The average house price in Belfast has increased since 2015, with minor fluctuations over time. The house price index is calculated using data on housing transactions and measures the development of house prices, with January 2023 chosen as a base year when the index value was set to 100. In May 2025, the house price index reached 114.1, meaning that house prices have grown by 14.1 percent since 2023 and 10 percent since the same month in 2024. Among the different regions in the UK, the West and East Midlands experienced the strongest growth.

The average house price in Northern Ireland has increased since 2015, with minor fluctuations over time. The house price index is calculated using data on housing transactions and measures the development of house prices, with 2023 chosen as a base year when the index value was set to 100. In May 2025, the house price index reached 113.9, meaning that house prices have grown by nearly 14 percent since January 2023 and 9.5 percent since the same month a year ago. Among the different regions in the UK, the West and East Midlands experienced the strongest growth.

Across the United Kingdom, house prices appreciated the most in Belfast as of May 2025. In a year, sales prices in Belfast rose by 6.2 percent, approximately 4.8 percent above the average house price increase in the country. Bournemouth and Aberdeen were the two cities under observation where prices declined.

The UK housing market continued to show significant regional variations in 2025, with London maintaining its position as the most expensive city for homebuyers. The average house price in the capital stood at ******* British pounds in February, nearly double the national average. However, the market dynamics are shifting, with London experiencing only a modest *** percent annual increase, while other cities like Belfast and Liverpool saw more substantial growth of over **** percent respectively. Affordability challenges and market slowdown Despite the continued price growth in many cities, the UK housing market is facing headwinds. The affordability of mortgage repayments has become the biggest barrier to property purchases, with the majority of the respondents in a recent survey citing it as their main challenge. Moreover, a rising share of Brits have reported affordability as a challenge since 2021, reflecting the impact of rising house prices and higher mortgage rates. The market slowdown is evident in the declining housing transaction volumes, which have plummeted since 2021. European context The stark price differences are mirrored in the broader European context. While London boasts some of the highest property prices among European cities, a comparison of the average transaction price for new homes in different European countries shows a different picture. In 2023, the highest prices were found in Austria, Germany, and France.

The borough with the highest property prices in London, Kensington and Chelsea, had an average price for a flat exceeding *** million British pounds. London is the most populous metropolitan area in the UK, and living in it comes with a price tag. Unsurprisingly, the most expensive boroughs in terms of real estate prices are located in the heart of the metropolis: Kensington and Chelsea, the City of Westminster, and the City of London. In Kensington and Chelsea, home to several museums such as the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Science Museum, as well as galleries and theaters, the average price of apartments was over a million British pounds. How have residential property prices developed in recent years? The average house price in England have risen notably over the past decade, despite a slight decline in 2023. While London continues to be the hottest market in the UK, price growth in the capital has moderated. Conversely, prices in the more affordable cities, such as Belfast and Liverpool, have started to rise at a faster pace. Are residential property prices in London expected to grow in the future? Despite property prices declining in 2024, the market is forecast to continue to grow in the next five years, according to a October 2024 forecast. Some of the reasons for this are the robust demand for housing, the chronic shortage of residential properties, and the anticipated decline in mortgage interest rates.

Renting an office space in the UK was the most expensive in London West End in 2025. In the first quarter of the year, the square foot cost of a prime office space cost 170 British pounds. Conversely, Belfast was the most affordable of the 18 markets ranked, at 26 British pounds per square foot.