Why are house prices surging as households are feeling the pinch?

By Jacqueline Wake Young

June 30 2022, 5:00 pm

The average price tag on a home has been increasing in the face of rising costs elsewhere.

As household budgets are squeezed tighter, house prices continue to climb.

The average price tag on a home has been jumping to record highs for four months in a row, according to Rightmove.

The property website says the UK’s average asking price for a home in May was £367,501 – £7,400 more than it was in April.

Potential buyers are now facing higher property prices and interest rates as well as steep increases in the cost of living.

The average price of a home in Scotland as of March stood at £218,992, which set a new record for the seventh time in 12 months.

Over the past two years, the average asking price across the UK has soared by more than £55,000.

Sellers don’t always get what they ask for – but many homes are being bought at or above the price they had in mind.

Many buyers are simply craving more space.

According to Propertymark, 82% of property agent members surveyed reported most properties were sold at or above the asking price in April, compared with 17% pre-pandemic in April 2019.

Robert Gardner, Nationwide’s chief economist, said that while housing has become less affordable, the market has remained strong.

Cost of living

Robert Gardner, Nationwide Building Society’s chief economist, said: “It is surprising housing market conditions have remained so strong in recent months, since higher property prices and interest rates, together with steep increases in the cost of living, mean housing has become less affordable.

“Despite consumer confidence declining towards the lows seen during the global financial crisis, monthly mortgage approvals for house purchase are still above pre-pandemic levels.”

Supply and demand is a major factor as prospective buyers are jostling for available properties.

So why are house prices continuing to climb higher, despite tough economic conditions putting such a significant financial squeeze on households?

One major factor is a relatively high number of buyers chasing a low number of available properties.

A desire for more outdoor space is also behind many people’s drive to move home.

Alan Cumming, national estate agency director at Aberdein Considine, said: “The north-east market is the best we’ve experienced for some time; perhaps not as frantic as Central Scotland but nonetheless still buoyant.

“Like the rest of the country, demand for houses across both city and shire is strong and quality properties in sought-after areas are selling very well – a shortage of these types of properties is the issue at the moment.”

National estate agency director at Aberdein Considine, Alan Cumming, said the north-east market is buoyant.

Robert Gardner said a Nationwide survey carried out in April points to a strong urge to move, with 38% of respondents saying they were either in the process of moving, or considering a move: “A high proportion when you consider that only around 5% of the housing stock turns over in a typical year,” he said.

He suggested this desire to move is largely driven by the pandemic. “For example, in our survey 15% cited a desire to access to garden or more outside space as a reason for moving,” he said.

The monthly rate of approvals for mortgages is still above pre-pandemic levels.

So will house prices keep shooting up?

Gardner said: “The outlook is unusually uncertain, but we expect housing market activity and house price growth to moderate in the coming quarters.

“The squeeze on household incomes is set to intensify, while financial markets point to further increases in interest rates ahead which, if realised, would also exert a cooling influence on the market.”