Homes are taking just 1 day longer to sell than last year. It's a clear sign that people who need to move are getting on with it. Buyer demand has rebounded after Easter but local market conditions vary across the country, meaning different strategies are needed whether buying or selling.
Average UK house prices: last 3 months
The average house price in the UK is now £271,500. This is a rise of 1.30% or £3,500 over the past year.
Property type | Average house price January 2026 | Average house price February 2026 | Average house price March 2026 | Annual price change to March 2026 (£) | Annual price change to March 2026 (%) |
All UK property | £270,900 | £271,600 | £271,700 | £3,500 | 1.30% |
Flats/maisonettes | £192,400 | £192,200 | £192,500 | -£2,100 | -1.10% |
Terraced houses | £239,900 | £239,900 | £240,800 | £4,550 | 1.90% |
Semi-detached houses | £279,200 | £279,400 | £280,600 | £6,750 | 2.50% |
Detached houses | £454,600 | £454,800 | £456,800 | £6,510 | 1.40% |
Homes selling as fast as last year, with some exceptions
Conflict in the Middle East over the last 2 months has pushed mortgage rates higher and led to a decline in consumer confidence. While some homebuyers and sellers have exhibited greater caution, the average home is taking just 1 day longer to sell than a year ago.
This tells us that households who need to move have found buyers at the same pace as last year. This is important as it shows that the housing market has absorbed two shocks and kept functioning without a major decline in levels of activity.
The 'time to sell' is the same as last year or lower across more than half of the regions and countries of the UK. It is taking longer to sell in London and southern England. Buyers in these areas are more affected by higher mortgage rates, particularly first-time buyers. In London, homes are taking 6 days longer to find a buyer than a year ago.
Housing market activity slightly behind last year
The data on levels of housing activity tells a similar story to 'time to sell'. Sales agreed are holding up well, running just 3% below last year. Buyer enquiries are down 2% on last year but with a notable rebound since Easter.
Buyer enquiries for homes are running at the highest level since the start of the conflict at the end of February.
With a ceasefire in place and lenders reducing mortgage rates, serious buyers are returning to the market to press ahead with their home buying journey.
There are 5% more homes for sale than a year ago, a sign of strong selling intent which also creates more choice for buyers. However, 4% fewer homes have been listed for sale recently as some sellers take stock of market conditions.
London's first-time buyers most sensitive to higher rates
The longer time to sell in London is not a central London phenomenon as buyers here tend to be wealthier and more equity-rich. The impact is more visible for sellers in outer London postcodes where first-time buyers (FTB) are more prevalent and sensitive to mortgage rates.
Stamp duty matters too. Our data shows 4 in 5 FTBs in London pay stamp duty equivalent to 3% of the purchase price. This is in stark contrast to FTBs elsewhere, where less than 1 in 10 pay stamp duty on purchases at a much lower cost - less than 1% of the purchase price.
This impacts the time to sell across London. Harrow has the longest sale time at 54 days compared to 33 days a year ago, a 65% increase. South East London is up 34% to 43 days, East London up 29% to 36 days, with Uxbridge and Bromley both seeing increases of around 7 days.
The same pattern extends into the wider commuter belt, with Dartford up 28% to 37 days and Slough up 18% to 46 days. In all these markets, sellers need to price carefully - there are fewer buyers able to proceed and those that can are taking longer to commit.
House price inflation follows a north-south divide
House prices are set when sales are agreed. The fact that well-priced homes are selling in the same time as last year explains why UK house price inflation is holding steady at 1.3% - enough transactions are completing to keep prices stable, even though activity has moderated.
Across Britain, house prices are rising fastest in the North East at 3.2% year on year, followed by the North West at 3.1% and Scotland at 2.6%. Northern Ireland continues to outperform at 6.7%.
Every city we track with house prices increasing above 3% year-on-year is in the North of England. For example, Burnley (5.3%), Blackburn (5.2%), Rochdale (5.0%), Liverpool (4.5%), Barnsley (4.3%). These markets are moving faster, meaning buyers have less time to decide.
Higher prices and more choice impacts the south
The South tells the opposite story. The same markets where homes are taking longest to sell are where price growth is weakest. London and the South East are both at -0.2% with more homes for sale giving buyers greater choice and keeping prices in check.
For sellers in southern England, well-priced homes are still selling but buyers have more choice than a year ago. Pricing correctly is not optional: it is the difference between selling and not moving.
Every city in our index seeing annual price falls is in southern England. Hastings is down 2.6%, Worthing down 2.0%, Bournemouth and Cambridge down 1.2%, Brighton down 1.1%, Reading down 0.7% and Milton Keynes and Portsmouth are at 0% or just below.
What's next in the 2026 housing market?
Mortgage rates are starting to drift lower after rising sharply in March. This is positive news for market activity and reflected in the rebound in buyer enquiries after Easter. What is less clear is how much further average mortgage rates will fall this year and the longer-term impacts on the cost of living for UK households because of the disruption to global trade.
We still expect sales to hold up through the rest of the year with continued modest price growth nationally of 1% to 1.5%. The North-South divide in both sales speed and price growth is likely to persist.
For anyone selling right now, the message is clear. Well-priced homes are finding buyers. Sellers that have held back on listing homes should seek advice on the strength of the local market as market trends vary widely locally and across price points.
For buyers, mortgage rates are lower than they were six weeks ago and lenders are competing for business again. Prices are not falling and the best-value homes are moving quickly, particularly in northern regions and Scotland.
About the Zoopla House Price Index
The Zoopla House Price Index (HPI) tracks the change in achieved sales price of homes (not asking prices). The index uses sold prices, mortgage valuations and data for recently agreed sales with more input data than any other index. The methodology is designed to accurately track the change in pricing for UK housing. It’s revisionary and non-seasonally adjusted.
Download the Zoopla House Price Index April 2026 (PDF, 598kB)
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