British house prices saw their sharpest annual growth in two years, rising 3.7% in November 2023, according to Nationwide. Monthly gains of 1.2% marked the largest jump since March 2022, defying high borrowing costs. Economists attribute the surge to the Bank of England's recent rate cut and changes to stamp duty rules announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Despite affordability challenges and policy shifts, experts anticipate continued market strength, supported by steady economic recovery and government initiatives to address housing supply shortages.
British house prices surged at their quickest annual rate in two years this November, demonstrating surprising resilience in the face of high borrowing costs. Data released by mortgage lender Nationwide on Monday revealed a 3.7% increase in prices compared to November 2022, a significant acceleration from October's 2.4% rise and the fastest growth since November 2022.
On a monthly basis, prices climbed by an impressive 1.2%, far surpassing October's 0.1% uptick and marking the sharpest jump since March 2022. Both annual and monthly gains exceeded forecasts from economists polled by Reuters, signaling unexpected strength in the housing market.
"The acceleration in house price growth is surprising, given that affordability remains stretched by historic standards," said Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist. He noted that house prices remain high relative to average incomes, and interest rates are still well above their pre-pandemic levels.
Other indicators also point to a revitalized housing market. Last week, Bank of England (BoE) data showed the highest number of mortgage approvals for house purchases since August 2022, suggesting a surge in buyer activity. The BoE reduced borrowing costs in November, marking only the second rate cut in four years, and hinted at a gradual approach to future rate reductions.
Analysts have attributed this renewed momentum in part to recent policy decisions. Elliott Jordan-Doak, senior economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, highlighted the combined effects of the BoE's November rate cut and Chancellor Rachel Reeves' budget announcement on October 30.
"The Chancellor's decision to end stamp duty threshold reliefs in April may have prompted homebuyers to accelerate their purchases ahead of the deadline, temporarily boosting house prices but likely reducing demand later," Jordan-Doak explained.
Reeves announced in October that the reduced threshold for stamp duty-a tax on property transactions-would not be extended beyond its March 2025 expiration. Additionally, she confirmed that stamp duty on second homes would rise from 3% to 5% starting in April.
Despite these developments, Gardner remains optimistic about the market's trajectory. "Providing the economy continues to recover steadily, as we expect, the housing market is likely to gradually strengthen," he said. He predicted that affordability pressures would ease as a combination of lower interest rates and wage growth outpaces house price increases.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government, in office since July, has committed to boosting economic growth and addressing the housing supply shortage. The administration has introduced mandatory construction targets and planning reforms to accelerate building, but a persistent lack of housing stock is expected to keep upward pressure on prices in the medium term.
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