In a surprising turn of events, UK house prices experienced a downturn in March for the first time in half a year, highlighting the impact of escalating mortgage rates on home affordability.
The recent figures from Halifax show a 1% reduction in prices, translating to an average decrease of £2,900, bringing the average house price down to £288,430. Despite this, the year-on-year comparison still shows a marginal increase of 0.3% in house prices, although this is a slowdown from February's 1.6% annual growth.
This dip in prices reflects the broader adjustments the housing market is undergoing in response to the rising interest rates that started in 2022. The affordability of homes remains a significant challenge for potential buyers, especially as those on fixed-term mortgage deals have not yet felt the full brunt of the rate hikes. This situation mirrors the observations made by Nationwide, another major lender, which also noted a price decline in March.
The backdrop to these developments is the increase in mortgage rates, following a period of historically low interest rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the Bank of England initiated rate hikes to combat inflation, mortgage costs followed suit, affecting the borrowing landscape for homebuyers. Although there was a peak in mortgage rates last summer with subsequent declines in anticipation of cuts by the Bank of England, the expected reductions in interest rates have not materialised as quickly as hoped. This has led some lenders to revert to higher mortgage rates, further complicating the housing market's recovery.
Interestingly, despite these challenges, there was a notable uptick in housing market activity in February, marked by the highest number of mortgage approvals since September 2022. However, the future trajectory of house prices remains uncertain, with the limited scope for significant increases this year due to the delicate balance between interest rate changes and affordability improvements.
It's important to note that Halifax's data primarily reflects its mortgage lending, excluding cash purchases and buy-to-let deals, which represent a considerable portion of the housing market. This exclusion indicates that the full picture of the market dynamics might be broader than reported, underscoring the complex interplay of factors influencing UK house prices.