How on earth we ended up with property prices up year on year by 6-10% after the crazy growth we saw in 2020, I kind of have no idea – and certainly my predictions of a fall in growth year on year back to around 3% (not in prices) didn’t pan out! However, it’s likely that 2022 will see much more muted growth for several reasons. Read more to find out what's happening to property prices in your area.

Goodness me, how on earth is it Christmas already! So far this year, we’ve seen one of the most active property markets from a transaction and price perspective, with sales expecting to reach 1.5mn and prices still rising. All this when many predicted the market would ‘fall off a cliff’ post the SDLT holiday ending. Read the full report here.

I find it amazing that every year we hear and read the same news stories on new builds - developers land bank to secure higher prices and raise profits; local authorities are granting planning permission and it’s developers that aren’t building. Both of these stories I think have been going ever since I have been in the industry – and that’s decades! This week there has been some research published that does suggest that developers hoarding land after securing planning is unlikely to be correct. To find out more, read my article.

Anyone trying to forecast the property market since it opened post the first lockdown must be scratching their heads! Trying to predict house price movements which are, to me, mostly based on consumer behaviour, is a tricky task. Most other markets I’ve worked in such as food, household goods, drink and the pet industry, have long term trends which are fairly similar year after year. That’s not the case in the property market and the last 12 months’ surprise changes in people’s attitude to property continues to confound the punters – including me!

It’s great to see new indices with more information about moving home to come to market, and both OnTheMarket and reallymoving have come up with very different ways of adding to our understanding of what’s happening. Read more to find out how can these new property indices can help us understand the market better.