director at L&C Mortgages explained: “[First-time buyers] will have time to consider their options and potentially negotiate a little harder.”
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buyers → explain → options
Iain McKenzie, chief executive of The Guild of Property Professionals, said: “The latest figures should serve as a wake-up call for sellers who are still pricing their homes based on what they might have achieved at the height of the market.
“Buyers have more choice, borrowing costs are squeezing budgets and overpriced properties are finding it increasingly difficult to attract serious interest.”
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it → say → interest
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