House prices rise to highest in 15 year

Home prices rose 3.4% in the three months to the end of November, the biggest increase since the end of 2006, and 8.2% in one year. The average real estate price in the UK broke a new record at £272,992 in November, mortgage lenders said.  However, he said the pace of growth is unlikely to continue into next year as household finances are under pressure.

Russell Gally, managing director of Halifax said, “The lack of affordable real estate, a strong job market and fierce competition among mortgage providers are keeping interest rates close to historical lows.” Halifax said the coronavirus pandemic has cut jobs since tax cuts ended in late September, but increased demand for stamp duty vacations has put increased pressure on the housing market. Low borrowing costs and record low interest rates make mortgages more attractive and the labor market is growing fast.

Lenders added that high house price inflation is unlikely to continue next year. Interest rates are expected to rise to prevent inflation, but if that happens, the uncertainty surrounding the Omicron coronavirus options is being questioned. But other than the pandemic, there are factors that are slowing house price inflation, Halifax said. It states that home prices are by no means cheap and that “household budgets will be put under more pressure in the months to come.”

AJ Bell’s financial analyst Danny Hewson said:  “I have a recipe for how to set the housing market on fire by adding stamp duty to the holidays.”  She said the market was “still very warm” after the holidays.  However, she said uncertainty over the Omicron options “has the potential to slow the market and there is no doubt that the price increases we have seen over the past 18 months have been volatile.”