April Market Update

We’re a third of the way through 2026 already - how did that happen? With Easter behind us, the next deadline is to get your home under offer or a new tenancy secured before the six weeks school holiday. If you’re coming fresh to the market, here’s what you can expect.

Average asking price increased: the latest Rightmove House Price Index revealed new sellers asked more for their home in April this year than they did in March. The UK’s average asking price is now £373,971 - +£2,929 more than last reported.  

Regional differences

Scotland led the pack: asking price increases varied around the UK. The stand out winner was Scotland, where new-to-market sellers were advertising homes for +4.3% more than last month. This was followed by a +3% rise in Wales. The only region to post an asking price reduction was London – down -0.1%.

More choice for buyers

2025’s record highs broken: the latest TwentyCi/TwentyEA Property & Homemover Report was released in April. It reflected activity in the first quarter of 2026. Data showed the supply of new homes to market was +5.1% higher year-on-year. The availability of homes priced at £200,000 or less was the greatest.

Now cheaper to own than rent: despite fluctuating mortgage rates, affordability remains on the side of the homeowner. The TwentyCi/TwentyEA Property & Homemover Report also found the UK’s average homeowner saved £493 per month compared to tenants. This saving increased to £1,000 in London.

Transactions more secure: also from the TwentyCi/TwentyEA Property & Homemover Report was news on fall-through rates - the number of sales agreed that don’t go on to complete. Nationally, the fall-through rate fell from 24% to 23.7% during the last year.

First rent rise for 5 months: after a period of stability, the latest HomeLet Rental Index revealed rents have started climbing again. The UK’s average rent for a newly agreed tenancy increased +0.8% during HomeLet’s last monitoring period. Renters are now paying £1,311 per month.

Regional rental trends uncovered: while London saw its sales asking price decrease, it was a different rental story. The capital posted the biggest monthly rental increase of all UK regions, at +1.4%. Second and third spots were taken by the South West (+1.1%) and Yorkshire & Humberside (+1%).

Common rental concerns revealed

Repairs most discussed: a research project by insurance specialist Hiscox revealed what tenants are most concerned about. It used conversations on Reddit and a separate survey of 728 renters to establish that delayed or neglected repairs were the most frequently raised issue (49%). This was followed by failure to comply with legal obligations (20%) and unfair rent increases or hidden charges (14%).

Rentals filled, not floundering: new ‘let agreed’ figures should fill landlords with confidence. The TwentyCi/TwentyEA Property & Homemover Report reported the volume of lets agreed are at their highest levels for 10 years, and are +5.8% higher than last year.

Appealing yields reported 

In excess of 8% in some regions: the latest Rental Barometer from Fleet Mortgages revealed landlord yields improved in all regions across England and Wales during the first quarter of 2026. The North East was top of the table, with an average yield of 9.8%. The lowest yield was in Greater London, at 6.1%. Together, the statistics represent a yearly yield increase of +0.7%.

Renters’ Rights Act: we can’t close our April roundup without mentioning the Renters’ Rights Act. Thursday 30th April was the last day a Section 21 notice could be served and when landlords woke up the next morning, a whole raft of new legislation was in place. Our team is here to help with implementation.

If you would like to know more about your local property market, please get in touch.