![\"Rents](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/house-facades-510514_1280_83b54f.webp.jpeg\")
\t\tRightmove show asking prices increased by 0.8 per cent month on month\t<\/p>\n\t\t\tMonday 20 April 2026 12:00 am
\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Updated:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\t\t\tMonday 20 April 2026 7:14 am\n\t<\/p>\n
\t\tRightmove show asking prices increased by 0.8 per cent month on month\t<\/p>\n
The average asking price of a home in Britain rose by nearly \u00a33,000 in April, but London\u2019s property market is showing clear signs of strain as higher mortgage rates and a surge in supply curb momentum.<\/p>\n
New figures from Rightmove show asking prices increased by 0.8 per cent month on month to \u00a3373,971, a \u00a32,929 rise, but this was below the usual April increase of 1.2 per cent, pointing to a softer spring market.<\/p>\n
In the capital, conditions are more challenging, where the number of homes for sale has hit an 11-year high for this time of year, intensifying competition and forcing sellers to rein in expectations.<\/p>\n
Colleen Babcock, property expert at Rightmove, said: \u201cWith mortgage rates remaining elevated due to the war in Iran, it\u2019s not a surprise that price growth is proving strongest in parts of the market less exposed to higher borrowing costs\u201d.<\/p>\n
London market splits as mortgage rates bite<\/p>\n
London\u2019s housing market is increasingly divided between resilient family homes and struggling flats.<\/p>\n
Larger properties, particularly those with four bedrooms or more, are still seeing demand, often from cash buyers who are less sensitive to higher mortgage rates.<\/p>\n
But flats, especially leasehold properties, are facing much weaker demand.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, homes bought in the past decade are being resold at lower prices, with flats in London down by more than 25 per cent on average over that period, and by over 40 per cent in some central areas.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\tRead more<\/p>\n