Wealden house prices increased more than South East average in May

File photo dated 14/10/14 of a sold and for sale signs. A gradual slowdown in the housing market in Scotland is likely as the cost-of-living crisis bites, a report has warned. House prices in Scotland continue to edge upwards but indicators are softening slightly, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) latest survey. Issue date: Thursday May 12, 2022.

House prices increased by 2.3% – more than the average for the South East – in Wealden in May, new figures show.

The rise contributes to the longer-term trend, which has seen property prices in the area grow by 16.9% over the last year.

The average Wealden house price in May was £419,194, Land Registry figures show – a 2.3% increase on April.

Over the month, the picture was different to that across the South East, where prices increased 1.4%, and Wealden was above the 1.2% rise for the UK as a whole.

Over the last year, the average sale price of property in Wealden rose by £61,000 – putting the area third among the South East’s 64 local authorities with price data for annual growth.

The highest annual growth in the region was in the Isle of Wight, where property prices increased on average by 18.1%, to £292,000. At the other end of the scale, properties in Oxford gained 4.8% in value, giving an average price of £466,000.

An imbalance between supply and demand for properties has remained the primary reason behind climbing house prices across the UK throughout the pandemic.

But activity is starting to slow, with soaring inflation putting household budgets under pressure.

Sarah Coles, senior personal finance analyst at financial advice company Hargreaves Lansdown, said:“The average house price hit another record high in May, and rose faster than any time since the peak in June last year.

"However, we’re starting to see small changes in the market, which are likely to mean weaker growth in the coming months, especially if interest rates are hiked in August."

First steps on the property ladder

First-time buyers in Wealden spent an average of £335,000 on their property – £47,000 more than a year ago, and £74,000 more than in May 2017.

By comparison, former owner-occupiers paid £466,000 on average in May – 39.1% more than first-time buyers.

Property types

Owners of terraced houses saw the biggest rise in property prices in Wealden in May – they increased 2.6%, to £321,326 on average. Over the last year, prices rose by 16%.

Among other types of property:

Detached: up 2.3% monthly; up 18.3% annually; £631,712 averageSemi-detached: up 2.3% monthly; up 17.6% annually; £382,361 averageFlats: up 2.1% monthly; up 10.9% annually; £203,854 average

How do property prices in Wealden compare?

Buyers paid 7.9% more than the average price in the South East (£389,000) in May for a property in Wealden. Across the South East, property prices are higher than those across the UK, where the average cost £283,000.

The most expensive properties in the South East were in Elmbridge – £719,000 on average, and 1.7 times as much as more than in Wealden. Elmbridge properties cost three times as much as homes in Southampton (£239,000 average), at the other end of the scale.

The highest property prices across the UK were in Kensington and Chelsea.

Factfile

Average property price in May

Wealden: £419,194The South East:£388,531UK: £283,496

Annual growth to May

Wealden: +16.9%The South East: +13.5%UK: +12.8%

Highest and lowest annual growth in the South East

The Isle of Wight: +18.1%Oxford: +4.8%