UK house prices rose 1.8% year-on-year in February but rising gilt yields and swap rate volatility are casting doubt over the spring mortgage market outlook.

UK house prices rose 0.8% in March to £371,042, as high housing supply and affordability pressures shape the spring property market.

UK house prices have edged up for the second month running, according to Halifax.

Total housing transactions in 2025 were 10% higher than in 2024.

Zoopla’s latest House Price Index attributes shift to falling mortgage rates and simplified lending criteria.

Asking prices are up 2.8% since December, making this the strongest start to a year since 2020.

Northern Ireland continues to lead UK house price growth; average prices there now stand at £217,206.

Average house prices increased at the start of 2026, with Nationwide recording a slight acceleration in annual growth and a modest month-on-month rise.

Rental demand in the UK’s major cities continues to support house price growth, with urban areas outperforming both coastal and countryside markets over the past year. 

House prices in more affordable parts of the Midlands, northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland increased up to four times faster than the UK average of 1.2%.