Map: Where house prices have risen across UK amid North-South divide

Rightmove has revealed where house prices rose across the UK in May amid “surprisingly strong” market confidence.

The typical price of a house coming on the market rose by 1.2 per cent to £378,304; This equates to a monthly increase of £4,333.

This is stronger than the average monthly increase of 1.0 percent seen in May in recent years, the report said.

Despite this increase, average prices have fallen by 0.3 percent since May 2025, highlighting the North-South divide.

Prices continue to rise annually in the more affordable North East (2.7 per cent) and North West (2.6 per cent) parts of England, while London (minus 2.4 per cent) and the South East (minus 1.6 per cent) are seeing annual declines in asking prices.

Rightmove property expert Colleen Babcock said: “It is normal to see asking prices rise as the spring selling season progresses.

“What is notable this month is that market activity has remained fairly stable despite ongoing cost of living pressures and wider global uncertainty.

“It looks like sales numbers are holding up well, consistent with the trends we’ve seen so far in 2026.

“However, this overall positive national monthly outlook masks the North-South divide in annual dealer pricing power.

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“Prices are rising in the North, but all sellers should remember that buyer preference is at its highest level at this time of year since 2015.”

The report stated that buyer selection was at its highest level in the last 11 years and the number of homes for sale was at the highest level at this time of the year since 2015.

Rightmove said new sellers needed to price more competitively as overly optimistic initial pricing led to longer sales times, with 32 per cent of existing listings of homes for sale seeing a price drop.

Homes that are realistically priced from the start tend to sell faster; Properties that require a price reduction spend an average of 127 days on the market, compared to just 36 days for properties that do not require a price reduction (a difference of nearly three months).

Matt Smith, mortgage expert at Rightmove, said: “The affordability picture has become slightly more supportive this month as mortgage rates remain higher than many buyers would like.

“Small drops in rates can make a meaningful difference to monthly budgets, and when combined with greater flexibility in lending following a review of affordability rules last year, many buyers can still make the numbers work.

“This helps explain why activity continues, especially among first-time buyers.”

Rightmove’s research was published after property company Hamptons said investor activity in the housing market had risen sharply this year as high mortgage rates and the Tenants’ Bill of Rights led to a renewed shift in the rental market.

Newly moved tenants paid an average of 1.9 per cent more than a year ago, taking the average rent across England to £1,396 per month.

This marks the fifth consecutive month in which the pace of rent growth has strengthened, with rents rising at the fastest pace in the past 11 months, Hamptons said.

Increasing costs are also felt by tenants renewing existing contracts. The average renewal price in April rose 3.2 per cent year on year to £1,312 per month.

Aneisha Beveridge, head of research for the Hamptons, said: “Homes sold by landlords are most likely to remain on the rental market predominantly in areas where the buy-to-let economy is most concentrated.

“Higher yields across much of northern England are more likely to offset rising mortgage and tax costs.

“Meanwhile, in much of the South, homes sold by owner-occupiers are more likely to be purchased by first-time buyers or trade-in homeowners.”