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UK house prices post biggest annual fall since October 2023, Lloyds says
Higher mortgage rates and inflation are cooling demand, while Lloyds said 2.3 million fixed-rate deals are due to expire in 2027.
House prices fell 1.2% annually in October, marking the steepest decline since 2023, according to Lloyds Banking Group. The average property price dropped to £296,285, down 0.6% from September.
On Thursday, the Bank of England raised the base rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4%, the first increase in more than three years. Higher borrowing costs have deterred prospective buyers from moving.
Some 2.3 million fixed-rate deals are due to expire in 2027, according to UK Finance analysis. Around 87% of outstanding homeowner mortgages are fixed rates, leaving many borrowers exposed to higher costs when refinancing.
Andrew Asaam, mortgages director at Lloyds, said housing demand is "being tested by a challenging economic backdrop." Rising energy and household costs have compounded pressure on buyers' finances.
Renewed inflationary pressures driven by conflict in the Middle East are keeping borrowing costs high. These factors squeeze household finances, making some buyers increasingly cautious about entering the market.