UK asking house prices fall sharply in December, Rightmove says

UK home asking prices fell by more than is typical for the time of year in early December, according to property website Rightmove, highlighting a subdued housing market around last month’s government budget.

• Rightmove said average asking prices for newly listed homes dropped 1.8% month-on-month in the four weeks to December 6, a steeper fall than the 10-year average decline of 1.4% for the period.
• Prices were also 0.6% lower than a year earlier (compared with November of -0.5% y/y)

The report adds to evidence of softer market conditions. The UK budget included plans for a new annual tax on homes valued above £2 million from April 2028.Rightmove said there were early signs of a post-budget pickup in sales activity at the top end of the London market.

Looking ahead, Rightmove expects a more stable economic backdrop to support a rebound in activity and around 2% house price growth in 2026.

This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.