David Morris, Head of Homes, Santander UK comments on Rightmove's House Price Index.

14 February 2025

David Morris, Head of Homes at Santander UK said:

“As we enter the final six weeks of lower stamp duty rates, the reality is that buyers starting out in their journey will need to pay potentially thousands more to own their home in 2025. However, while costs are increasing on one side, there are green shoots for affordability overall, as we see the return of sub-4% mortgage rates for the first time this year. The introduction of a permanent government mortgage guarantee scheme and improving stress-rates as a result of a base rate reduction, bring further welcome improvements for those aspiring to secure a mortgage.

“While we can expect some volatility in costs to remain, the prediction of further Bank of England base rate cuts this year, a high number of property listings and strong buyer demand are all still pointing toward a buoyant 2025 for the mortgage market.”