London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

Is now a good time to buy a house - or is it better to keep renting?

Is now a good time to buy a house - or is it better to keep renting?

Interest from potential buyers may have slipped in July, but prices are still rising - so is now the right time to buy a house?

House prices have hit record highs, with many buyers facing a dilemma... should they commit now, or wait for prices to go back down?

In July, surveyors said they saw the first signs the market is beginning to cool.

In its monthly survey, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) found that 27% of professionals reported a fall in interest from potential house buyers.

It was the third consecutive month that interest from new buyers slipped.

But it's not all good news - 52% of professionals have predicted that rents will also rise in the coming months.

While she may not have a crystal ball, personal finance expert Gemma Godfrey has some advice for those weighing up whether now is the time to take the plunge into home ownership...


If you're considering when to buy a house, rather than if you should buy rather than rent, then you're asking about how to time the market. The question requires making predictions about if and when house prices might fall.

But a crash in the housing market might be more of a concern to sellers than buyers. While a buyer might miss out on buying a house cheaper, if it's a home they want to live in for years, then even if the value of the house falls after buying it, there still might be a long time for prices to recover before selling it.

There's also the emotional return of enjoying living in an owned home, especially while rents are high. And in terms of "missing out on a cheaper price", there are areas of the UK that are in high demand and there's a risk that a dream home might be lost waiting for a better time to buy. With a move being made for work, there might be restrictions on where to buy, for example with an easy commute to work, and this might further restrict buying options.

It can already take time to find the right home, and if there's trouble in the housing market and with interest rates rising, it might get harder to find an affordable mortgage. During this time, savings for a deposit might end up being spent on rent instead.

There are lots of uncertainties at the moment. House prices can fall as well as rise. It may simply just be worth starting to research what's on offer and compare options that are available and affordable.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
×