UK asking prices show bigger-than-usual rise in May, Rightmove says

May 17, 2026 7:22 PM EDT

A view of residential houses in London, Britain, January 23, 2025. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

LONDON, May 18 (Reuters) - ‌Asking prices ​for ​British homes in May rose by more than usual for the ‌time of year, despite uncertainty about the ⁠Iran war, and a key mortgage rate eased ‌back, property website Rightmove ‌said on Monday.

Property prices rose by a monthly 1.2%, above the 1.0% increase usually ​seen in May, Rightmove said. Prices rose by 0.8% in April from March.

"What's ⁠notable this month is that activity in the market is ​staying fairly steady, even with ongoing cost-of-living pressures and wider global uncertainty," Colleen ​Babcock, property expert at ‌Rightmove, said.

The Rightmove survey also showed:

• Asking prices were 0.3% lower ⁠than a year earlier

• The average two-year fixed mortgage interest rate fell to 5.18% on May ⁠11 from 5.42% a month earlier

• Price falls ​in annual terms in the first-time buyer sector eased affordability problems in London and the southeast of ‌England

• The number of homes for sale held at an 11-year high

• ‌Sales agreed were 4% below their level ⁠a year earlier ‌and 2% higher ​compared with the same period in 2024

(Reporting by Suban AbdullaEditing by William ‌Schomberg)



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