35 posts • Grok (Beta)
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Property experts predict that 2025 will be a 'buyer's market' in the UK, characterized by increased sales and more negotiating power for buyers. This forecast is based on expectations of higher price growth and more transactions than in 2024, with first-time buyer activity likely to be concentrated early in the year. The market's outlook is tempered by caution due to the impending end of a key stamp duty discount in April and uncertainties related to the wider economy and potential interest rate changes. In the US, the Case-Shiller 20-city house price index for October rose by 4.22% year-over-year, slightly above the forecast of 4.1% and down from the previous 4.6%. The US House Price Index also increased by 4.5% year-over-year. In China, residential property sales in December remained flat, indicating market stabilization following government stimulus efforts. Meanwhile, UK house prices in December rose by 0.7% month-on-month, surpassing expectations of a 0.1% increase, and ended the year with a 4.7% annual increase, according to Nationwide Building Society. This performance brought prices close to a record high, despite affordability challenges. Nationwide expects house prices to increase by 2% to 4% in 2025, while Halifax predicts modest growth in the range of 0% to 3%.